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3D Animation Foundations

Online 3D animation course taught by professional film and game animators

Overview

Learn 3D animation foundations with guidance from industry pros

Become a 3D animator for film and games! Explore the 12 Principles of Animation using industry-standard software Autodesk Maya. You'll learn how to make your 3D characters walk, talk, and interact with their environment as you build your understanding of body mechanics.

Why study animation with us:

  • Build important animation foundation skills
  • Start creating professional-quality animation shots
  • Learn animation from world-class professional animators
  • Get personalized training to help you progress faster

This course will teach you how to bring scenes to life, infusing emotion, personality, and movement into your 3D characters through technical and creative techniques used in the film and game industry.

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Qualification

Industry Certificate

Duration

9 months

Commitment

20 hrs weekly

Skill level

Beginner to
Intermediate

Start date

January 6th, 2025

February 3rd, 2025

March 3rd, 2025

Delivery Mode

Weekly live online classes
Video lectures
Mentor feedback
Access to vibrant community
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Why study with us

Learn 3D animation from artists who have worked on blockbuster films and AAA games

Whether straight out of high school, changing careers, or upgrading your skills, our expert-led animation training will help you build industry skills to kickstart your career

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Industry Mentors

Learn from experts who have worked on major films and games

Flexible Scheduling

Plan your studies around your work and family commitments

Job-Ready Skills

Build practical and relevant job skills that studios are looking for

Payment Plans

Pursue your passion and start working sooner with flexible payments
Curriculum

An industry-focused course to prepare you for the dynamic world of animation

Term 1: 12 weeks

Foundations 1: Essentials of 3D Animation

Start by learning the basics of 3D animation, then dive head-first into animation software Maya where you'll learn how to create believable animations using the classic principles of animation. You'll put theories into practice, giving you a better understanding of body mechanics and locomotion.

  • Animate from scratch using the 12 principles of animation
  • Set up professional workflows using Autodesk Maya
  • Create progressively more complex animation pieces  
  • Work with character rigs to create animation cycles
  1. Introduction to Animation and Rigs
  2. Posing a Character
  3. Timing and Spacing
  4. Overlapping Action
  5. Pose Transitions 01
  6. Pose Transitions 02
  7. Lower Body Walk Cycle 01
  8. Lower Body Run Cycle 02
  9. Full Body Walk Cycle 01
  10. Full Body Run Cycle 02
  11. Walk with Prop 01
  12. Walk with Prop 02
Term 2: 12 weeks

Foundations 2: Core 3D Animation Principles

Let's get physical! Learn 3D animation tips and tricks from your mentor while building on your foundation skills. Discover how to get characters to interact with their surrounding environment and see how they deal with external physical forces. Finish the term by learning how to design combat animations for games.

  • Convey realistic force & weight
  • Animate combat action scenes
  • Create animation cycles for video games
  • Build a believable fight scene
  1. Run and Jump Blocking
  2. Run and Jump Polish
  3. Parkour Blocking
  4. Parkour Polish
  5. Forces & Weight Blocking
  6. Forces & Weight Polish
  7. Weight Lift Blocking
  8. Weight Lift Polish
  9. Combat Actions Blocking
  10. Combat Actions Polish
  11. Fight Scene Blocking
  12. Fight Scene Polish
Term 3: 12 weeks

Foundations 3: Professional 3D Animation

Master the subtleties of adding personality to a character walk. Then develop a backstory for your character and have a go at conveying emotions using body language by creating a pantomime piece. You'll finish with a polished character dialogue piece, complete with lip sync and facial and body expressions, which you can use in your demo reel.

  • Gather & analyze reference
  • Create unique character performances
  • Stage & animate emotional action
  • Convey realistic expressions
  1. Introduction & Overview
  2. Personality Walk 01: Keying
  3. Personality Walk 02: Breakdowns & Cycles
  4. Personality Walk 03: Polish &
    Progressive Walk
  5. Pantomime 01: Setup & Keying
  6. Pantomime 02: Breakdowns
  7. Pantomime 03: Polish Pass
  8. Drama Monologue 01: Setup & Keying
  9. Drama Monologue 02: Keys & Breakdowns
  10. Drama Monologue 03: Overlap & Follow-through
  11. Drama Monologue 04: Polish Pass
  12. Character Acting: Review & Final Pass
Course structure

Your pathway to the film and games industry

The 9-month Foundations Course is the first half of our Career Track, helping you pave your pathway into the creative industries. Gain foundational skills and knowledge that will prepare you for advanced industry training.

Pathway illustration for Foundations 9 Month Course

 

Want to take your education higher?

Did you know that the subjects you complete in the career track courses can be used to apply for credit toward our accredited degrees and diplomas in the same discipline? 

