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Foundations of 3D Animation Course

Online 3D animation course taught by professional film and game animators
Overview

Learn animation from film and game industry experts

Progress faster with an industry mentor as your guide

Learn 3D animation from the best and discover what it takes to become a professional animator. Once you've mastered the foundational skills, you'll get your characters interacting with their environment and dealing with physical forces. Put this together to design powerful combat animations for games.

Why study animation at CG Spectrum:

  • Learn to animate exciting combat action scenes from scratch
  • Build character rigs and pro techniques in Maya
  • Be mentored by a world-class animator
  • Choose 1-on-1 or small group classes

[more]More[/more]

At CG Spectrum online animation school you'll receive the highest level of personalized training. You'll learn the latest tools and techniques used by top studios and be guided every step of the way by your industry mentor. With online 3D animation classes you can learn from the comfort of your own home, in your own time.

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Qualification

Certificate

Study duration

9 months

Commitment

20 hrs weekly

Skill level

Beginner to Intermediate

Prerequisites

Basic computer skills

Delivery

Weekly online classes, feedback and support

Software

Autodesk Maya and animation rigs

Start date

Jul 10, 2023
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Why study with us

Learn 3D animation from industry pros who have worked on feature films and games

Whether straight out of high school, changing careers, or upgrading skills, our specialized expert-led animation training course help you build practical job skills that serve throughout your career

Industry Mentors

Learn from experts who have worked on major films and games

Flexible Scheduling

Plan your studies around your work and family commitments

Job-Ready Skills

Build practical and relevant job skills that studios are looking for

Payment Plans

Pursue your passion and start working sooner with flexible payments
Curriculum

An industry-approved curriculum to get you started in the exciting world of animation

Term 1: 12 weeks

3D Animation Foundations

Starting with 3D animation basics, you'll dive head-first into industry software Maya and discover how to create believable animation using the classic principles of animation. As you learn the theories, you'll put them into practice, giving you a better understanding of body mechanics and locomotion.

  • Animate from scratch using the 12 principles of animation
  • Set up professional workflows using Autodesk Maya
  • Create progressively more complex animation pieces  
  • Work with character rigs to create animation cycles

 

  1. Introduction to Animation and Rigs
  2. Posing a Character
  3. Timing and Spacing
  4. Overlapping Action
  5. Pose Transitions 01
  6. Pose Transitions 02
  7. Lower Body Walk Cycle 01
  8. Lower Body Run Cycle 02
  9. Full Body Walk Cycle 01
  10. Full Body Run Cycle 02
  11. Walk with Prop 01
  12. Walk with Prop 02
Term 2: 12 weeks

Body Mechanics

Let's get physical! Learn 3D animation tips and tricks from your mentor while building on your foundation skills. Find out how to get characters interacting with their surrounding environment, and see how they deal with physical forces. Finish the term by learning how to design combat animations for games.

  • Convey realistic force & weight
  • Animate combat action scenes
  • Create animation cycles for video games
  • Build a believable fight scene
  1. Run and Jump Blocking
  2. Run and Jump Polish
  3. Parkour Blocking
  4. Parkour Polish
  5. Forces & Weight Blocking
  6. Forces & Weight Polish
  7. Weight Lift Blocking
  8. Weight Lift Polish
  9. Combat Actions Blocking
  10. Combat Actions Polish
  11. Fight Scene Blocking
  12. Fight Scene Polish
Term 3: 12 weeks

Storytelling for Animation

Master the subtleties of adding personality to a character walk. Then develop a backstory for your character and have a go at conveying emotions using body language by creating a pantomime piece. You'll finish with a character dialogue piece complete with lip sync, facial and body expressions - and have a polished piece for your demo reel.

  • Gather and analyze reference
  • Create unique character performances
  • Stage and animate emotional action
  • Convey realistic expressions
  1. Introduction & Overview
  2. Personality Walk 01: Keying
  3. Personality Walk 02: Breakdowns & Cycles
  4. Personality Walk 03: Polish &
    Progressive Walk
  5. Pantomime 01: Setup & Keying
  6. Pantomime 02: Breakdowns
  7. Pantomime 03: Polish Pass
  8. Drama Monologue 01: Setup & Keying
  9. Drama Monologue 02: Keys & Breakdowns
  10. Drama Monologue 03: Overlap & Follow-through
  11. Drama Monologue 04: Polish Pass
  12. Character Acting: Review & Final Pass
Course structure

Your pathway to the industry

Dive right into the full study pathway and be industry ready in 18 months.

Pathway illustration for 3D Animation (Full pathway)
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Mentors

Get direct access to professional animators with studio experience

All 3D animation classes are taught by artists who have worked at major animation studios on films and video games.

Mark Pullyblank's Work
Mark Pullyblank

Mark Pullyblank

Mark has held lead positions at Rainmaker, Sony and Weta Digital working on films like Avatar, The Adventures of Tintin, and Night at the Museum.

Read full bio

Dept. Head of 3D Animation

Known for Avatar

Spectra's Work
Spectra

Spectra

Spectra has been animating for almost a decade at Playstation, Digital Domain and Ubisoft on projects such as Far Cry 6, Uncharted 4: A Thief's End, and Advantageous.

Read full bio

Mentor of 3D Animation

Known for Uncharted 4: A Thief's End

Elena Miroglio's Work
Elena Miroglio

Elena Miroglio

Mentor of 3D Animation

Known for Spider-man 3: Homecoming

Amita Sahgal's Work
Amita Sahgal

Amita Sahgal

Amita has worked as an Animator and Animation Supervisor for two decades. She is also an experienced mentor, teaching at Mages Institute of Excellence and Supinfocom International Animation School.  

