Animation & Visual Effects (AA)

Explore the different disciplines that collectively contribute to computer graphics production. You'll learn the basic concepts and terminology of computer graphics used in film, visual effects, games, and animation.

In part one of this two-part course, you'll learn to navigate the complex 3D software and its many tools and workflows as they are used in major animation and VFX studios, preparing you for specialized study in the track of your choice.

Cinematics is the language and techniques of filmmaking. To learn Cinematics Animation and VFX, you'll board, shoot, and edit a film, critically analyzing examples of film content and production to understand why choices in filmmaking are made.

Gain technical skills practicing experimental and stop motion animation. Building a firm foundation for future animation work, you'll gain hands-on experience with media of clay, paper cutouts, found objects, pixilation, and stop motion puppets.

Gain the skills to bring your two dimensional drawings to life. Using various methods and techniques, you will create a variety of simple animated shots that demonstrate the fundamentals of animation via hand drawn techniques.

In the second part of this two-part course, you'll learn to navigate the complex 3D software and its many tools and workflows as they are used in major animation and VFX studios, preparing you for specialized study in the track of your choice.

Step back and survey your body of work. Working with faculty, you'll identify strengths, weaknesses, and interests to determine your emphasis and begin developing your portfolio to meet industry standards.

Learn how to render beautiful animations, just like your favorite studios. You'll learn core principles of lookdev and lighting including painting in 3D, how to work with BRDF shaders, linear lighting, animation caches, compositing of render passes and much more.

This course introduces students to the fundamentals of professional storyboarding. Topics covered include cinematic and camera terms, storyboarding style per project type (TV commercial, TV animation, Live Action and Feature animation) and pitching.

This advanced course covers skills needed to become a professional compositor. Students will focus on paying attention to detail, eye improvement, troubleshooting skills, efficiency of workflow, and maintaining the highest standards in image quality. Advanced keying techniques, float color space, tracking, and tricks of the trade are also covered.

Build essential drawing skills for entertainment design industries. Learn software tools and artistic foundations to create captivating digital artworks. Through a series of hands-on assignments, you will explore core drawing principles, including line work, shape design, form, perspective, and lighting, to quickly communicate concepts visually.

In-depth study of classical drawing principles on achieving heightened realism in imagery. Learn how to incorporate accurate geometrical construction and use the five-value system to analyze light and shadow on forms. Gaining skills in perspective, composition, and rendering of various textures and materials.

Learn to draw the human figure with accuracy. You'll draw from the nude model to develop an understanding of gesture, proportion, rhythm, balance, structure, and musculature.

Learn comprehensive principles of perspective drawing. You'll gain conceptualization skills to create credible real-world and otherworldly environments from imagination. Plus, you'll integrate figures, specific atmospheres, and moods into scenes by plotting accurate light and shadows.

Color is a powerful tool. Discover how color psychology, simultaneous contrast, proportion, desaturation, atmospheric depth, light temperature, composition, and harmony can greatly enhance imagery. You will utilize various color schemes to explore color harmony using digital media.

Get hands-on experience producing simple games with three different game engines. You will explore the commonalities and differences in tools and workflows.

Draw the clothed figure in various situations. You'll study physical flexibility in observational drawing, the essential relationships of the body, how to achieve three-dimensional form, proportion, foreshortening, and how to construct folds.