Overview

Learn 2D animation from top animators

Progress faster with expert career training and mentorship

Discover what it takes to become a professional 2D animator! In this comprehensive 2D animation course, you’ll learn how to use Toon Boom Harmony to create hand-drawn style character animations from scratch, and be guided step by step by industry professionals who have worked on iconic animated films and TV shows.

Why study 2D animation at CG Spectrum:

  • Learn hand-drawn style character animation
  • Train on industry standard software Toon Boom Harmony
  • Be mentored by a world-class animator
  • Flexible study and payment options

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This 2D animation for beginners course is an excellent way to start your career as an animator! Starting with the basics of animation and working your way up to much more complex projects, your mentor will guide you through fun exercises, share both modern and traditional animation techniques, and offer insightful feedback on your work, frame by frame, to help you progress faster as an artist.

CG Spectrum’s 2D animation classes are conducted online, meaning they’re available to all international students. You’ll be personally mentored by former Disney and DreamWorks artists with decades of real world experience working on TV shows, and feature films.

Get expert career training and kick-start your journey as a 2D animator!

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Course structure

Your pathway to the industry

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

Pathway illustration for 2D Animation (Full pathway)
Curriculum

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

Term 1: 12 weeks

Foundations 2: Core 2D Animation Principles

This term focuses on drawing skills, advanced physical human and quadruped animation, plus animating pantomime and simple dialogue scenes. You'll study the greats and discover what makes their work so captivating, learn the importance of silhouettes, how to use a variety of timing in your story, and gain speed creating thumbnails and key poses.

  • Identify what makes or breaks a scene
  • Leverage anatomy principles in your work
  • Create your own compelling pantomime animation
  • Bring creatures to life with believable movement
  1. Introduction to Drawing the Human Figure
  2. Drawing the Quadruped Figure
  3. Quadruped Walk: Rough Animation  01
  4. Quadruped Walk: Rough Animation 02
  5. Biped Run in Perspective 01
  6. Biped Run in Perspective 02
  7. Acting for Animators
  8. Creating a Pantomime Situation 01
  9. Creating a Pantomime Situation 02
  10. Study and Analysis of Animation Greats
  11. Short Character Monolog 01
  12. Short Character Monolog 02
Term 2: 12 weeks

Foundations 3: Professional 2D Animation

By this stage, you’re ready for more advanced aspects of 2D: creating appealing characters, solid drawings, expressive acting and FX animation. Increase your technical skills while working towards creating a polished dialogue scene. Finish the course by finalizing your animation projects for your portfolio and exploring next steps with your mentor.

  • Create successful model sheets
  • Develop a 2-person dialogue scene
  • Add compelling FX and details
  • Finalize projects for your portfolio
  1. Getting To Know Your Character: Movement & Body Language
  2. Study and Analysis of Great Animated Acting Scenes
  3. Two-Character Dialogue Scene 01: Preliminary Planning
  4. Two-Character Dialogue Scene 01: Thumbnail Planning
  5. Two-Character Dialogue Scene 03:
    Rough Key Poses
  6. Drawing the Human Figure with Character
  7. Two-Character Dialogue Scene 04: Rough Breakdown and Inbetween Poses
  8. Drawing Quadrupeds
  9. Cleanup Animation
  10. Tradigital FX 01: Creating a Hand-Drawn Visual Effect
  11. Tradigital FX 02: Harmony Node
    Visual Effects & Camera Movement
  12. Animation Reel Review
Qualification

Certificate

Study duration

24 weeks

Commitment

20 hrs weekly

Skill level

Intermediate

Prerequisites

Basic computer and drawing skills

Delivery

Weekly online classes, feedback and support

Software

Toon Boom Harmony

Start date

Apr 15, 2024

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

(6 x payments)

Save 10%

Per Term
$3,199 USD

(2 x payments)

Monthly
$1,750 USD

(6 x payments)

Save 10%

Per Term
$4,725 USD

(2 x payments)

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Why study with us

Learn 2D animation from industry pros who have worked on major films and TV shows

Whether straight out of high school, changing careers, or upgrading skills, our specialized expert-led 2D animation training programs help you build practical job skills that serve throughout your career

Flexible Scheduling

Plan your studies around your work and family commitments

Industry Mentors

Learn from experts who have worked on major feature films

Job-Ready Skills

Build practical, hands-on job skills that studios are looking for

Payment Plans

Pursue your passion and start working sooner with flexible payments

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Mentors

Get direct access to professional artists

To be the best, it helps to learn from the best. All 2D animation classes are led by industry mentors with years of experience in feature film and cartoon animation.

Frequently asked questions

Have questions? We've got answers.

For this 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 2D Animation Essentials course If you have already completed the introduction course, you may skip to term 2 that begins with this Foundations course.

Software:

Toon Boom Harmony Premium will be required to take this course.  Instructions for how to obtain a license with a student discount will be provided upon enrollment.

Hardware:

You will need a computer that meets the minimum system requirements for Toon Boom, and a graphics tablet (see 2D animation software and equipment).

What 2D animation careers can I explore post-graduation?

This course gives you an excellent understanding of 2D animation essentials including how to rig and animate. Depending on your level of commitment, animation skills, and demo reel, you may be ready to meet the minimum requirements to start applying for entry-level artist positions.

To increase your hiring potential, the Advanced 2D Animation Course is recommended. It covers more complex techniques and includes an entire term dedicated to career development and portfolio preparation. Unlike some other schools offering animation programs, CG Spectrum includes additional career development services including portfolio/CV reviews, application help, a jobs database, interview preparation, and more.

Once you've completed the full study pathways, you could apply for junior 2D animator jobs such as:

Discover more about these 2D animator jobs, tips, salary expectations, and other animation and digital art careers here:

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

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.