Thankfully, high-quality animation bootcamps for high schoolers can help teens grasp the fundamentals of this popular art form. Designed to slowly acclimate young learners to animation basics, these classes provide a hands-on experience that makes learning easier.
Mastering animation not only provides high schoolers with broader creative outlets but also prepares them for exciting and high-earning jobs. Even if they don’t create animated series or movies, they can use this skill in careers as diverse as marketing, video game production, digital design, and web development. As a result, any teenager serious about learning animation should read through the following information to learn more about this life-changing experience.
What is Animation?
Animation is the art of producing the illusion of movement using still pictures, traditionally by creating multiple identical images with minor changes that simulate differences in position. Modern animation has its roots in the stroboscopic disc toys made in the early to mid-1800s. These child-like displays looped 8-16 images to animate simple movements, such as a horse galloping. However, even cave drawings show crude but effective attempts at emulating motion.
In the early 20th century, an explosion of hand-drawn animation (led by companies like Warner Brothers and Disney) turned this crude gimmick into a legitimate art form. These firms influenced creators worldwide, including modern anime filmmakers leading the industry out of Japan. Since the release of The Rescuers Down Under, the first animated film made entirely on computers, an increasing amount of animation has been done digitally due to its quicker pace.
Why Should High Schoolers Learn Animation?
Everybody knows at least one or two “dreamy” teenagers who live quiet lives dedicated to watching cartoons and sharpening their drawing skills. These high schoolers are just the kind of people who will thrive in an animation bootcamp! However, even teens interested in fields like marketing may love studying this in-depth artistic skill. So, why should teenagers who have thousands of potential skills they could study learn animation? Doing so can easily:
- Prepare Them For a New Career: Artistic teenagers who love telling stories can learn animation to lay the foundation for a bold and exciting new career. Whether they join a major studio or make their own work, the sky is the limit on their creativity!
- Express Their Creativity: Animation is a dynamic and exciting field that combines art, technology, and storytelling. As a result, any high schooler who simply wants to express themselves in incredible new ways will likely enjoy this art form on a deep level.
- Build Their Work Ethic: Learning animation can cultivate a strong work ethic in high schoolers. After all, even digital projects require a lot of careful work, attention to detail, and dedication to work hands-on for hours on intricate and detailed projects.
- Enhance Their Soft Skills: Many teenagers lack “soft skills,” i.e., those interpersonal abilities, like communication, teamwork, and problem-solving, that make life easier. Thankfully, learning animation helps high schoolers build these abilities successfully.
Considerations for Choosing a Course
Even a quick Google search for “animation bootcamps for teens” reveals dozens or even hundreds of potential classes. How can students narrow down their options? Researching each program with their parents can help make this process a lot easier and way less stressful. So, when selecting an animation course, high schoolers should consider various factors to ensure they choose a program that feels right for their needs (and their parents’ budgets).
Skill Level and Difficulty
Some teenagers might already have experience playing with basic animation software. Others might have little to none. As a result, high schoolers need to honestly gauge their skill level and choose a learning program that matches their abilities to ensure they don’t get overwhelmed.
Learning Style
High schoolers interested in learning animation should ask themselves this question: Do they prefer self-paced online courses, in-person classes, or a combination of both? In-person lessons offer hands-on support, while digital programs let them learn at home without traveling!
Software Preferences
Animation typically breaks down into 2D and 3D styles that require learning different software tools. For example, students interested in two-dimensional art should study programs like Adobe Animate, while budding three-dimensional animators should know Blender and Maya.
Career Goals
Are teens interested in becoming animators, game developers, visual effects artists, or marketing artists? The diversity of fields here makes a little research critical, particularly for high schoolers who may not know precisely what they want out of their lives just yet.
What High Schoolers Can Do With Animation
While animation might not seem as initially complex or rewarding as coding or graphic design, teenagers can do almost anything with these critical skills! Whether they’re laying the groundwork for a creative new career or simply want to produce interesting projects for themselves, animation offers so many benefits that the average teen’s head will spin. After completing an in-depth bootcamp and training program, teenagers will find that they will:
- Develop their artistic skills and improve their drawing, painting, and digital art techniques to lay the foundation for further studies into more in-depth animation styles
- Learn storytelling so that they can develop stronger narratives and use critical 2D and 3D animation techniques to realize their intricate and fascinating plot lines
- Master animation software as they gain proficiency in industry-standard animation tools, such as Adobe Character Animator, Moho Debut, and Flipsnack
- Explore career paths that might excite them, including potential job opportunities in the animation industry or even freelance animation work
Balancing High School and Animation Learning Demands
Taking an animation bootcamp might challenge teenagers with busy and exciting lives. While many courses take place over the summer to cut back on these issues, many teens may try to learn during the school year to maintain their precious summer break. Those who do will quickly find that their school, social, and activity lives may clash with their bootcamp needs. Thankfully, there are several ways that high schoolers can avoid these problems and stay focused.
