Name: A Day in the Life of an AnimSchool Student: LIVE Q&A @AnimSchool
Uploaded: 2026-09-22T08:17:00-05:00
Duration: 8 min 17 s
Description: A Day in the Life of an AnimSchool Student: LIVE Q&A

A Day in the Life of an AnimSchool Student: LIVE Q&A

AnimSchool 2026-09-22 | A Day in the Life of an AnimSchool Student: LIVE Q&A

How to Animate the Face in 8 Minutes

AnimSchool 2022-12-01 | AnimSchool Tips: How to Animate Facial Movements in 8 Minutes

When learning to animate, most students will slowly build their knowledge over time and usually, facial animation is saved for an advanced level. This can lead many new animators to approach facial animation with fear and trepidation. However, just like the rest of the body, the face can be animated successfully by remembering the 12 principles of animation and approaching the process thoughtfully and intentionally.

Animschool instructor, Scott McWhinnie, starts the discussion on facial animation by breaking down the face into its three main components, the eyes, brows, and mouth. Understanding how these major facial components move distinctively while also influencing each other will allow an animator at any skill level to improve how they approach facial animation.

At AnimSchool, we teach students who want to make 3D characters move and act. Our instructors are professionals at film and game animation studios like Dreamworks, Pixar, Sony Pictures, Blizzard & Disney. ⁠

Our alumni currently enjoy a 92% placement in the industry within 6 months of graduating.
Start your animation journey in our accredited online animation program at animschool.edu (ACCSC)⁠

What is Appeal in Animation?

AnimSchool 2022-11-02 | AnimSchool Tips: What is Appeal?

Appeal is often a misunderstood term in animation. It doesn't just mean creating a cute, cuddly, and beautiful character. Any character can and should be appealing from heroes to villains.
Appealing Animation is something that you want to keep watching whether it be good or evil, beautiful or gruesome. Appealing Animation captures your attention and hooks you into what's going on in a scene.

To help us understand the nuances of appeal in animation, Animschool Instructor, Mathew Sheppard, has come up with an easy-to-remember and easy-to-navigate acronym, “Craisins.” Craisins or Complexity, Readability, Asymmetry, Intent, Silhouette, Negative Space, and Simplicity are master tools to build appeal in animation.

At AnimSchool, we teach students who want to make 3D characters move and act. Our instructors are professionals at film and game animation studios like Dreamworks, Pixar, Sony Pictures, Blizzard & Disney. ⁠

Our alumni currently enjoy a 92% placement in the industry within 6 months of graduating.
Start your animation journey in our accredited online animation program at animschool.edu (ACCSC)⁠

Autodesk Maya Tips: How to Practice Good Hierarchy

AnimSchool 2022-10-12 | AnimSchool Tips: 3D Modeling Fundamentals - Good Hierarchy Habits

Organizing your 3D-modeled scene is vital to a modeler’s job. Modelers are located toward the beginning of the production phase of the animation pipeline. The scenes that modelers make are touched by many hands as it goes down the production process. This is why staying organized is important to be a modeler. In this lecture taught by AnimSchool Instructor Luis Labrador, we learn about proper naming conventions, grouping objects, and finally how to put those groups in a proper hierarchy. Luis demonstrates all this through a simple little character and explains that all these principles apply to complex scenes. Luis illustrates why it’s important for a modeler to not only produce a visually appealing scene but also why it’s just as important to make an organized scene through good hierarchy habits.

At AnimSchool, we teach students who want to make 3D characters move and act. Our instructors are professionals at film and game animation studios like Dreamworks, Pixar, Sony Pictures, Blizzard & Disney. ⁠

Our alumni currently enjoy a 92% placement in the industry within 6 months of graduating.
Start your animation journey in our accredited online animation program at animschool.edu (ACCSC)⁠

Acting Through Anticipation

AnimSchool 2022-09-29 | AnimSchool Tips: Acting Through Anticipation

Superman doesn't just fly off into the sky when called, he braces his body, kneels down in anticipation and then he's off in a blink to save the world. In animation anticipation more than action is what will sell your character's intention.

In this lecture Animschool Instructor, Gwilym Morris steps through the importance of anticipation in animation. Anticipation doesn't just add drama and believability to an action, but by anticipating an action or a thought you are preparing the audience for what is about to come. Successful anticipation can drive a character forward in space but also a plot forward in energy. By taking a few extra frames to build believable and interesting animation through anticipation, your piece will feel faster, better-paced, and more interesting.

At AnimSchool, we teach students who want to make 3D characters move and act. Our instructors are professionals at film and game animation studios like Dreamworks, Pixar, Sony Pictures, Blizzard & Disney. ⁠

Our alumni currently enjoy an 82% placement in the industry within 6 months of graduating.
Start your animation journey in our accredited online animation program at animschool.edu (ACCSC)⁠

What Makes an Appealing Pose?

AnimSchool 2022-09-12 | AnimSchool Tips: What Makes an Appealing Pose?
When your shot begins you have an extremely limited amount of time to introduce your character to the viewer. The first time your viewer sees a character in front of them they will immediately start to pick up small nuanced details that not only describe your character but describe who your character is in this story.
Are they nervous, excited, scared, or calm? It only takes one clear and defined pose to place a character in your story. In this lecture Animschool Instructor, Brendan Kirschbaum demonstrates how clear posing through Line of Action can be used to silhouette and place a character in a scene. By having a clean and strong line of action you not only describe where your character is going but where they have been. The ability to provide as much information as possible in a single moment not only allows your animations to look good but also establishes your character in a story and in a moment, allowing the viewer to step into the moment and immerse themselves in a new world.

