What is Animation, and why is it important to learn?

Animation is a visual medium dealing with the manipulation of still drawings, models, or objects to create the illusion of motion. This manipulation consists of incremental movements that are then rapidly sequenced to make the artwork mimic various actions. Animation is important to learn not only for entertainment purposes, such as those in film or gaming, but also in education and healthcare. It’s an engaging way to teach young children core concepts. Three-dimensional (3D) animation in particular is beneficial in the healthcare industry for creating visuals that convey complex medical scenarios to doctors, students, and patients.

What jobs can you get in Animation?

According to Animation Career Review, budding Animators must consider the variables when it comes to job expectations, such as industry, location, type/size of company, and how much experience they may or may not already have. In the U.S., salaries can greatly depend on these factors, but top paying industries include: Motion Picture and Video, Computer Systems Design, Software Publishers, Advertising, and others . On the other hand, Animators interested in Biomedical Visualization can expect to make an average of $84,417 per year in the U.S. The versatility of Animation can lend itself to a bevy of career options , with titles such as 3D Modeler, Art Director, Film and Video Editor, Flash Animator, Graphic Designer, Stop Motion Animator, Video Game Designer, Background Painter, Cartoonist, Character Animator, Concept Artist, Forensic Animator, Storyboard Artist, Texture Artist, and a wide array of others.

How can online courses help you learn Animation?

Animation courses offered through Coursera equip learners with knowledge in programming 3D objects; creating storyboards; building 3D games; using interactive tools developed in the computer-graphics research field; understanding famous character designers; analyzing visualization techniques and methods in biomedical science; and more. Lessons on Animation are taught by instructors from major universities, including University of Glasgow, California Institute of the Arts, The University of Tokyo, Duke University, and other institutions. Learners can enjoy exploring Animation with instructors specializing in Computer Science; Information Engineering; Character Animation; Medical, Veterinary, and Life Science; and various other disciplines. Course content on Animation is delivered via video lectures, readings, quizzes, demos, hands-on projects, and other types of assignments.

What skills or experience do I need to already have before starting to learn animation?

The skills and experience you may need to have already before studying animation include having a creative mind with the ability to pay attention to the smallest details, some drawing or other artistic ability, and feeling comfortable working on a computer. Having a familiarity with computer graphics software and computer programming may also help you learn animation as well as learning how to create animated 3D movies. If you have some basic graphic design skills, they'll also be helpful. Another set of skills you may want to have to learn animation is the knowledge of color theory so you can understand the use of colors to express and communicate various emotions or feelings.

What kind of person is best suited to learn animation?

The kind of person best suited to learn animation is someone who may want to become a game developer artist, an animator, or visual effects artist for a variety of media including film or television, or a digital or graphics designer for the internet. Someone who may do well learning animation might also be able to work both independently and on a team. Often animators must work with a team of other animators or creative colleagues on projects. Someone learning animation will need to be able to handle feedback from directors, other animator team members, game designers, and clients and then edit their work to comply with those requests. Another characteristic of someone who may be well suited to learn animation is patience. That’s because creating animation is a labor-intensive process in order to capture the details that go into each character and setting frame to frame.

How do I know if learning about animation is right for me?

Learning animation may be right for you if you feel compelled to express your creativity using computer programs to create illustrations used on various media or platforms. It may be right for you if you want to learn how to design and develop game worlds and gameplay for video games, from concept to presentation. Studying animation is also a good idea if you plan to enter the virtual reality field where interactive animation and character animation and design are important to know. Studying animation may be beneficial for you to learn if you plan to become a 3D artist working on various platforms that require certification, such as Unity.

What are the benefits of taking an online Animation course?

Online Animation courses offer a convenient and flexible way to enhance your existing knowledge or learn new Animation skills. With a wide range of Animation classes, you can conveniently learn at your own pace to advance your Animation career.

What Animation courses are best for training and upskilling employees or the workforce?

When looking to enhance your workforce's skills in Animation, it's crucial to select a course that aligns with their current abilities and learning objectives. Our Skills Dashboard is an invaluable tool for identifying skill gaps and choosing the most appropriate course for effective upskilling. For a comprehensive understanding of how our courses can benefit your employees, explore the enterprise solutions we offer. Discover more about our tailored programs at Coursera for Business here .

