Being an animator means having a big imagination, a passion for creative expression, and a strong technical skillset to bring your ideas to life. To be successful, you’ll need to be able to balance your artistic creativity and your technical animation skills. It’s a lot to take on, but with a couple of tips, you’ll be well on your way to becoming a great animator.
What Skills Do You Need to Be An Animator?
Animators must have a strong creative and technical skillset. On the creative side, drawing, visual design, and storytelling are essential. These abilities enable animators to create immersive characters and environments that convey emotions and captivate audiences. Animators need technical skills to use their creativity. These technical skills include strong proficiency with animation software in addition to 2D and 3D animation styles.
Develop Your Unique Creative Vision
Sit and Observe
Observing the world around you is a great way to gather ideas for your creations. It’s also an easy way to get a feel for real-world mechanics and movements you’ll need to replicate in your animations.
Get Inspired
Consume media that feeds your inspiration, such as animated films, cartoons, graphic novels, or video games. Think about what makes these stories, characters, and visuals so appealing and emotionally important to audiences.
Keep a Sketchbook
This can be either a digital sketchbook on a tablet or a traditional paper notebook. Use this as a place to draw, write, and brainstorm concepts. Either set aside time specifically to work in your sketchbook or take a moment to jot thoughts down as they come to you.
Dabble With Different Styles
In addition to multiple animation styles, consider working with different art mediums like painting, sculpture, puppetry, or photography. Experimenting with these other art forms can keep your ideas fresh and inspire your animations.
Build Your Technical Animation Skills
Focus On the Fundamentals
There are 12 key animation principles you’ll need to master. These include:
- Squash and stretch
- Anticipation
- Staging
- Straight ahead action and pose to pose
- Follow through and overlapping action
- Ease in
- Ease out
- Arcs
- Secondary action
- Timing
- Exaggeration
- Solid drawing
- Appeal
Use Different Software and Equipment
There are so many different tools and computer softwares you’ll be exposed to as an animator. It’s helpful to have experience in a range of these. At Villa, our students have access to Toon Boom, Maxon, Autodesk Suite, and Adobe Suite as well as 3D printers, stop motion studio tools, an art fabrication shop, and a full suite of cameras.
Work on Drawing Techniques
Drawing is a huge part of animation. Your drawings should demonstrate a strong understanding of anatomy and perspective.
Bonus Tips
Get Feedback
Seeking constructive feedback from both your professors and peers is key to growing as an animator. Don’t be afraid to have your work criticized. Be open to comments and view these as opportunities for improvement.
Find Your Niche
As you explore different animation styles and techniques, start thinking about what aspects of animation you connect with. Then, start putting more of your energy into refining skills related to your passion.
Become an Animator At Villa
Villa Maria College has the strongest animation program in Western New York. We provide our students with state-of-the-art equipment, facilities, and software to bring their creativity to life on screen. These tools enable our students to have a clear path toward a successful career in animation. Reach out to learn more!