At AnimSchool, we teach students who want to make 3D characters move and act. Our instructors are professionals at film and game animation studios like Dreamworks, Pixar, Sony Pictures, Blizzard & Disney. ⁠

Our alumni currently enjoy an 82% placement in the industry within 6 months of graduating.
Start your animation journey in our accredited online animation program at animschool.edu (ACCSC)⁠

Am I ready for a Polish Pass?

AnimSchool 2022-08-16 | AnimSchool Tips: Am I Ready for Polish?

What is a Polish Pass and how do I know if I am ready to “polish” my shot? The answer isn't so clear. Every polish pass for every animator will mean something different. Animschool Instructor and Industry Professional, Robert Manriquez, has some general tips and questions to help you figure out if you are ready for a final polish pass.

The biggest and easiest question is, did your supervisor give you the go-ahead? This might seem like a trivial question but ask any industry professional and they will understand. If you jump into polish before your supervisor has greenlit you to go ahead, you might have to end up scrapping the whole polish pass in lieu of additional notes that need to be addressed. Remember, Polish is the last thing you want to work on in a shot. The time that you spend polishing a shot has the power to distinguish you as a great animator but before you dedicate that time and energy do a quick check-in.

Ask yourself, am I truly done with Spline? Are all of my ideas working? Do I need to make any large adjustments? This method isn’t foolproof and even the most experienced animators sometimes jump into polish too early. Still, these questions will help protect you from going too far too fast and will allow you to build a solid and appealing base for your animation before moving down the line into the final touches.

At AnimSchool, we teach students who want to make 3D characters move and act. Our instructors are professionals at film and game animation studios like Dreamworks, Pixar, Sony Pictures, Blizzard & Disney. ⁠

Our alumni currently enjoy an 82% placement in the industry within 6 months of graduating.
Start your animation journey in our accredited online animation program at animschool.edu (ACCSC)⁠

Keep Your Animation fluid with Overlap and Drag

AnimSchool 2022-07-20 | AnimSchool Tips: Keep your animation fluid with Overlap and Drag

It's one of the 12 principles of animation, “ Follow-through and Overlapping Action '' but what
does it mean? In animation, you can generally move an object in two different ways, robotically
or organically. But if you have the exact same character rig, how do you make a character look
like a robot in one scene and a living, breathing human in the other?

Picture this, you are animating a hand slapping down on a table. In the first version, you pose the hand up high and add a pose once it contacts the table. Now in between these two poses, you keep the arm perfectly straight, and the entire arm hits the table at once. Now let's try again, we have the
same start pose and the same end pose but in between as the elbow gets pulled down by force,
the hand drags behind, and suddenly the motion feels organic and forceful. Let's add another layer,
instead of just the hand dragging behind, allow the fingers to drag as well.

In this example instead of the entire arm contacting the table at once, first, the upper arm will make contact, then the lower arm, followed by the palm, and lastly the fingers follow through as the final point of contact before the hand and arm come to rest. Did you feel the difference? In the second
version, we used force to create overlap and drag in our action which allowed our character
to feel Alive!

In this lecture, Animschool Instructor, Tim Rudder, explores the fundamental
Principle of Overlap in Animation and demonstrates how with just a bit of additional overlap you
can make your animation truly feel alive.

At AnimSchool, we teach students who want to make 3D characters move and act. Our instructors are professionals at film and game animation studios like Dreamworks, Pixar, Sony Pictures, Blizzard & Disney. ⁠

Our alumni currently enjoy an 82% placement in the industry within 6 months of graduating.
Start your animation journey in our accredited online animation program at animschool.edu (ACCSC)⁠

Advanced Facial Rigging Student Reel

AnimSchool 2022-07-11 | Check out some of the great work from the last two terms of our Advanced Facial Rigging class taught by AnimSchool instructor Eyad Hussein!

Need to Level Up Your Rigging Game?
Take a single class to sharpen up your skills at AnimSchool: https://lnkd.in/g9TQsTy

Advanced Rigging Class Details: https://lnkd.in/gg9HUgt

AnimSchool Student Animation Showcase 2022

AnimSchool 2022-06-29 | https://www.animschool.edu - AnimSchool Quality
Some of the work of our amazing 3D animation students from the past year!
Our Students Bring Characters to Life Through Expressive Performances⁠
See the student work of AnimSchool's accredited 3D Animation programs (ACCSC).
Apply for AnimSchool's next 11-week term at http://animschool.edu/

Take your hands animation to the next level

AnimSchool 2022-06-23 | AnimSchool Tips: Take your hands animation to the next level

Animating a new shot is an incredibly daunting task. Not only do you have to figure out your staging, your poses, and your story, but in order to have a truly successful shot, you need to find your rhythm. What does rhythm have to do with animation?

Rhythm is how an animator can find drama and excitement in the smallest of actions. It is how emotion and movement can create tension or stillness. By using contrasting beats and a variation of rhythm to guide your character, the viewer is able to follow your characters seamlessly through their story. But how? There is no one way to show rhythm in animation but a great place to look is in body language and in the movement of the hands.

