Animation

Animation is a discipline that transforms the principles of drawing, design, movement, and storytelling into sequences that create the illusion of life. Its foundations were laid in the early twentieth century, and the core principles developed to produce convincing animation, timing, weight, anticipation, follow-through, and the rest, remain as relevant to digital 3D animation today as they were to hand-drawn cel animation. Animation is used across film, television, games, advertising, education, and digital media, and skilled animators are in demand across all of these sectors.

At Teesside University, this part-time Animation programme provides training in both two-dimensional and three-dimensional animation, covering the foundational principles of the craft and their application in industry-standard techniques and software. You will study 2D animation using hand-drawn techniques to build and practise core animation exercises that develop your understanding of movement and timing. 3D animation uses industry-standard methods including layered and pose-to-pose approaches, developing the digital craft skills that are central to contemporary production pipelines in film, games, and broadcast.

The programme also places animation in historical and cultural context, examining the development of animation and motion design from its earliest beginnings through to the diverse styles and applications of the present day.

The part-time mode makes the programme accessible to those who are working in or adjacent to the creative industries while developing their specialist skills. You will build a portfolio of animated work that demonstrates your range across different techniques and forms.

Graduates from animation programmes pursue careers as animators, character animators, motion graphics artists, visual effects artists, and game animators across film, television, games, advertising, and digital content. Freelance and studio work are both common career models. Further study at degree or postgraduate level is an option for those who want to deepen their practice or develop into direction, production design, or visual development.