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3D Animation and Character Creation

  • Level(s) of Study: Short course
  • Course Fee:

    £695

  • Start Date(s): 22 July 2024
  • Duration: Monday to Friday 10 am - 4 pm, one week
  • Study Mode(s): Short course
  • Campus: City Campus
  • Entry Requirements:
    More information
Apply now

Introduction:

This course is aimed at people wishing to be animators of the future.

It combines an introduction to the creative and technical aspects of 3D animation with information about today’s animation industry.


Following an introduction to the history of 3D animation, you'll be set a project to develop an animated character and accompanying narrative.

Your time will be split between working in the animation studio on your project, and hearing from guest speakers or visiting places of interest that inspire professional animators.

  • You’ll be part of a design community in our creative studio culture; one that promotes discussion and collaboration, and encourages experimentation and the constant swapping of ideas.
  • With a limited class size of 11 people you'll have the one-to-one attention you need to ensure you leave with the skills to continue developing your designs at home or work.
  • Benefit from learning with an experienced tutor who has established links to the profession and significant experience working in varied practices.
  • On successful completion of the course you will receive a certificate of attendance.

Here's what our previous attendees said:

'Many thanks to our tutor and their thoroughness and dedication - a brilliant course.'

'The teacher was a brilliant and very patient.'

'This course was to help me decide whether or not I was going to follow animation at uni. I fell in love with the subject, and will pursue it at NTU.'

'A big thanks to the tutor. The course was a brilliant blend of theory, practice and technique. Complicated software was broken down with panache!'

'Our tutor was a really supportive and instructive tutor for the course, had such an infectious enthusiasm for the course'.

What you’ll study

On this course you will:

  • design a character for 3D animation
  • experiment with Maya animation software
  • work on top-of-the-range equipment including High end workstations with Nvidia Quadro graphics cards and Wacom Cintiq HD Touch tablets
  • use TVPaint to create a simple storyboard
  • add sound and music to an animation
  • learn about directing your character for the screen.

You'll combine new idea generation and research skills with your knowledge of Maya software so that, by the end of the two weeks, you'll have a character to present to your fellow students.

You'll also have:

  • an understanding of the different types of jobs available to you in the animation, gaming and visual effects industries
  • knowledge of what a company like Pixar looks for in a CV
  • the confidence to present yourself and your showreel to potential employers.

This course is ideal if you are new to animation and are considering future studies or looking to enhance your CV and portfolio.

How you’re taught

This course will be delivered in person on Nottingham Trent University city campus.

You will receive 25 contact hours of quality tuition with an experienced tutor.

96% of previous course attendees were satisfied with the course, received the attention they needed and would consider doing another short course at NTU.

Tutor profile:

Ben Arrowsuch is an Animator and Illustrator with a passion for visual storytelling, a proficiency in industry-standard software and a curious, creative professional.

After graduating from Cambridge School of Art Ben became a guest lecturer, inspiring other artists with his unique insights in the field, before beginning to work in the industry.

Ben's versatile skill set shines through his extensive industry experience, having worked for various clients both in-house and as a freelancer on a range of projects; from social media content and advertisements to campaign videos, Ben is able to effectively communicate ideas into a captivating visual experience.

Ben has created character animations and motion graphics for clients such as the Animal Justice Project, Mozilla, King Gaming, Edinburgh TV awards, and Tasetmade and has brought his artistry and digital design skills to life through engaging advertisements and content for renowned mobile games titles including Candy Crush.

Beyond the digital screen, Ben has showcased his work in a variety of esteemed exhibitions and events as part of the Thoughtcast collective and Circuit.

You can see Ben’s show reel and portfolio of work here.

Campus and facilities

Our animation facilities are based in the Waverley building – a beautifully restored, listed building with real design heritage – the original home of the Nottingham School of Art. View our School of Art & Design Facilities Hub here.

You’ll find collaborative working spaces where you'll develop your sketches and concepts, and Mac suites equipped with industry standard software and hardware including Adobe Creative Cloud, Maya, Wacom Cintiq Touch Tablets and Pro Creative Pens, TVPaint and work on high end workstations with Nvidia Quadro graphics cards.

You’ll also have access to our library to use outside of your short course; whilst you can’t reserve or take away books, you are welcome to use them as a resource for research and referencing.

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Entry requirements

Level: Beginner

Entry requirement: No previous animation or drawing skills are required. You should know your way around a computer in terms of file saving and other basic functions.

You must be over the age of 18 to attend this course

Getting in touch

If you need more help or information, get in touch through our enquiry form

Level: Beginner

Entry requirement: No previous animation or drawing skills are required. You should know your way around a computer in terms of file saving and other basic functions.

You must be over the age of 18 to attend this course

Fees and funding

The fee for this course is £695.

Payment is due at the time of booking - ask us if you'd prefer an invoice sent to your company.

Secure your place with a deposit - If you're booking more than two months before the course starts, we can accept a £200 deposit to secure your place, and the balance is due one month before the course starts.

Your course fees cover the cost of studies and include great benefits such as the use of our modern library and free use of the IT equipment and software on the campus during your course.

Please bring with you to the first session:

  • Notepad and pen
  • Sketchbook and pencils
  • Memory stick

You might also want to read the following books which will be of use before, during and after the course:

  • How to Cheat in Maya: Tools and Techniques for Character Animation, Kenny Roy
  • The Animator's Survival Kit, Richard Williams.

You can read the terms and conditions of booking here.

Need accommodation for a weekday summer course?

We offer single rooms in shared apartments in Nottingham Trent University’s city campus accommodation, which is ideal if you're looking to be based in Nottingham's lively city centre and want an economical place to stay.

Bookings are taken on a seven-night basis, from Saturday to Saturday.

The rooms are single occupancy, with a private bathroom.

Find out more at www.ntu.ac.uk/summeraccommodation

The fee for this course is £695.

Payment is due at the time of booking - ask us if you'd prefer an invoice sent to your company.

Secure your place with a deposit - If you're booking more than two months before the course starts, we can accept a £200 deposit to secure your place, and the balance is due one month before the course starts.

Your course fees cover the cost of studies and include great benefits such as the use of our modern library and free use of the IT equipment and software on the campus during your course.

Please bring with you to the first session:

  • Notepad and pen
  • Sketchbook and pencils
  • Memory stick

You might also want to read the following books which will be of use before, during and after the course:

  • How to Cheat in Maya: Tools and Techniques for Character Animation, Kenny Roy
  • The Animator's Survival Kit, Richard Williams.

You can read the terms and conditions of booking here.

Need accommodation for a weekday summer course?

We offer single rooms in shared apartments in Nottingham Trent University’s city campus accommodation, which is ideal if you're looking to be based in Nottingham's lively city centre and want an economical place to stay.

Bookings are taken on a seven-night basis, from Saturday to Saturday.

The rooms are single occupancy, with a private bathroom.

Find out more at www.ntu.ac.uk/summeraccommodation

How to apply

You can book your place via the NTU online store:

22 - 26 July 2024

Browse our other short courses in animation.

You can book your place via the NTU online store:

22 - 26 July 2024

Browse our other short courses in animation.

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