In this lecture, Animschool Instructor Brendan Kirschbaum uses feature film animation to demonstrate the successful use of rhythm to animate the smallest details of the hands. In this frame-by-frame analysis, you will see past the scene you know and love to the complex and detailed rhythmic animation underneath.

At AnimSchool, we teach students who want to make 3D characters move and act. Our instructors are professionals at film and game animation studios like Dreamworks, Pixar, Sony Pictures, Blizzard & Disney. ⁠

Our alumni currently enjoy an 82% placement in the industry within 6 months of graduating.
Start your animation journey in our accredited online animation program at animschool.edu (ACCSC)⁠

Common Maya Mishaps

AnimSchool 2022-06-15 | AnimSchool Tips: Making Maya Work for You

Whether you're a modeler, a lighter, a rigger, or an animator, the one software we all share is Maya. Maya is an incredibly powerful tool that can help you as an artist achieve amazing, incredible, and unimaginable things, but with great power comes great…. troubleshooting. We've all been there, we open Maya and something unexpected occurs. Most of the time a quick google search will lead you back in the right direction but sometimes the problem is just soo odd and confusing that you are at a complete loss as to what to do next. In this short lecture, Animschool Instructor Luis Labrador highlights just a few of the most common Maya mishaps he has seen students struggle with over his career. No matter your specialty or how far in your career you are, these tips could save you time and energy that you can now spend on making your next masterpiece.

At AnimSchool, we teach students who want to make 3D characters move and act. Our instructors are professionals at film and game animation studios like Dreamworks, Pixar, Sony Pictures, Blizzard & Disney. ⁠

Our alumni currently enjoy an 82% placement in the industry within 6 months of graduating.
Start your animation journey in our accredited online animation program at animschool.edu (ACCSC

Modeling the Ear

AnimSchool 2022-05-27 | AnimSchool Tips: Modeling the Ear

Sometimes when approaching a big modeling task we get so overwhelmed by the big picture that it is difficult to remember that every big model is made up of little parts. By slowing down and approaching a character model as the sum of its parts as opposed to an all-encompassing project we are able to set ourselves up to succeed. In this lecture taught by Animschool instructor Emilie Austin, we approach a small feature in a character model, the ear. The ear is a complicated organic shape, but that should not scare you away. Emilie demonstrates how with careful planning, great reference, and patience we are able to break down this complicated shape into a manageable and approachable task. This technique is applicable not just for the ear but for the entire model. By taking it slow and paying attention to our work we are able to create something incredible

At AnimSchool, we teach students who want to make 3D characters move and act. Our instructors are professionals at film and game animation studios like Dreamworks, Pixar, Sony Pictures, Blizzard & Disney. ⁠

Our alumni currently enjoy an 82% placement in the industry within 6 months of graduating.
Start your animation journey in our accredited online animation program at animschool.edu (ACCSC

What is Rigging?

AnimSchool 2022-05-18 | AnimSchool Tips: What is Rigging?

Most people are familiar with two vital stages in the animation pipeline. The first is modeling the character and the second is animating the character, but there is a missing step between these two jobs, rigging.

Once a character is modeled but before it is animated it needs to be rigged. A rigger takes the character model and adds the “bones” allowing the model to respond fluidly and seamlessly to the whims of the animator. Without riggers 3D animation as we know it would not exist. Every joint, every blink, and every step is able to be animated because of an animation rig.

Animschool instructor, Daria Jerjomina has rigged characters all over the industry, in Film and TV, in VFX, and in CG, and she has even rigged characters who became real-life robots. In this short lecture, she not only walks through what it means to rig a character but also how it differs in each part of the industry

At AnimSchool, we teach students who want to make 3D characters move and act. Our instructors are professionals at film and game animation studios like Dreamworks, Pixar, Sony Pictures, Blizzard & Disney. ⁠

Our alumni currently enjoy an 82% placement in the industry within 6 months of graduating.
Start your animation journey in our accredited online animation program at animschool.edu (ACCSC)⁠

How to approach your first blocking pass - Part II

AnimSchool 2022-05-09 | AnimSchool Tips: Building Blocking Part II

To some, blocking is picking three golden poses and immediately moving into spline, but to others, it can mean blocking so deeply that there is a pose and a key on no less than every 3 frames. But to most blocking isn't about numbers, it isn't about having a pose every “X number of frames, rather it is about building the foundation on which your entire animation will stand. In blocking you are not only able to find your character’s key poses but their personality.

In this lecture series, Animschool Instructor Ricky Renna will walk through step by step, how to successfully achieve a stellar blocking pass. In part 2 of this series, we will see how to find animation poses for blocking taken from real animation reference. By the end of this lecture, you should be able to build and identify a successful blocking pass.

At AnimSchool, we teach students who want to make 3D characters move and act. Our instructors are professionals at film and game animation studios like Dreamworks, Pixar, Sony Pictures, Blizzard & Disney. ⁠

Our alumni currently enjoy an 83% placement in the industry within 6 months of graduating.
Start your animation journey in our accredited online animation program at animschool.edu (ACCSC)⁠

How to approach your first blocking pass - Part I

AnimSchool 2022-05-02 | AnimSchool Tips: Building Blocking Part I

Building a blocking pass can mean many things. To some blocking is picking three golden poses and immediately moving into spline, but to others, it can mean blocking so deeply that there is a pose and a key on no less than every 3 frames. But to most blocking isn't about numbers, it isn't about having a pose every “X number of frames, rather it is about building the foundation on which your entire animation will stand. In blocking you are not only able to find your character’s key poses but their personality. In this lecture series, Animschool Instructor Ricky Renna will walk through step by step, how to successfully achieve a stellar blocking pass.

