Animation is questionably one of the hardest things to truly master. It can take ages of practice and dedication to get where you want to be. There is one thing you must keep in mind though; animation is never really mastered. As a professional animator, you should constantly be learning, even if you think you know it all. As with most other steps within the 3D pipeline, there are always new things to be learned. Some great workflows and techniques should be learned to utilize in order to grow your skills as an animator faster.
By taking the right approach to learning animation anyone can become an expert from a beginner in a shorter amount of time than you may think. This blog will cover all the essential workflow to go from animating your first ball bounce to complex acting shots.
- Add Technical Animator skills
To give life to the characters, an animator needs to combine the artistic skills with practical skills. Correspondingly, an animator needs to understand how the body moves and to be aware of the 12 principles of animation. Technical animator skills include audio/video editing and cutting-edge software like 3D Studio Max, Adobe After Effects, Autodesk Maya, Cinema 4D and more. Best way to learn these by joining a professional animation institute.
- Improve Drawing Skills
Although 3D animation may not require excellent drawing skills, it is still beneficial to sharpen that skill of yours. Drawing people and animals will increase your understanding of basic anatomy, movements, and poses. This will come in handy when you’re animating a character. For example, gesture drawing helps you familiarize yourself with basic human or animal movements. Step out of your comfort zone, and start exploring different drawing styles. Draw real-life people; capture their different movements and poses. Your drawings may not look like an expert drawing at the start but in the long run, your drawing skills will definitely improve.
- Get the Latest Material
Practicing animation is one thing but updating your knowledge on animation is another thing altogether. Animation, like technology, is constantly evolving. The only way to stay up-to-date is by reading or watching the latest materials on animation. You may have been inspired to learn animation from watching your desired cartoon movie or from your favorite Pixar movies. Whatever the case may be, there is one key thing that most of the animators working on your preferred movies have in common: they have studied the same books. Some of the books like Illusion of Life and The Animator's Survival Kit are two most important animators have at their desk at all times.
These books are related to 2D animation, but the techniques and principles taught are just as applicable in today's 3D animation too. This will give will access to some of the best animation techniques and principles taught by the pioneers of animation.
- Find Your Inspiration
Finding what inspires you as an animator is extremely important, and one of the best ways to improve your animation skills. Get your most cherished animated movie and find shots that stick out to you, and ask yourself what makes them so good? Why is this particular shot more appealing than the one before it? Study how the animator implemented the principles. Maybe their arcs were flowing smoothly or the timing they established really helped sell the shot. Pick a scene from your favorite animated movie and try animating it using your own style. This way you can learn how they did it, and try to implement their techniques into your own work.
- Take Regular Feedback
As an animator, getting feedback is something one should be doing for all your shots. If you're the only one who looks at your animation, it can be very hard to give yourself feedback and there won’t be any chances for improvement. A bad shot could start to look good the longer you stare at it. Ask your fellow animators or experts to take a look at your animation. Even if that person doesn't have animation knowledge, they can see when something just doesn't look right. Sharing your work with others is a great way to improve.
Learning animation is a continuing process. By learning animation in portions, and having the mindset that the more shots you animate the better you will get with each one will ensure that your animation skills grow faster. Always remember, it's not really the length of the shot that makes you become better, but rather how many animations you have completed and how you push yourself with each new shot. Get more practice animating with 3D animation tutorials and read more 3D animation articles for tips and tricks to make you a better animator.
There are numerous animation colleges and institutes in animation. ADMEC ranks way above them. And why not? It is after all one of the best animation institute, which offers diploma and certificate courses in India which can help individuals enhance their skills in animation and face challenges in the industry.