Top Animation Courses - Learn Animation Online

Results for "animation"

Duke University
Introduction to Programming and Animation with Alice
Skills you'll gain: Event-Driven Programming, Storyboarding, Programming Principles, 3D Modeling, Storytelling, Computer Graphics, Object Oriented Programming (OOP), Computer Programming, Scripting, Algorithms, Computational Thinking, Debugging
4.2
Rating, 4.2 out of 5 stars
42 reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Coursera Project Network
Create a Promotional Video using Canva
Skills you'll gain: Customer Engagement, Canva (Software), Selling Techniques, Marketing Materials, Presentations, Promotional Materials, Copywriting, Promotional Strategies, Social Media Content, Multimedia, Marketing, Social Media Marketing, Target Audience, Value Propositions, Content Creation
4.3
Rating, 4.3 out of 5 stars
995 reviews
Beginner · Guided Project · Less Than 2 Hours
Status: Free
IESE Business School
The Art of Storytelling
Skills you'll gain: Storytelling, Public Speaking, Verbal Communication Skills, Content Creation, Writing, Communication, Business Communication, Emotional Intelligence
4.5
Rating, 4.5 out of 5 stars
666 reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Status: Free
The University of Tokyo
Interactive Computer Graphics
Skills you'll gain: Visualization (Computer Graphics), Interactive Design, Computer Graphics, Graphical Tools, Computer Graphic Techniques, Graphics Software, Virtual Reality, Human Computer Interaction, User Interface (UI), Design, Technical Design, Algorithms, Simulations
4.1
Rating, 4.1 out of 5 stars
304 reviews
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 3 Months
EDUCBA
VFX with Adobe After Effects from Novice to Expert
Skills you'll gain: Post-Production, Computer Graphic Techniques, Timelines, Graphics Software, Adobe Creative Cloud, Color Theory, Graphic and Visual Design, Graphic and Visual Design Software, Color Matching, Typography, Editing
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
107 reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Status: Free
University of California, Santa Cruz
Data-Driven Animation for Science Communication
Skills you'll gain: Scientific Visualization, Data Visualization Software, Data Presentation, Data Storytelling, Graphics Software, Visualization (Computer Graphics), Storyboarding, Peer Review, Post-Production, Computer Graphics, Technical Communication, Style Guides, Scripting, Adobe Creative Cloud, Adobe Illustrator, Code Review, Editing, Scripting Languages, Autodesk, Adobe Photoshop
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
13 reviews
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Coursera Project Network
Create Animated Social Media Posts using Canva
Skills you'll gain: Canva (Software), Graphic and Visual Design, Graphic Design, Content Creation, Storyboarding, Multimedia
4.4
Rating, 4.4 out of 5 stars
157 reviews
Intermediate · Guided Project · Less Than 2 Hours
Epic Games
Epic Games Game Design
Skills you'll gain: Software Design Documents, Ideation, 3D Modeling, Prototyping, Visualization (Computer Graphics), User Interface (UI), User Experience Design, Computer Graphics, Usability, Technical Documentation, User Interface and User Experience (UI/UX) Design, User Experience, Virtual Environment, User Interface (UI) Design, Version Control, Conceptual Design, Program Development, UI Components, Data Management, Scripting
4.2
Rating, 4.2 out of 5 stars
265 reviews
Beginner · Professional Certificate · 3 - 6 Months
Coursera Project Network
Create Training Videos with Powtoon
Skills you'll gain: Editing, Writing and Editing, Developing Training Materials, Multimedia, Content Creation, Graphic and Visual Design
4.5
Rating, 4.5 out of 5 stars
310 reviews
Beginner · Guided Project · Less Than 2 Hours
California Institute of the Arts
Game Design: Art and Concepts
Skills you'll gain: Prototyping, Conceptual Design, Storytelling, Software Design Documents, Ideation, Visualization (Computer Graphics), Design, Virtual Environment, Technical Design, Computer Graphics, Storyboarding, Usability Testing, User Story, Graphic and Visual Design, Multimedia, Mockups, Content Creation, Aesthetics, Design Thinking, Design Research
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
4.1K reviews
Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
Status: Free
University of Glasgow
Biomedical Visualisation
Skills you'll gain: 3D Modeling, Scientific Visualization, Medical Terminology, Augmented and Virtual Reality (AR/VR), Anatomy, Virtual Reality, Virtual Environment, Image Analysis, Augmented Reality
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
493 reviews
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
University of Colorado Boulder
The Art of Visual Storytelling
Skills you'll gain: Post-Production, Storyboarding, Storytelling, Media Production, Adobe Creative Cloud, Editing, Content Creation, Writing and Editing, Proposal Writing, Data Import/Export, Writing, Graphic and Visual Design, Multimedia, Scripting, Creativity, Timelines, Aesthetics, File Management, Quality Assurance
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
91 reviews
Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months