What is the Best Course to Learn Animation?

The answer to this question will be different for every prospective student. That’s why there are so many animation courses, formats, styles, and focuses available. With animation being such a technical and creative digital skill, there are many ways for you to gain the skills that will allow you to become proficient or understand animation on a professional level. Keep reading to learn some of the key questions you’ll need to ask yourself when considering enrolling in an animation course and how to determine which class might be right for you. Making an informed decision about your future will be a lot easier once you have a better idea of course evaluation criteria.

Are You Brand New to Animation?

One of the first things you need to do is evaluate yourself and how much you know about animation. If you have some experience with animation already, you can skip introductory courses and move into more advanced or accelerated learning models like bootcamps more easily. If you’re brand new to animation, then you may need a slower-paced class that gives you enough time to digest the material and practice applying what you learn. If you are someone who picks up new things quickly and you have room in your schedule, you may do well with a full-time bootcamp or certificate course. Understanding how you learn and what you can handle is going to make a big difference in whether or not you choose to take a slower or more intensive approach to learning animation. If you’re still exploring whether or not animation is the right path for you, consider leveraging free learning resources and short introductory courses first. You don’t want to make a significant investment only to discover that it’s not what you want.

How Much Are You Willing to Pay?

Cost is a major factor in choosing an animation course and it’s not the most interesting thing to focus on when choosing a class. The best way to approach how much a class costs is to set a budget that works for you and choose a course that fits within it. Yes, you’ll want to choose a quality animation education that will help you meet your learning goals; and yes, you’ll also be investing in your long-term earning potential. Keep in mind that it is important to find a balance that fits your current income, budget, and educational needs. Some education options offer flexible payment plans, financing, or scholarships. Look into these options if you’re interested in lightening the financial burden that comes with learning a new skill. 

The most expensive option in both time and money is a college degree program. These can cost tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars, but they are the most in-depth and immersive option that will help you segue into a broader range of careers in animation. Degree programs are for serious students who are sure that animation is the career path for them. Those who aren’t looking to become professional animators should choose other options. While it’s possible to be a self-taught Animator, you’ll likely want to enlist the help of free online resources and on-demand courses. This is the least expensive option, but it can be very time-consuming, and finding employment can be quite difficult. 

In the middle of these two options are training centers. They typically offer a range of courses from introductory to advanced to certificate programs or bootcamps. Training centers are a great option for those who want to learn animation quickly and for college graduates who want to learn in-demand skills. There are fewer networking opportunities than colleges and universities, but you’ll be job-ready when you’ve completed your animation bootcamp training. Training centers also offer individual classes that can help you learn animation at a slower pace or decide whether or not you want to learn professional animation skills. Single-topic classes are also a great option for those seeking professional development or wanting to turn their hobby into a side hustle.

How Quickly Do You Need to Learn New Skills?

Your time is valuable, and sometimes you need to learn a new skill quickly. How fast is fast? The answer to the question varies from student to student, course to course. There are introductory and single-topic animation classes that last from a single day to several days, and there are more in-depth classes that can span a few weeks to several months. How long some of the classes take is up to you if it’s an on-demand course. On-demand courses are measured in hours, but if you’re already knowledgeable on certain course topics, you may choose to skip over those sections and speed up the time it takes to complete. On-demand courses are a good choice for animation hobbyists, novices who only want an introduction to animation, and students with tight schedules and tight budgets.

Training facilities offer courses in a fraction of the time it takes to earn a college degree. How quickly you learn in a live class will depend on whether you’re attending full-time or part-time. If you are a fast learner and eager to complete your animation training and join the workforce, an accelerated full-time program will best suit your needs; but it will be intense, you’ll have plenty of homework, you’ll only spend a day or two on some topics, and you’ll need to have a clear schedule to focus on your studies. If a full-time program doesn’t work with your schedule, attending part-time will offer a slower pace because classes are only held on select evenings or weekends. You’ll have more time to digest course material and practice and have less homework. Part-time learning is often just as intense as full-time learning because of its condensed nature, and although it takes longer to complete than a full-time program, the outcome is the same. It should be noted that you will have to spend plenty of time outside of class practicing the skills that you learn in class to see the best results. 

Do You Want to Become a Professional Animator?