Practice Time Management
High schoolers can effectively manage their time by creating a consistent study schedule and prioritizing studying. Some teens might even use time management tools, like Ganttpro, Wrike, Todoist, and TickTick, to schedule their day and stay focused on their animation learning goals.
Set Up Short, Focused Sessions
Trying to tackle a subject as broad as animation can be overwhelming if teens don’t learn how to break down their work into shorter and more manageable sessions. For example, they can try animating sections of a project every day instead of cramming the whole project into a weekend.
Utilize Online Resources
There are a variety of high-quality animation tools online that can streamline this process for teens. Things like tutorials, workshops, and resources are often available for free and can supplement their more structured bootcamp-based learning to solidify their skills.
Find Fun Passion Projects
Since animation is such a creative field, teens can easily integrate exciting projects and personal interests into their studies to make learning more engaging. For example, they could make a new YouTube video series to highlight their skills and stay interested in their studies.
Jobs Available After Learning Animation
While some teenagers may simply want to learn animation for their own edification, most will likely study it to prepare for an exciting career. For example, teenagers who love cartoons, animated films, and art may master these techniques to transition into a high-earning creative position. Others may find themselves drawn to industries like marketing, web design, and even video production. Within these diverse and exciting markets, teens may try to become a:
- Video Editor: A Video Editor uses animation skills alongside general editing techniques to direct projects from scripting to post-production finalization.
- 2D Animator: As a 2D Animator, graduates will create storyboards, characters, and backgrounds using various software and usually earn about $100,000 annually.
- 3D Animator: A career as a 3D Animator includes producing top-level animations and three-dimensional artwork for various markets. These experts earn around $100,000.
- Video Manager: Becoming a Video Manager introduces teens to job duties like creating storyboards and scripts for animated projects; they make a solid $65,000 a year.
- Motion Graphics Designer: A Motion Graphics Designer (MoGraph) will use visual effects and animation to produce high-quality artwork for various platforms.
- Web Designer: As a Web Developer, learners will likely use animation when producing high-quality and fascinating websites. Expect a salary median of around $93,000.
Benefits of Taking an Animation Bootcamp
Teenagers interested in mastering animation may wonder what makes a bootcamp better than college courses or other educational opportunities. Well, these classes include a streamlined approach that helps teens learn basic animation subjects and more advanced topics logically and efficiently. Just as importantly, these programs offer many benefits that make them more than worth their time and money investment. Just a few advantages they offer include:
- Intensive Learning: The best animation bootcamps provide a fast-paced and immersive educational experience. Teenagers will master basic techniques before moving on to intermediate skills to build toward mastery and next-level professional competence.
- Industry Connections: High schoolers might not realize that most bootcamps offer strong industry connections by pairing them with skilled mentors. These programs may also provide career placement assistance to make it easier to find a position.
- Portfolio Development: Throughout their training, teenagers in an animation bootcamp will focus on portfolio building and other exercises and gain exciting opportunities to work on real-world projects, including hands-on web design and animation activities.
- Mentorship Opportunities: Bootcamps let teens work directly with skilled professionals, such as successful animators, to gain mentorship and support that teenagers can use to build their skills properly and create a more in-depth professional experience.
Why Taking an Animation Course is Better Than Learning for Free
A typical animation program may cost thousands of dollars and last weeks or months, and many teens will find that far too demanding. Unfortunately, they may try to learn animation using resources like forums, free seminars, and even YouTube videos. Now, there’s nothing wrong with these great tools if teenagers understand their limitations. They’re simply not enough to ensure professional mastery but instead work best as supplements to paid learning.
After all, bootcamps offer expert instruction alongside access to qualified instructors who can provide guidance and feedback. Furthermore, these programs are very structured to help students progress through each lesson relatively quickly. Even better, they offer community support through forums and even meetup groups that help students build personal and professional networks. Finally, most programs provide animation credentials and certifications.
Financing Options for Animation Courses
Trying to pay for an animation bootcamp can be tricky for teens. If they’re trying to pay thousands of dollars themselves, they’ll likely have to work a part- or full-time job to save enough cash. Those who get money from their parents may be limited by tight family budgets that make it challenging to divert enough cash to cover it. Thankfully, there are many financing options available that can help offset these expenses and keep students on the right path.
Scholarships and Grants
Many training organizations offer scholarships and grants to students pursuing animation education, especially for high achievers and those with a strong financial need. Thankfully, they don’t need to be paid back but are often hard to get due to their competitive nature.