Mentor of 3D Animation

Known for Ted

Abdel Pizzaro's Work
Abdel Pizzaro

Abdel Pizzaro

Mentor of 3D Animation

Known for Planet Blue: Journey to Eco

Delano Athias's Work
Delano Athias

Delano Athias

Delano's credits include Ready Player One, The Walking Dead, Deadpool and Independence Day: Resurgence from his time at top studios Zoic, Digital Domain and Mill Film.

Read full bio

Mentor of 3D Animation

Known for Deadpool

Roland Vallet's Work
Roland Vallet

Roland Vallet

Roland has worked his way across the globe at major studios like Weta Digital, where he worked on two Planet of The Apes movies, The Hobbit Trilogy, and Avengers: Infinity War.

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Mentor of 3D Animation

Known for Avengers: Infinity War

Jacob Patrick's Work
Jacob Patrick

Jacob Patrick

Jacob is an award-winning director, writer, and animator who now works at Walt Disney Imagineering. Credits include Red Dead Redemption, God of War III, Batman: Arkham Origins, The Jungle Book, and The Flash.

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Mentor of 3D Animation

Known for Batman: Arkham Origins

Ambre Maurin's Work
Ambre Maurin

Ambre Maurin

Ambre has worked as an animator in the UK, Australia, New Zealand, USA, and Canada on projects like LEGO Avengers, Happy Feet Two, Avatar and Where the Wild Things Are.

Read full bio

Mentor of 3D Animation

Known for Avatar

Michael Morgan's Work
Michael Morgan

Michael Morgan

With 20+ years in the industry, Michael has worked on countless feature films for just about every major studio around the world including DNEG, Cinesite, MPC, Weta Digital, Pixomondo and Lucasfilm.

Read full bio

Mentor of 3D Animation

Known for Pacific Rim Uprising

Nick Unden's Work
Nick Unden

Nick Unden

Nick's held lead positions at major game studios Relic Entertainment and Phoenix Labs. Credits include Dauntless, Dawn of War 3 and Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City.

Read full bio

Mentor of 3D Animation

Known for Dauntless
Pricing

Small Class

The most affordable way to learn from top industry mentors in a fun, collaborative environment, while still getting plenty of personalized feedback.

  • Max. 4 students per course
  • Affordable high-quality education
  • Network while you learn
Pricing

1-on-1 Private

Progress faster and enjoy more flexiblity with private mentorship. Ideal for busy schedules, career-changers, or artists upgrading skills or changing specialties.

  • Maximum level of mentor interaction
  • Greater flexibility to schedule classes
  • Customized learning experience

 

Monthly
$1,185 USD

(9 x payments)

Save 10%

Per Term
$3,199 USD

(3 x payments)

Most popular

Save 25%

Upfront
$7,999 USD

(1 x payment)

Monthly
$1,485 USD

(9 x payments)

Save 10%

Per Term
$3,999 USD

(3 x payments)

Most popular

Save 25%

Upfront
$9,999 USD

(1 x payment)

Frequently asked questions

Got questions? We've got answers.

For this 3D animation course, you will need basic computer skills and a computer that meets the minimum specifications (see next question).

Please note: Term 1 of this program is the same curriculum as the Introduction to 3D Animation Certificate. So if you've already completed the introduction course, you may skip to term 2.

Software:

Students can sign up for an educational license for Maya.

Hardware:

You will need a dedicated graphics card and a computer that meets the minimum requirements for Autodesk Maya. 

This course gives you an excellent understanding of 3D animation fundamentals and depending on your level of commitment, skills, and portfolio pieces, you may be ready to start applying for entry-level artist positions.

To increase your hiring potential, the Advanced 3D Animation Course is recommended. It covers more complex techniques and includes an entire term dedicated to career development and portfolio preparation to get you industry-ready.

Some of the junior 3D animator jobs you could pursue after completing the full study pathway include:

Discover more about these 3D animator jobs, tips, and salary expectations on our careers page:
Student Showcase

High quality student work that speaks for itself

With a focus on portfolio preparation, we help students build their competitive edge with high quality work that gets noticed. See what they are creating.

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Studios that hire our students

Ubisoft
Dreamworks
EA
Industrial Light. & Magic
Sony Pictures Animation
Method

I landed a job immediately after finishing the course.

When I started CG Spectrum's animation program, I wasn't sure what to expect. Now, I can surely tell that choosing CG Spectrum was the best decision I've ever made. My mentors were incredibly knowledgeable, dedicated and supportive.

Vanessa R
Vanessa R
Animation

If you’re looking to enhance your specialist skills to industry level, CG Spectrum is the place to be.

CG Spectrum has been an invaluable learning experience. Having never done an online course, I didn’t expect to receive the level of personalised learning and quality teaching that I have experienced so far. The amount of 1-on-1 is second to none. The techniques I have been taught have not only improved my animation skills by leaps and bounds, they have also taught me to be a better storyteller. Aside from the skills learned, I have also gained a great amount of insight into the industry which will definitely aid in my career as an animator. 

Richard S
Richard S
Animation

It's been extremely helpful for my portfolio and my confidence as an artist!

I've learned so much about not only animation, but the thought process an artist goes through when creating a piece.

Shravani K
Shravani K
Animation