In part 1 of this series, Ricky walks us through how the foundation of a successful animation begins with a thoughtful and intentional blocking pass. Not only will he provide you with important “building blocks” and tools, but he will also review the key to successful posing.

At AnimSchool, we teach students who want to make 3D characters move and act. Our instructors are professionals at film and game animation studios like Dreamworks, Pixar, Sony Pictures, Blizzard & Disney. ⁠

Our alumni currently enjoy an 83% placement in the industry within 6 months of graduating.

Start your animation journey in our accredited online animation program at animschool.edu (ACCSC)⁠

3D Modeling & Rigging Showcase

AnimSchool 2022-04-26 | AnimSchool Student Modeling & Rigging Showcase 2022 - A compilation of AnimSchool student 3D modeling and rigging work from the past two years. Our accredited 3D Character program has high standards of progress & our students really deliver! (ACCSC)

Each term, professional 3D modelers and riggers (Character TDs) from movie and game studios work with our students in live online classes, giving them a guided opportunity for improving their own work for a career in the Animation & Game industry.

Appealing and convincing characters are the heart of AnimSchool. Our 3D Character Program students learn how to make great models and character rigs in ZBrush and Autodesk Maya, using the most up-to-date practices. We teach our modeling and rigging students industry-ready skills to improve the quality of their own work.

AnimSchool's 3D Character Program is accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC). ACCSC is a recognized accrediting agency by the U.S. Department of Education.
=======================
AnimSchool Instructors:
Luis Labrador
Jacqueline Marion
Charles Ellison
Koji Tsukamoto
Oganes Ogi Kharikian
Lorin Pillai
Daniele Dolci
Eyad Hussein
Craig Dowsett
Daria Jerjomina
Brandon May
Nina Tarasova

Do you want to learn how to make appealing 3D characters & environments?
Learn how to sculpt, texture, rig, & create 3D Characters & Environments in our 3D Character Program at https://animschool.edu/

*Spelling Corrections

Olivier Ladeuix: youtu.be/injrm1ASz3g?t=163

Raquel Ribeiro: youtu.be/injrm1ASz3g?t=186

Diane Cousins: youtu.be/injrm1ASz3g?t=261

youtu.be/injrm1ASz3g?t=274

⁠

Posing the Mouth for 3D Animated Characters

AnimSchool 2022-04-20 | AnimSchool Tips: Posing the Mouth for 3D Characters

Whether you are animating a complicated Lip Sync or just posing a character to look their best, there are two details that are often overlooked: the teeth and the tongue.

When your character has their mouth closed, you don't need to worry about their teeth, but what about when they are smiling, laughing, crying, or any other open-mouthed emotion? That's when the teeth come into play.

Lucky for you Animschool instructor Rohini Kumar has an amazing tip on how to approach a character’s teeth and tongue in animation.

The answer is simple, don't get caught up in 3D, take it back a step and think about it like you were making a drawing. When drawing would you meticulously draw in the top and bottom teeth so that they fill the majority of the mouth? Probably not, because when it comes down to it, it's much more appealing to only show some of the top teeth and a hint of the bottom. By thinking about these small details as sketch artists as well as animators, we are able to create appealing asymmetrical poses that not only look right but feel right.

At AnimSchool, we teach students who want to make 3D characters move and act. Our instructors are professionals at film and game animation studios like Dreamworks, Pixar, Sony Pictures, Blizzard & Disney. ⁠

Start your animation journey in our accredited online animation program at animschool.edu (ACCSC)⁠

Animating The Eye Dart

AnimSchool 2022-04-15 | AnimSchool Tips: Animating the Eye Dart

What takes a character from looking “cool” to feeling real? Action begins in the eyes. When you turn your head, it is your eyes that lead the action. When you are disgusted and have to look away, it is your eyes that close first. Thought and feeling start with the eyes and then descend to the rest of the body. But how? How can you convey feelings and emotions through two small orbs of geometry? By understanding that eyes are not just seeing the world, but processing it. Take a moment and look at your eyes in the mirror. Do you see that? That small quick motion
where your pupils travel across your eye and then darts to a new position. In animation, we call that an eye dart and it allows animators to quickly and simply convey that a character is truly
alive.

Animschool Instructor, Ricky Renna, steps through the different uses of an eye dart using real-world and film examples to show the power of this small piece of movement in life and in
animation

Dreaming of becoming a 3D Animator? Join our online accredited animation programs at animschool.edu
(ACCSC)

Acting for Animators with Pro Animator Rani Naamani

AnimSchool 2022-04-12 | We recently sat down with veteran animator Rani Naamani to discuss the craft of Acting for Animators & how it differs from traditional acting. Rani gives us a behind-the-scenes take on how he acted out, developed, & animated scenes with the character "Phil Betterman" from Dreamworks' "The Croods 2" movie.