Student Loans
Though not the most popular option for many teen learners, federal and private student loans may be the most available. Though they must be paid back in full, schools typically offer reasonable interest rates. In this way, loans can cover the cost of tuition and other expenses.
Payment Plans
Many programs offer flexible payment plans to make them more affordable for students from all walks of life. Typically, these break down into 3-5 installments, though other plans may be available. In this way, students can avoid a significant initial cost but still pay for their courses.
Free Trials
Many online training schools offer free trials or classes for high school students! These help teenagers understand how a program operates and decide whether it makes sense for them. Be careful when choosing this option, though, as many schools might charge after the free period.
Skills High Schoolers Learn in Animation Courses
During their exciting and in-depth animation training, teenagers will learn many new skills that will challenge their abilities and push their knowledge to the next level. Often, these concepts build on previously learned topics to help solidify a teen’s skills and make it easier for them to pursue a rewarding and high-earning career in animation. Just a few things that high schoolers will master when taking an animation course include the following concepts:
- Drawing and Sketching: During their training, teens will develop strong foundational drawing skills and the ability to translate 2D concepts into 3D space. Even non-artistic teenagers will feel more comfortable sketching and drawing after they’re done.
- Principles of Animation: After they master basic drawing skills, teenagers will study key animation principles like squash and stretch, anticipation, and follow-through. These concepts help them produce high-quality and attractive artwork for their projects.
- Software Proficiency: All animation bootcamps teach high schoolers how to use software such as Adobe Animate, Blender, Maya, and Toon Boom Harmony to create two-dimensional and three-dimensional projects, including storyboards and characters.
- Storyboarding: At more advanced levels, teenagers will learn to storyboard or create basic plans for their in-depth projects. Furthermore, they’ll master skills related to character design, including creating believable and engaging characters.
How Easy Is It to Learn Animation?
Depending on a teen’s innate skills and experience, learning animation can be relatively straightforward or demanding. After all, learning animation requires dedication, practice, and a strong work ethic. Furthermore, teens may find basic concepts relatively easy to grasp, but mastering professional-level animation techniques requires time and consistent effort. Taking a bootcamp streamlines this process by laying the foundation for learning complex techniques.
How Long Will It Take To Learn Animation?
Even skilled learners shouldn’t expect to be professional-level animators after a single bootcamp. In fact, the time required to learn animation varies depending on many factors. Their willingness to study deeply and practice regularly will significantly speed up their learning time. Here’s a rule of thumb: basic animation skills can be acquired within a few months, while mastering advanced techniques may take years, including earning a college degree.
Best Animation Courses for High Schoolers
Teens quickly searching for animated courses will find hundreds of highly ranked, well-reviewed, and respected programs. These include in-person and online classes available from colleges, universities, and private institutions. How in the world can learners narrow down their options and find lessons that make the most sense for them? It’s critical to do a lot of research with their parents before choosing. Thankfully, the following three options work well for most teenagers.
NextGen Bootcamp
NextGen Bootcamp offers high-quality training programs to high schoolers that focus on building their skills in logically structured ways. Classes include live online sessions that let teenagers study from home, while visiting a friend, or even on vacation. Even better, they occur during the summer so teens aren’t overwhelmed in their lives. Each comes with 1-on-1 mentoring, portfolio-building support, and exercises that sharpen their skills exponentially.
Animation Summer Bootcamp Live Online
Animation Summer Bootcamp Live Online focuses on teaching students the history of animation, essential principles of design, various 2D animation techniques, and character design. Students get live training from an actual animation professional, 1-on-1 mentoring, and the chance to interact with their peers in an engaging environment. When they’re done, they’ll have a portfolio of high-quality work to share with potential employers or college programs.
Video Editing & Motion Graphics Live Online
Video Editing & Motion Graphics Live Online teaches high schoolers how to use Adobe Premiere Pro, a popular industry-standard software used by real professionals in the film industry. They’ll learn how to create video projects, import footage, animate using various modules, edit sound into film, and much more. During this live online program, they receive 1-on-1 mentoring from a skilled professor who deeply understands each subject they teach.
Elite Animation Academy
Elite Animation Academy offers virtual and in-person courses for students interested in animation. Set up by former Walt Disney and Marvel animators, this program pairs learners with skilled teachers and works them through multiple courses and subjects related to this topic. As they complete their studies, they’ll build on previously learned lessons to enhance their skills. Though adults are welcome to these classes, they’re primarily for children and teen learners.
Foundational Drawing
Foundational Drawing covers the basic sketching skills that teenagers need to animate correctly. During this course, they’ll study topics like proper sketching, how to use various types of animation software to draw, and modeling techniques for multiple things, including people and inanimate objects. Once they complete this program, teens can progress to more advanced topics, such as 2D Animation, Manga, Storyboarding, and Character Design.