Learn more about Adobe Animate, its various applications in the animation industry, and the benefits of earning a certificate or certification to boost your career as an animator. Understand the difference between certificates and certifications, and how obtaining either can enhance your employability and earnings potential in the field.
Key Insights
- Adobe Animate is a popular application used for creating 2D animations and vector graphics for various media outlets including television, games, and online video.
- Different careers in animation involve specializing in a specific medium such as television or video gaming, and further specializing within that medium.
- Certificates are awarded upon completion of an educational program, while certifications are earned by passing an exam or meeting specific industry standards. Both can improve employment prospects.
- Noble Desktop offers certificate programs such as the Motion Graphics Certificate and the Video Editing and Motion Graphics Certificate, which can be completed in two months full-time or four months part-time.
- Adobe offers a certification for Adobe Animate, requiring at least 150 hours of instruction and hands-on experience, and passing a 50-minute exam.
- According to the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics, individuals with professional certificates or licenses are more likely to be employed, enhancing the value of obtaining a certificate or certification.
If you’re looking for a way to demonstrate your skills in Adobe Animate, you might be overwhelmed by the different certifications and certificate programs available. You might also have many questions, such as whether or not a certificate or certification is worth the time and money you need to invest in them and how it will actually help you in your career. This article aims to answer these questions so you can efficiently choose the right path toward an Adobe Animate certification. Keep reading to find out more.
What is Adobe Animate?
Adobe Animate is an Adobe application used to create 2D animation. With it, Animators can produce animation and interactive vector graphics for a variety of media, including television, games, apps, and online video. They can export their work to multiple platforms, including Flash/Adobe AIR, WebGL, and HTML5 Canvas. Animate has been used to create a number of popular cartoons, including My Little Pony and The Amazing World of Gumball. It was previously known as Adobe Flash Professional, a top-rated program in the late 1990s and 2000s.
Animate has numerous tools that allow Animators to create complex and detailed animations. For instance, its virtual camera feature can pan, zoom, and rotate animations. Audio synching lets Animators sync the audio in their animations. Vector brushes make it possible to resize, move, color, and animate brush strokes. Animation apps like Animate give Animators the tools to create things that would be difficult to draw by hand.
Read more about what Adobe Animate is and why you should learn it.
What Can You Do with Adobe Animate?
People have been using animation for more than one hundred and fifty years to entertain and communicate a wide variety of content. Animation can grab an audience’s attention, tell stories, simplify complex content, and communicate ideas quickly. As a result of its versatility and universal appeal, animated content is used in many professions. Early animation featured hand-drawn content. However, today’s Animators use computers and animation applications such as Adobe Animate.
When people think about animation, many think of cartoons, which are indeed one thing many Animators create. Animation is in countless forms of media, and much of it develops from applications like Adobe Animate. Adobe Animate, in particular, is frequently used to generate cartoons and 2D animated television shows. The application can be used to create characters and add effects and audio, and it has developed many well-known shows and movies, including My Little Pony and The Amazing World of Gumball. However, cartoons are only one of the things that Animators create with animation apps. Apps also help to create video games for computers and mobile devices, educational content, and a wide variety of advertising and animated content for the internet.
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics explains that Animators typically choose a specific medium to work in, such as television or video gaming. In addition, they often specialize within that medium. For example, some video game designers specialize in creating characters, while others focus on scenery. Animators who specialize in this way are typically part of a larger team, with each team member working on one part of a project.
Certifications vs. Certificates: What’s the Difference?
A certificate is something awarded upon completion of an educational program. Every educational institution has its own unique certificate programs. For example, Noble Desktop offers a Motion Graphics Certificate, where students learn motion graphics with After Effects, Cinema 4D Lite, and Premiere Pro. Earning it takes two months of full-time study. Most certifications are taken voluntarily, and many people decide to pursue certificate programs to advance in their careers. Certificates are generally easier to get than certifications.
In contrast to a certificate, a certification is a standardized designation earned by passing an exam or meeting specific industry standards. In addition, a certain level of professional experience is usually required. A certification proves that an individual has a specific level of knowledge and has mastered certain skills. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that most employed people with a certification or license obtained it due to requirements for their job.
Top Certifications & Certificates for Adobe Animate
Students who want to earn a certificate in the field of animation and motion graphics have many different options. Noble Desktop offers a Motion Graphics Certificate, where students learn several animation software programs and use these programs to complete projects. It also has a Video Editing and Motion Graphics Certificate that teaches a range of animation and video editing skills. Both certificates take two months full-time or four months part-time. Other schools like Coursera and Udemy also offer certificate programs.
Adobe offers certification for Adobe Animate and a number of other Adobe apps. In order to get certified, students need at least 150 hours of instruction and hands-on experience, and they need to pass Adobe’s 50-minute exam. The exam can be taken online or at an authorized testing center, and passing earns the title of Adobe Certified Professional, with a certification that is valid for three years from the date of issue. Getting certified in Animate along with Dreamweaver results in the title of Adobe Certified Professional in Web Design. Students who want to get an Adobe Certification can prepare for the exam by taking a class at Noble Desktop.
Should I Get Certified in Adobe Animate?
Most animation jobs probably won’t require a certification or certificate, but having one could still be an advantage. These qualifications show that an Animator has a certain knowledge level and prove they are serious about being an Animator. In addition, certificates and certifications can be a way to stand out from a crowd of other people competing for the same work. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, people with a professional certificate or license are more likely to be employed than those without this credential.
Learn Animation & Motion Graphics with Hands-on Training at Noble Desktop
At Noble Desktop, students can learn animation and motion graphics with hands-on classes that fit many schedules and learning styles. Every class is small and interactive and led by expert instructors. In addition, Noble always provides a free retake option. The free retake allows students to retake the same class once within a year without paying for it again. Students can gain additional animation or motion graphics skills using the free retake without investing in another class.
The After Effects Bootcamp is a popular option among students who decide to study animation at Noble Desktop. Students in this bootcamp learn After Effects, a program that professional Animators commonly use, in just 18 hours. Bootcamps like this are popular because they provide quick, intensive training that gives students a good understanding of the subject matter over only a few days. Many pick a bootcamp when they want to add one skill like After Effects to their resume.
However, bootcamps are not the best option for everyone. Some students prefer more in-depth training and opt for a certificate program instead. Certificate programs take longer to complete, but they cover more subject matter. For instance, Nobel’s Motion Graphics Certificate takes two months full-time or four months part-time to finish. During that time, the curriculum covers animation programs, including After Effects, Cinema 4D Lite, and Premiere Pro, and how to use these programs to work on multiple animation projects.
Key Insights
- By getting a certificate or certification, you can show that you have mastered certain skills. These qualifications can be an asset, even if an employer does not require them.
- A certificate shows that you have completed a particular educational program.
- You earn certification by passing an exam or meeting certain industry standards.
- The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that people with certificates or licenses are more likely to be employed.
- Noble Desktop is one place to find certificate programs in animation. The New York City-based school teaches certificate programs both in-person and live online.
How to Learn Adobe Animate & Animation
Master Adobe Animate and animation with hands-on training. Formerly called Flash, Adobe Animate is one of Adobe's animation applications.
- Animation classes at Noble Desktop: live, instructor-led courses available in NYC or live online
- Find Animation Classes Near You: Search & compare dozens of available courses in-person
- Attend an animation class live online (remote/virtual training) from anywhere
- Find & compare the best online animation classes (on-demand) from the top providers and platforms
- Train your staff with corporate and onsite animation training