Course Syllabus
Course: ART 2410
Division: Fine Arts, Comm, and New Media
Department: Visual Art
Title: Introduction to Animation
Semester Approved: Spring 2024
Five-Year Review Semester: Fall 2028
End Semester: Fall 2029
Catalog Description: This course will provide students with a foundation in animation and motion design using analog and digital techniques. Students will study the dynamics of kinetics, the principles of animation, character design and development, visual storytelling, and sound design as they relate to this dynamic time-based medium. Students will explore these principles through a series of small exercises. In addition, students will complete a comprehensive portfolio of original animations, which will illustrate an understanding of the concepts addressed throughout the semester. A program fee is required.
Semesters Offered: Fall
Credit/Time Requirement: Credit: 3; Lecture: 3; Lab: 3
Prerequisites: Art 1140
Justification: Animation is a growing and exciting field of art, filmmaking, and communication. It is paramount that art students understand both how to use these technologies and how to understand their implications and outcomes in contemporary art. Students interested in seeking a career in the film, video game, and advertisement industry will benefit greatly from this course, as will students interested in fine arts animation and utilizing its aspects in less traditional fields, like social work and education. Introduction to Animation is taught at most higher education institutions as a fundamental building block in the study of animation, illustration, and human body dynamics.
Student Learning Outcomes:
Material Proficiency: Students will be exposed to a variety of analog and digital materials and methods used within the realm of traditional and experimental animation. They will navigate different software used in both traditional and innovative ways in capturing, creating, and presenting animated shorts. This proficiency in material and media will be used to understand practical applications of visual language and storytelling. Each student will be required to maintain a digital portfolio on an online platform, documenting their progress throughout the semester.
Principles of Concept: Students will learn to apply conceptual principles to a variety of animation techniques and styles through the study of principles of animation, notions of time and space, along with the laws of physics and how they impact our visual perception of movement. Each student will be required to maintain a digital portfolio on an online platform, documenting their progress throughout the semester.
Historical Context: In addition to viewing works by animation contemporaries, students will study historically relevant animation works in relationship to the captured zeitgeist of the time. This knowledge and historical understanding will foster creative communication through visual language of animation. This outcome will be assessed through participation, the final portfolio, and a final project.
Critical Theory: Students will develop an ability to critically analyze works of art through verbal critiques of the work of their peers and professional artists as it applies to creative, process-intensive, conceptual animation work. This skill will foster a greater ability of students to be critical of their own work within the creative process. Students will demonstrate their ability to analyze works critically through short verbal and written critiques at all stages of the creative process.
Creative Process: This course teaches strategies for cultivating creative practice, expressing ideas, solving problems creatively, engaging with challenging concepts, and experimenting with different mediums in working with animation. Students will utilize visual storytelling, design fundamentals, and sound design, along with anatomy and a basic understanding of physics. They will develop animation language and terminology necessary in comprehension of animation theory as they create hands-on animated projects. Utilizing a sketchbook to record and develop this process will be highly encouraged as part of the process. This course will culminate with the final animation project where, in addition to the final product, students will critically write and speak about their unique creative process as well as the other four outcomes. Integrating written and verbal critical analysis into the studio practice promotes a conscious awareness, enhancing the quality of current and future creative ventures.
Content:
Course topics and learning tasks include animating simple subject matter in a believable manner; demonstrating correct timing and spacing, continuous volume, and correct proportions; experimenting with traditional 2D animation, stop-motion animation, and rotoscope animation techniques, concepts, and software; understanding visual storytelling utilizing acting, performance, and staging; exploring fundamental compositing, rendering, and editing techniques.The artistic genres, major figures, and movements covered in this course will be representative of a ranging variety in gender, nationality, language, identity, perspective, and background. Where disparities may exist in these genres, major figures, and movements, questions or issues of representation will be addressed in class discussions and/or assignments. Discussion of representation and diversity are highlighted as significant aspects of animation as they relate to access, voice, and audience.
Key Performance Indicators:
Each student will be evaluated upon the completion, artistic merit, conceptual application, innovation, and level of craftsmanship of each creative studio project. Quality craftsmanship in both analog and digital work will be expected. All work will be cataloged in an online digital portfolio which will be assessed during finals. Quizzes will also assess each student’s understanding of concepts and material proficiency. Through attendance at and participation in various opportunities for lecture, demonstration, research and critical analysis, students will gain an informed ability to critique, ultimately enhancing their own work and the work of their peers.
Comprehensive Portfolio 60 to 70%
Critique and analysis of contemporary artwork 15 to 20%
Final Project 5 to 10%
Attendance + participation 10 to 15%
Representative Text and/or Supplies:
The Animator's Survival Kit: A Manual of Methods, Principles and Formulas for Classical, Computer, Games, Stop Motion and Internet Animators, Richard Williams, current edition (ISBN-13: 978-0571238347)
Each student will be required to have a USB 3.0 flash or external hard drive and headphones/earphones. Additional materials and supplies to be determined at the discretion of the instructor in addition to what is provided through the course program fee.
Pedagogy Statement:
This course will include applied, hands-on studio projects, class discussions, oral and written critiques, demonstrations, and slide lectures, as they apply to the principles of animation. These teaching methods are tailored to accommodate unique learning styles that will integrate with a variety of rigorous experiential, creative projects. This course fosters a collaborative, co-intentional learning experience that encourages students to consider themselves partners in creating and maintaining a respectful and supportive learning community through their work, critique, and conduct. The exchange of ideas and feedback is emphasized through discussion, critique, and collaborative projects. This exchange is also encouraged outside of class as students are invited to work together informally. This interactive and participatory endeavor cultivates artists who value each other as well as the creative process and helps them discover that collaborative learning experiences are rich with potential, as student colleagues inspire, stretch, trust, and support each other. It also prepares students for the highly collaborative and creative industry where diverse ideas and areas of experience are combined to problem solve. Prompts for discussions and projects are designed to promote a wide range of visual interpretation and the inclusion of various conceptual insights, including but not limited to, age, ethnicity, culture, gender, and religion. Visual art, in its essence, promotes inclusivity as students explore unique personal concepts.
Instructional Mediums:
Lecture/Lab
Maximum Class Size: 16
Optimum Class Size: 12
