How to Become an Animator Without a Degree in 2024

Once the exclusive domain of skilled cartoonists, animation today is a field in reach of anyone with a computer connection and a strong desire to learn. If you want to be creative and have an artist’s instincts, you can succeed in the growing field of animation.

In our digital age, animators create films and effects for websites, ads, and film studios, along with numerous other entities. Software programs from the Adobe Creative Cloud are easy to learn and can take a student from beginner to full-fledged animator in months or even weeks.

Breaking Down the Tools of the Trade

Animators and special effects artists often get lumped into the same category. In fact, the median pay for special effects artists and animators is around $78,000 in the U.S. and promises to go even higher in a tight labor market.

While design skills are always helpful to budding animators, several Adobe programs can help you create professional-level work, including animations.

• After Effects - Adobe After Effects is an industry-standard motion graphics and visual effects software.

• Animate - The Animate software is great for websites, games, and even TV shows.

• Cinema 4D - Cinema 4D is perfect for tasks in computer animation and modeling, among others.

Additional popular animation programs include Autodesk Maya, Blender, and Houdini.

What Steps Are Required to Become an Animator? 

Here are some steps you can take to get into the animation field (click the link to skip to that step).

1. Learn More About the Field
2. Choose A Path
3. Master the Software
4. Practice, Practice, Practice
5. Portfolio-Building
6. Find Work in the Field
7. Do You Have a Niche?
8. Continue Your Education
9. Network With Successful Pros

1. Learn More About the Field

Animation is a field in itself, but many professionals use tools like After Effects or Animate to create animations as part of their work activities. In addition to full-time animators, positions that require animation skills can include:

• Designers
• Motion Graphics Designers
• Motion Graphics Design Specialists
• Video Editors
• Video Managers
• Design Directors

To find out how to get started in animation, check out free YouTube videos. Here you can learn more about disciplines like motion graphics and tools like After Effects. Noble Desktop offers a video tutorial on web animation techniques that you can view here. The tutorial presentation slides are also available for download.

2. Choose A Path

Once you have learned more about the animation field, you’ll have a better idea of how and where you’d like to apply animation skills. The training required for a motion graphics design position will differ from that of a 2D animation position, with some overlap, such as After Effects. Research job postings on sites like Indeed and Ziprecruiter to see what skills are required for current open positions. You’ll find many unique titles, like Senior 3D Animator, Motion Graphics/Animation Designer, and even AI Animator, to name a few.

3. Master the Software

Many animation positions require expertise in a range of software programs. A position as an Animator with DreamWorks may demand expertise with Maya, whereas a Video Game Animator may need experience using MotionBuilder.

Among the most well-known of today’s animation tools is Adobe After Effects, which is used in various fields. To learn After Effects in detail, consider enrolling in an in-person or online After Effects Bootcamp, like that offered by Noble Desktop.

Another option is a Motion Graphics Certificate program. Here you’ll not only learn After Effects, but Cinema 4D and Premiere Pro as well. This certificate provides comprehensive training for a career as a Motion Graphics Designer, Video Editor, or Video Manager.

4. Practice, Practice, Practice

When you acquire the knowledge and skills needed to succeed in animation, you’ll have learned a great deal: animation design principles, software for creating 2D and 3D animations, and even how to work with a design team. However, to find a position in the field, you’ll need a strong portfolio.

Fortunately, building an animation portfolio isn’t as difficult as it might sound. If you learn Premiere Pro, you can create basic animations, while After Effects is ideal for more complex animation projects. And advanced training in Adobe’s Cinema 4D can help you create multidimensional animations with After Effects. This type of training is all-inclusive through Noble Desktop’s Motion Graphics Certificate program.

5. Portfolio-Building

A portfolio is not a static item for animators and motion graphics designers. In fact, you’ll be able to create a demo reel for potential clients or employers through training, whether you want to find a full-time position or plan to freelance.

Like a writer or an actor, an animator will look to update their portfolio from time to time. It’s important to continue working and practicing the skills acquired through training while planning your next move. Every portfolio is a work-in-progress.

6. Find Work in the Field

Finding work as an animator may be easier than you’d expect, regardless of if you graduate from college or a certificate program. If you’ve learned animation skills in-depth, you might find a part-time gig, internship, or contract work in a related area. Beyond straightforward animator roles, career paths open to those with animation expertise include:

• Special Effects Artist
• 3D Modeler
• 3D Creative Designer
• Technical Director
• Graphic Artist
• Lighting Technician

Of course, there are many other alternatives beyond these, depending on if a position is in the public or private sector. The field of animation today is so broad—including stop motion, rotoscope, typography, and mechanical animation—it pays to be open to the many possible roles where you can use the skills you’ve gained.

7. Continue Your Education

Although some animation pros work in the film industry, many others find rewarding careers in advertising or public relations, software publishing, computer systems services, and other sectors. Professional development at these levels depends largely on your position and what types of classes may be available to you.

Some of the best-paying animation jobs are in areas not ordinarily associated with animation in the minds of the general public. These include:

• Commercial equipment and supplies wholesalers
• Aerospace products and parts manufacturing
• Navigational, electromedical, and control instruments manufacturing
• Advertising, public relations, and related services

As you can see, it pays to be educated not only in the tools you need to create animations, but also in the field where you ultimately use those skills. For that reason alone, consider taking additional classes even after you’ve learned programs like After Effects or Cinema 4D.

8. Network with Successful Pros

While web developers and marketing professionals have online forums or large conferences where they interact with others in their respective fields, creative positions often do not. Animators and designers may work on a team or alone, typically under the guidance of a creative director or manager. That means looking out of the box for relevant networking alternatives.

Luckily, there are multiple international gatherings where animators and other creatives can meet, learn, and exchange ideas. The SIGGRAPH Conference for computer graphics and interactive techniques is a major annual event, as is the VIEW Conference. Check the Animation World Network website for events worldwide, from Cannes to NYC. And if travel isn’t on the agenda, you can also find events near you through LinkedIn, Meetup, and other sites.

Whatever area of animation expertise you choose, it can be more than a skill set; given the right training, you can find a rewarding career without a formal degree in this growing field.