AnimSchool Podcast

Guest Animator Rani Naamani
Supervising Animator on:
"The Bad Guys"
"The Croods 2"
"How To Train Your Dragon 3"
"The Boss Baby" | Dreamworks
🎥 Filmmaking
🎞 Animation
🎨 Art
raninaamani.com
youtube.com/user/rnaamani
instagram.com/rani.naamani

AnimSchool Hosts
Manuel Bover - Head of Animation Program | AnimSchool, former Sony Animation Animator

Taran Matharu - Animation Supervisor at MPC Montreal, General Reviews Instructor | AnimSchool
🎥 youtube.com/c/ReelTalkAnimation
instagram.com/tmphotography.ca

Jesse Draper - Art Instructor & Promotional Manager | AnimSchool
🎨 instagram.com/jessedraper

Learn first-hand from 3D animation veterans in our accredited (ACCSC) online courses & kickstart your animation journey.
https://animschool.edu/

The key to good storytelling

AnimSchool 2022-04-05 | AnimSchool Tips: Story Beats: A Frame by Frame Analysis

Every great story ever told starts in the same place . . . with an idea.

But how can you take one small idea and create something entertaining and unforgettable? By taking the time to plan out the action.

Starting as simple as possible, can you break down your story into three simple pieces? Okay now try to double that. What you are doing is “staging” your story. By figuring out your key story beats and actions you can start to manipulate your scene into something not only unique but entertaining.

In this lecture, AnimSchool Instructor Tyler Phillips breaks down a former student Jonah Sidhom’s hilarious alien abduction scene. From a simple idea to frame-by-frame analysis, this class is one you don't want to miss.

Learn the Fundamentals of 3D Animation and Build your Reel at AnimSchool.edu

Cartoony Animation Tips & Tricks

AnimSchool 2022-03-29 | AnimSchool Tips: Keys to Cartoony Animation

Animation is a unique medium, it not only allows you as an artist to breathe life and feeling into a character, but it enables you as an artist to do anything no matter how crazy the idea.

An animated character can break every bone in their body and be completely fine, they can run across the map in two seconds flat, they can fly without wings, they can even eat a sandwich the size of their body and immediately snap back into shape. Typically we refer to this crazy out-of-this-world animation as “cartoony” style animation, but how do you create it?

The hardest thing to tackle when it comes to creating something so out of this world is you have lost a realistic reference point, instead, you are introducing your audience to new ideas on the spot. So
how can you help them follow the action and yet create an entertaining piece of storytelling?

AnimSchool instructor Justin Weg gives us a sneak preview of some key tips to animate in a “cartoony” style.

Join other artists and animators in our accredited (ACCSC) online programs at animschool.edu

Make your Game Animation Look Alive

AnimSchool 2022-03-23 | AnimSchool Tips: Make your Game Animation Look Alive

How do you keep a character alive, when they aren't moving? How do you enable a character to feel real and animated when they are stuck in one spot?

Animschool Game Animation Instructor, Seth Kendall, breaks down a successful animated idle in this clip. The term Idle means to sit still and do nothing, but in animation to idle means to breathe life and personality into a character in the most minute and delicate manner. To idle successfully is a true test to see if you understand what it means to create the “illusion of life.”

Become a Game Animator in our next online term at animschool.edu

Its time to walk the dog - How to Animate a Quadruped

AnimSchool 2022-03-16 | AnimSchool Tips: How to Animate a Quadruped

It's time to walk the dog…or at least the quadruped. Let's be honest, learning how to animate a human on two legs walking is scary, much less a creature on four legs!

So how do you break a quadruped walk down so that it's approachable? Well luckily, quadrupeds aren't that different from bipedal or human characters. Essentially a simple dog walk cycle is just two bipedal characters walking slightly offset from each other. Sound confusing?

Animschool Instructor & Professional Animator, Daniel Paul, is here to “walk” us through the doggie steps.

Learn the Mechanics of Animation Online with us:
https://animschool.edu/ClassDetails.aspx?programcourseid=134

Become an Animator Online in our next 11-week term at https://animschool.edu/

How to avoid “Spline Depression”

AnimSchool 2022-03-09 | AnimSchool Tips: How to avoid “Spline depression”

Every animator is different and every workflow is different but there is something we can all agree on, hitting spline for the first time can be ROUGH.

It's hard to see an animation that has been posed and blocked in so beautifully get destroyed by a computer. Suddenly your timing feels slow, your emotions flat and you fall into a “Spline Depression.”

So how do you push through? Animschool Instructor and Animator Martin Scotto has some key tips on how to move your animation into Spline by simply taking the process step by step

Learn with other 3D artists & animators in our next 11-week term at https://animschool.edu/

5 Key Poses in a Walk Cycle

AnimSchool 2022-03-03 | AnimSchool Tips: 5 Key Poses in a Walk Cycle

Learning how to execute a simple walk cycle is no easy feat, but we are here to make it just a little easier. There is an expression, walking really is just falling and catching yourself.

Each moment in a walk cycle is a balance of mechanics and weight. Animschool instructor Kelly Vawter takes us through the 5 key poses in a simple vanilla walk cycle, Contact, Down, Passing, Up, and Reverse Contact. These poses act as the foundation to any and all walk cycles. Once you begin to understand the fundamentals of a walk you can add in your own personality to make any walk your own.