If you’re an aspiring professional Animator, you’re probably eager to get into the workforce and need a course that focuses on getting you career-ready. But if you’re a hobbyist or already working in a creative technical position, you probably have different goals than someone who’s working towards becoming a professional Animator. Those who are interested in animation but unsure of whether or not it’s a good career choice for them should consider shorter introductory courses to get a better sense of what animation entails and decide whether they want to pursue further education. When you have a clear answer for why you want to enroll in an animation class, it is easier to decide on what class you want to enroll in and how much time and money you’re willing to invest in animation education.

How Much Technical Training Do You Need?

Because modern animation is both a creative process and a technical skill, the amount of technical training you’ll need will depend on your reasons for taking the course. If you’re interested in creating animations for yourself or personal projects, you may need to learn some advanced techniques to get the look and feel that you’re going for, but you may also only need basic to intermediate techniques. For students who are upskilling for professional development, allow your employer to dictate the technical training that is necessary to make you a more valuable asset to the organization and fortify your professional toolkit. Those who are aspiring to become professional Animators will need a lot of technical training if they are to become job-ready. You’ll need the technical skills to create projects that are refined, professional, and effective. But if your goals include working in films, having technical animation skills is not enough. You’ll also need a good understanding of the subtleties of animation and how to leverage animation theories and principles to create an aesthetic and style that sets you apart from other Animators. 

Do You Prefer In-Person or Online Training?

It is widely accepted that live training is the most traditional and effective method of learning a new skill. The structure and guidance that students receive from a live instructor help to motivate and reassure them as they move through an animation curriculum, whether they’re learning to make the most of After Effects or create visual effects for a project. In-person learning is more appreciated by traditional learners who thrive in social settings. If you enjoy being able to fully interface with peers, have a dedicated distraction-free learning space, and have full access to your instructors, in-person training is a good choice. Keep in mind that in-person learning means that you’ll have to commute to class, which can make your schedule a little tighter or cause scheduling conflicts, and you’ll be limited to the classes that are being offered in or near your physical location. If you like the idea of being able to learn from wherever you are or a training facility that is not in your geographic location and you want to skip the stress and cost of commuting to class, a live online animation course may be better for you. 

Learn Animation Skills with Noble Desktop

Whether you’re interested in an immersive and in-depth bootcamp or something less intense and more practical, Noble Desktop has animation classes that can help you meet your learning goals. For an animation class that can help you establish a career in animation, consider this Motion Graphics Certificate course. This animation class helps students learn video editing, animating motion graphics, and creating visual and special effects while simultaneously helping students develop a professional demo reel using Cinema 4D, After Effects, and Premiere Pro. It’s a beginner-friendly, 96-hour, project-based course with no prerequisites. If you’re comfortable using a computer, Noble Desktop can get you on the road to beginning a career in animation in two months on a full-time schedule or four months on a part-time schedule. 

When you enroll in the Video Editing & Motion Graphics Certificate course, you’ll learn video editing principles, how to work with animations, and advanced After Effects and Premiere Pro techniques in one month full-time or four months part-time. This 126-hour certificate program covers animation and motion graphics concepts, best practices, and workflows, how to animate text using After Effects, and make 3D models and animations with Cinema 4D Lite. You can choose a bonus lesson in either AI for Video & Motion Graphics or Adobe Photoshop Bootcamp when you enroll in this program. Noble Desktop recommends that you have experience with Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop, but it’s not required to enroll. This is an in-person or live online beginner-friendly course that allows students one free retake and 1-on-1 mentoring sessions outside of class to give you the best chances of success as you pursue animation professionally. 

For a less intense class that covers the basics, some intermediate, and a few advanced concepts, consider After Effects Bootcamp. You’ll learn how to create animated motion graphics using professional techniques in three days or six evenings spread over three weeks. You’ll start with the basics like animating position and move into animating Illustrator files, motion tracking, and green screen removal. This beginner-friendly, 18-hour, live, project-based bootcamp will teach you how to create dynamic transitions, add audio to animations, and incorporate video footage. Students can take advantage of a free class retake, class recordings, and a 1-on-1 mentoring session. If you only need to learn After Effects basics, After Effects in a Day may be a better fit for you.