Digital Art
Overview
Animation is defined as the ability to create an illusion of movement when static (non-moving) images are shown in a sequence. Digital animation is the process of creating animated characters, objects, and environments through digital means. One thing artists new to animation often are not told is that digital animation has all of the same elements that one would find in traditional animation. The only difference is that many of the techniques used in digital animation are customized specifically for use in the digital world. Also, did you know movies such as Monsters Inc., Inside Out, and Finding Nemo all are examples of digital animation. Well, you do now!
Getting Started
Let's face it, getting started in any art medium begins with the individual. It is up to you to determine which medium interests you the most. You are the one who will have to dedicate your time and effort into learning the skills necessary to create art using the given medium. Personally, I did not wake up one day knowing the exact medium I wanted to focus on. In fact, the only thing I knew when I was beginning was how much I wanted to learn how to make digital art. Due to this, I have spent the better part of a decade dabbling in almost every digital medium out there.After dabbling in so many mediums I have discovered I do not have a medium that I enjoy more than the others. I simply love creating art and being capable of creating my art in any way I want. So, if you are like me and are not exactly sure which medium you want to focus on solely just yet don't be afraid to dabble in all of them. You may find one medium speaks to you more than the others or you may end up like me and be a Mixed Media artist. However, if you know digital animation is your calling I am here to guide you on your path to becoming an animator.
Self-taught vs. Art School
Once you determine the medium you want to pursue your next decision is going to come down to deciding between teaching yourself the medium and attending art school. Or, you may even decide to teach yourself and go to art school. Personally, I chose the self-taught path for every medium I know. I chose to be self-taught because I was already in college majoring in Psychology when I was getting started in learning digital art. However, even if I had not been in college I would still choose to be self-taught. The reason I would never choose art school is that I do not have one medium that I focus on. Thus, obtaining a degree in animation only to prefer 3D later seemed rather pointless to me.The decision to obtain a degree is not something to take lightly. Especially, when one considers that obtaining a Bachelors can run you around $80,000+ financially. So, if you decide you want an art degree make sure that you choose a degree for the medium you will want to actively pursue upon graduating. This will ensure that when you graduate you end up in a job that you are passionate about. Instead of earning one degree, graduating, and realizing you should have chosen a different degree program and now have student loans to worry about.
The good thing about obtaining a degree in animation is that you have options. For instance, art schools, technical schools, and several traditional colleges offer digital animation degree programs. Some animation degree programs are generalized while others offer will offer a focus in gaming, film, or television production. It is important to know that being a digital animator requires one to be great at drawing and storytelling.
In addition to your coursework and learning various animation programs you will be required to take classes in Computer Animation, Drawing for Digital Animation, Digital Animation, Modeling/Rigging, Animation Story Workshop, Lighting/Texturing, and more. Also, art students are required to complete a senior project and/or create a portfolio before graduating. Lastly, during your senior year art schools offer internship programs to help students gain real world experience.
Animation Software
Below I have compiled a small list of the software used in the digital animation industry:- 3D Studio Max
- Maya
- Mudbox
- Blender
- Lightwave
- ZBrush
- Cinema 4D
- Toon Boom Studio
- Flash
- After Effects
- Photoshop
- Illustrator
- Premiere Pro
- Unity Pro
- Paint Tool SAI
- FL Studio
- Poser Pro
- GoAnimate
- Sketchbook Pro
Animation on DeviantArt
Here on DeviantArt there are five categories where deviants can upload and submit their animations. Depending on the type of animation you create will determine where your animated works should be submitted. The five animation categories on DeviantArt are:- Digital Art > Animation - This gallery is for any and all animations that were created with a digital medium and are in .GIF format. Fractal animations, Flash, and other video formats do not belong in this category.
- Digital Art > Fractal Art > Fractal Animations - This gallery is for fractal art animations only.
- Film & Animation > Animation - This gallery is for digital animations created using a video format.
- Flash > Animations - Only animation using a Flash format belong to this category.
- Traditional Art > Animation - This gallery is for any and all animations that were created using traditional techniques.