Learn with other artists & animators in our next 11-week term at animschool.edu

How to Capture Convincing Reference for Animation

AnimSchool 2022-02-25 | AnimSchool Tips: How to Capture Convincing Reference for Animation

*Reuploaded for better quality
Do you ever wonder how an animator can capture such realistic and convincing movements?
For most animators, it all starts with good reference. Being able to act authentically and realistically can elevate a scene from unexceptional to awe-inspiring.

Animschool Instructor and Pro Animator, Scott McWhinne breaks down some superb reference from his friend and mentor Jeff Gabor. In this short lecture, you will hear some great tips on how to capture convincing reference quickly, effectively, and economically.

Want to learn directly from Animation Pros? Join our online accredited (ACCSC) classes at https://animschool.edu/
The deadline to join our next 11-week term is March 28th, 2022

Combatting the Fear of a Using a Feature Level Rig

AnimSchool 2022-02-16 | AnimSchool Tips: Get to know your Feature Level Rig

One mistake students and even professionals make when working with a new rig is to believe that a new rig will make anything you animate look feature film ready. But animation is not about the rig, it's about the animator. A new rig doesn't change who you are as an animator - you get to change how a rig behaves.

In this lecture, Animschool instructor Jean-Luc Delhougne helps combat the fear that can come with approaching a new advanced rig. The key tip - give yourself the time and space to play with a new character before jumping into animation.

Download AnimSchool's Feature Level Rig for Free Here:
https://animschool.edu/DownloadOffer.aspx:

Start your 3D Animation Journey in our next 11-week term at animschool.edu

Make your reel STAND out - Animating with Purpose

AnimSchool 2022-02-08 | AnimSchool Tips: Make your reel STAND OUT - Animating with Purpose

You might have heard it before, and you will almost definitely hear it again. Animate with Purpose and Specificity. While this may seem simple, it will also elevate your reel and take your animation to the next level.
In this short and impactful lecture, Animschool instructor Daniel Cellabos steps through the “building blocks” of a successful animated shot.
Whether you are an experienced pro or you have never animated before, this advice is invaluable.

Join other 3D artists & animators in our next 11-week term at animschool.edu

Get Better at Facial Posing

AnimSchool 2022-02-03 | AnimSchool Tips: Facial Posing
Facial posing has to be cohesive as well as interesting to look at.
In this lecture, AnimSchool instructor Luke Randall, explains a tried and tested method to make facial posing easier for animators.
Join other 3D artists and animators in our online classes at http://www.animschool.edu

Lets TALK about Lip Sync

AnimSchool 2022-01-27 | AnimSchool Tips: Planning and Blocking a Successful Lip Sync

Get an inside peek at how AnimSchool instructor Anand Somasundaran shows a student how to plan a successful lip sync. This lecture will teach you how to not get lost in your own audio, allowing you to block in a clean first pass animation.

Learn with other 3D Artists & Animators in AnimSchool's next 11-Week Term at animschool.edu

Animation Critique from an Industry Pro

AnimSchool 2022-01-06 | Here's a peek into how AnimSchool instructor and pro animator Tony Mecca critiques the work of an AnimSchool student & provides helpful feedback on how to improve their animation shot.

Become an Animator in our accredited (ACCSC) online 3D animation program & get real-time feedback on your animation from industry pros.

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AnimSchool Advanced Facial Rigging - Fall 2021 Student Reel

AnimSchool 2021-12-20 | AnimSchool Advanced Facial Rigging - Fall 2021 Student Reel
Winter Term Deadline - Monday, Dec 27, 2021
Register HERE: https://animschool.edu/ClassDetails.aspx?programcourseid=181

Our students learn facial rigging techniques that help them break up facial articulation into the most usable set of functions and shapes and provide a greater range of motion. Students take their deformation work to a higher level of refinement and develop their grasp of complex rigging issues to make performing characters.

Student Reel Credits:
Mathieu Plamondon
Yu-Ju Chen
Jaime Orozco Salgado
Olga Tatur
Konstantin Filippov
Eduardo Enriquez
Skyler Fines
Amrit Sapkota
Daniel López

Instructor:
Eyad Hussein

Learn to be a Rigger in our 3D Character Program: https://animschool.edu/ClassListing.aspx

Take a single class to sharpen your skills: https://animschool.edu/SingleClass.aspx

The Importance of Mouth Acting in Animation

AnimSchool 2021-12-01 | AnimSchool Tips: The Importance of Mouth Acting

We've all heard the same old acting tips for animators numerous times: who is your character, what is the subtext, are you being specific? And while these are all important questions to keep in mind, it can be hard to know how to execute these ideas into your performance. One key way is through the mouth! The first thing you look at when you talk to a person or watch a performance is the eyes, while the second thing is the mouth. In this clip, AnimSchool instructor Ricky Renna explains the importance of mouth acting and how animators can create a specific, character-driven performance from the mouth. Ricky analyzes both animation and live-action examples of good mouth acting and breaks down how that specific performance was created.

Brave video clip referenced in video: youtube.com/watch?v=SaARXTWd0xY&t

Check out our 3D Animation and 3D Modeling course offerings: https://animschool.edu/ClassListing.aspx

Demo Reel Advice for Students with AnimSchool

AnimSchool 2021-11-19 | Powered by Restream restream.io

In this AnimSchool + Artstation Livestream, we review student reels live and discuss how animators can take their animation reels to the next level.

How to Block in Blendshapes Fast

AnimSchool 2021-11-18 | AnimSchool Tips: How to Block in Blendshapes Fast
There are numerous ways to create blendshapes: soft modeling, deformers, point pulling. In this clip, AnimSchool instructor Chris Pagoria shows us his favorite way to create blendshapes: lattices. Chris explains why using lattices is his preferred method for blocking in blendshape expressions and gives an in-depth demonstration of blocking in a smile using lattices. After blocking in a smile with his lattice, he then shows us how the lattice and weight-painting work together seamlessly allowing for a flexible, but efficient workflow for blocking in blendshapes.

Join other 3D artists and animators in our next 11-week term at https://animschool.edu/

Animation Critique with Animator Jean-Luc Delhougne

AnimSchool 2021-11-10 | Here's a look at how AnimSchool instructors like Jean-Luc Delhougne provide critique to their students in the early terms of the Animation Program at AnimSchool. The aim of this particular critique is to instill not only the awareness of properly using the environment but also to give purpose and meaning to the actions of the character on screen. Every action must enhance the flow within an animated shot.

Join other 3D artists and animators in our next 11-week term at https://animschool.edu/

Create more Interesting Poses with Tilt, Rhythm & Twist

AnimSchool 2021-11-03 | AnimSchool Tips: Create more Interesting Poses with Tilt, Rhythm & Twist

If your pose feels stiff or boring, it most likely lacks one of these three things: tilt, rhythm, or twist. It is widely accepted among the animation community that these three principles are the key to creating intersecting and dynamic poses. In this clip, AnimSchool instructor Tyler Kakac talks about how to create appealing, interesting poses that are genuine to who your character is. Tyler stresses that all posing comes from your character and demonstrates how to use tilt, rhythm, and twist to find your character with our poses.

Join other artists & animators in our online animation courses at animschool.edu

Become a VFX Creature Animator | Interview with Tony Mecca

AnimSchool 2021-10-26 | Become a VFX Creature Animator | Interview with Tony Mecca

Tony has animated on video games, feature films, VFX, and currently, he is working at Universal Creative in their Ride Design and Show Technology department where he is working to create the next generation of storytelling and immersive experiences for new lands and attractions at Universal. In addition to his impressive career in animation, Tony also started the VFX Creature Animation course here at AnimSchool. In our interview with him, we go in-depth with what you can expect from the VFX Creature Animation course and whom the class is best suited for. Tony also goes through what the day-to-day at a VFX studio is like and how it differs from a traditional CG animation feature studio.

Read the full interview here: http://www.animschoolblog.com/2021/10/instructor-interview-tony-mecca.html

Have you ever wanted to learn how to animate VFX monsters?

Join Us for a FREE AnimSchool VFX Animation Workshop with industry veteran and AnimSchool instructor Tony Mecca on Thursday, November 4th, 2:30 PM (PST) 5:30 PM (EST)

Click here to register:
madmimi.com/signups/6aef7e9a067948959e9b6e8558dc9e3f/join

The Key to Good Acting in Animation

AnimSchool 2021-10-20 | AnimSchool Tips: What is Good Acting in Animation?

What is good acting? In this clip, AnimSchool instructor Scott McWhinnie tackles this essential animation question and demonstrates how you can create good acting in your own animated shots. Though the technical aspects of animation are important, the acting and performance are key to animating a successful shot. Unlike a "good" arc or "good" spacing, "good" acting is subjective. However, Scott argues if you can understand just two things—who your character is and what they are trying to achieve—there's a strong chance you will have good acting in your shot.

Become a 3D animator in our next 11-week term at animschool.edu

How to Animate Eyebrows

AnimSchool 2021-10-13 | AnimSchool Tips: Animating the Eyebrows

In this lecture, AnimSchool instructor Justin Weg teaches the importance of eyebrow animation in a shot. He explains how to quickly do an eyebrow animation in a curve by offsetting keys to sell the clarity of eyebrows in action.

Dreaming of Becoming an Animator?
Learn 3D Animation from Industry Pros in Our Next 11-Week Term at AnimSchool.edu

How to Animate with Plates for VFX

AnimSchool 2021-10-05 | AnimSchool TIps: How to Animate with Plates for VFX

Have you ever wondered how CG characters are seamlessly integrated into live films? In this lesson, AnimSchool instructor Tony Mecca shows us what a plate is and how animators use them when animating for VFX. He walks us through how to open plate files, set up your workspace, and touch up plates when they are missing geometry. Understanding how plates work is a fundamental skill for anyone looking to animate for VFX and in this clip, Tony gives a thorough introduction perfect for those who have never touched plates.

Learn VFX Creature Animation in AnimSchool's next 11-week term:
https://animschool.edu/ClassDetails.aspx?programcourseid=192

Make Curves Pretty : Splining 101

AnimSchool 2021-09-28 | AnimSchool Tips: Make Curves Pretty - Splining 101

In this lecture, AnimSchool instructor Ricky Renna explains how to spline a shot for beginner animators. He shows his method of splining a shot where the first step is making curves look pretty in the Graph Editor.

Dreaming of Becoming an Animator?
Learn 3D Animation from Industry Pros in Our Next 11-Week Term at AnimSchool.edu

Should I be a 3D Rigger?

AnimSchool 2021-09-21 | Interview with AnimSchool Rigging instructor Daria Jerjomina

We recently had the chance to interview AnimSchool instructor Daria Jerjomina. Daria has worked as a technical animator and rigger for video games, stop motion (Laika), VFX and is currently using her skills outside the animation industry in tech.
In our interview, we talked to Daria about what it takes to be a rigger, her experience working in each field, and why she made the switch to tech and robotics.
We also gain insight into her rigging courses, including Rigging Automation, where students create their own rigging tool, just as they would at a studio.

Learn how to create your own rigging and animation tools:
https://animschool.edu/ClassDetails.aspx?programcourseid=182

Read the full interview here: http://www.animschoolblog.com/2021/09/should-i-be-3d-rigger-interview-with.html

Learn more about our 3D Character Program at animschool.edu

Is AnimSchool Worth it?

AnimSchool 2021-09-14 | From AnimSchool Student to Professional Animator - AnimSchool Open House with AnimSchool Graduates

Not sure whether you should make the leap to pursue your dreams of becoming an animator? Unsure whether AnimSchool is the right program for you? Then this is the video for you!

In our recent AnimSchool Open House, we had the chance to hear from recent AnimSchool alumni Stalin Ranjith, Tyler Mahn, Brianna Lentry, and Sam Macero as they walk us through their AnimSchool journey from Class 1 to Class 7.

All four alumni started the program with minimal animation experience and are now working as professional animators. The alumni talk about why they got into animation, their personal experience with AnimSchool, and how they got their first job in the industry after graduating.

Dreaming of Becoming an Animator?⁠
Fall Term Enrollment is now LIVE!⁠
Apply to our Online Animation Programs: https://lnkd.in/gZ93ncpS
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Applications are due by Monday, September 27th⁠

How to Animate Squash and Stretch

AnimSchool 2021-09-07 | AnimSchool Tips: How to Animate Squash and Stretch

Squash and Stretch is one of the most important principles of animation. However, students often make the mistake of not considering volume while animating.
In this video, AnimSchool instructor Benn Garnish explains the principle with an emphasis on volume.
Later he draws over a student's work to explain how squash and stretch poses would work in a shot that includes running and jumping from a cliff.

Dreaming of becoming an animator?
Fall Term Enrollment is now LIVE!
Apply to our Online Animation Programs: https://animschool.edu/NewStudent.aspx

Applications are due by Monday, September 27th

Tips for Animating the Head

AnimSchool 2021-08-31 | AnimSchool Tips: Animating the Head

When animating a character’s head, you can think of the head like the stage and the face as the actors. The two must work together in order to convey a believable performance the audience can understand and connect with. In this clip, AnimSchool instructor Ricky Renna gives some tips on how to animate the head so an audience can follow the performance of the face.

Dreaming of becoming an animator?
Fall Term Enrollment is now LIVE!
Apply to our Online Animation Programs: https://animschool.edu/NewStudent.aspx
Applications are due by Monday, September 27th

Career Advice from a Pro Character Animator

AnimSchool 2021-08-24 | Interview with AnimSchool Instructor and Pro Character Animator, Scott McWhinnie

We recently had the chance to sit down with AnimSchool instructor Scott McWhinnie and chat about his adventurous career as an animator and the things he has learned along the way. Scott has worked at Moonbot Studios, Sony Animation, Bue Sky Studios, and most recently, Illumination Mac Guff in Paris. Scott gives us an insightful look into the day-to-day life of an animator and illustrates how to balance working hard for those top-level industry jobs with your own happiness.

Read the full interview on our blog: http://www.animschoolblog.com/2021/08/a-day-in-life-of-pro-character-animator.html

Want to become a 3D Character Animator?
See how AnimSchool can work for you:
https://animschool.edu/HowItWorks.aspx

How to Create Rig Controllers in Maya

AnimSchool 2021-08-17 | AnimSchool Tips: How to Create Rig Controllers in Maya

Whether you are an aspiring character rigger or an animator trying to rig a simple prop for a shot, knowing how to create rig controls is essential. In this clip, AnimSchool Instructor Daria Jerjomina demonstrates how to create rig controls with NURBS curves, change their colors and create attributes for your controllers.

Learn how to make characters move in AnimSchool's 3D Character program at https://animschool.edu/

Setting Up Hot Keys in Autodesk Maya

AnimSchool 2021-08-10 | AnimSchool Tips: Setting Up Hot Keys in Autodesk Maya

Every animator wants to have a quick, clean, and organized workflow system that helps them animate faster.

Autodesk Maya Hotkeys are here to save you valuable time.

In this video, AnimSchool instructor Justin Barrett explains how to set up these hotkeys, and how to manage the hotkey sets so that you can animate fast and efficiently.

Come join all the students learning online at AnimSchool: http://www.animschool.edu

Make Your Mundane Animation More Interesting

AnimSchool 2021-08-03 | AnimSchool Tips: Make Your Mundane Animation More Interesting

In this lecture, AnimSchool instructor Jean-Luc Delhougne takes a small, simple animation and shows us how to make it more interesting. This is a crucial piece of advice that can elevate your animation to the next level.

Start your 3D animation journey in our next 11-week term at animschool.edu