The skills and knowledge you build in any industry-certificate course can be transferred into academic credits through our Advanced Standing and Credit Transfer process. So, if you decide to take your studies to the next level, know that your prior learning will be recognized.

Compare your options and find out which course is right for you.

FIND OUT MORE
Mentors

Get direct access to professional animators with studio experience

All 3D animation classes are taught by artists who have worked at major animation studios on films and video games.

Mark Pullyblank's Work
Mark Pullyblank

Mark Pullyblank

Mark has held lead positions at Rainmaker, Sony and Weta Digital working on films like Avatar, The Adventures of Tintin, and Night at the Museum.

Dept. Head of 3D Animation

Known for Avatar

Spectra's Work
Spectra

Spectra

Spectra has been animating for almost a decade at Playstation, Digital Domain and Ubisoft on projects such as Far Cry 6, Uncharted 4: A Thief's End, and Advantageous.

Mentor of 3D Animation

Known for Uncharted 4: A Thief's End

Elena Miroglio's Work
Elena Miroglio

Elena Miroglio

Elena is a Senior Animator at Sony Pictures Imageworks. She's worked on projects including The Darkest Minds, Spider-Man: Far From Home, Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2, and Hotel Transylvania 3.

Mentor of 3D Animation

Known for Spider-man 3: Homecoming

Amita Sahgal's Work
Amita Sahgal

Amita Sahgal

Amita has worked as an Animator and Animation Supervisor for two decades. She is also an experienced mentor, teaching at Mages Institute of Excellence and Supinfocom International Animation School.  

Mentor of 3D Animation

Known for Ted

Abdel Pizzaro's Work
Abdel Pizzaro

Abdel Pizzaro

Hailing from Puerto Rico and residing in the US, Abdel Pizarro has experience in both 2D  and 3D animation. Abdel has also worked with clients like Nickelodeon, Marvel, Big Ideas, Sesame Street and many others.

Mentor of 3D Animation

Known for Planet Blue: Journey to Eco

Roland Vallet's Work
Roland Vallet

Roland Vallet

Roland has worked his way across the globe at major studios like Weta Digital, where he worked on two Planet of The Apes movies, The Hobbit Trilogy, and Avengers: Infinity War.

Mentor of 3D Animation

Known for Avengers: Infinity War

Jacob Patrick's Work
Jacob Patrick

Jacob Patrick

Jacob is an award-winning director, writer, and animator who now works at Walt Disney Imagineering. Credits include Red Dead Redemption, God of War III, Batman: Arkham Origins, The Jungle Book, and The Flash.

Mentor of 3D Animation

Known for Batman: Arkham Origins

Ambre Maurin's Work
Ambre Maurin

Ambre Maurin

Ambre has worked as an animator in the UK, Australia, New Zealand, USA, and Canada on projects like LEGO Avengers, Happy Feet Two, Avatar and Where the Wild Things Are.

Mentor of 3D Animation

Known for Avatar

Michael Morgan's Work
Michael Morgan

Michael Morgan

With 20+ years in the industry, Michael has worked on countless feature films for just about every major studio around the world including DNEG, Cinesite, MPC, Weta Digital, Pixomondo and Lucasfilm.

Mentor of 3D Animation

Known for Pacific Rim Uprising

Nick Unden's Work
Nick Unden

Nick Unden

Nick's held lead positions at major game studios Relic Entertainment and Phoenix Labs. Credits include Dauntless, Dawn of War 3 and Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City.

Mentor of 3D Animation

Known for Dauntless

Carlos Rosas's Work
Carlos Rosas

Carlos Rosas

Mentor of 3D Animation

Known for Venom
Student Showcase

Student work that truly stands out

We teach our students the practical and creative skills needed to create impressive 3D animations that they can proudly use in their showreels.

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Studios that hire our students

Our commitment to job outcomes and focus on career development have helped graduates find work at studios worldwide.
Ubisoft
Dreamworks
EA
Industrial Light. & Magic
Sony Pictures Animation
Method
Frequently asked questions

Got questions? We've got answers.

Age Minimum
The general minimum age to be able to enroll in our industry certificate courses is 16. We require parent or guardian consent during the enrollment process for applicants under 18.

Students under 16 will require a further assessment before they can officially enrol. This may include an interview with a course advisor and the creation of a study plan to ensure they have considered how they will manage a college-level workload.

English Proficiency
We expect our students to have a good understanding of written and spoken English. There’s no specific ’level'; however, you must be able to understand video tutorials in English (no subtitles) and speak with your mentor in English during your live Q&A session.

Computer Literacy
To be successful in this program, you will need basic computer skills and a computer that meets the minimum specifications (see next question).

Software:

Students can sign up for an educational license for Maya. Instructions for how to obtain an educational license for this software will be provided upon enrollment.

Hardware:

You will need a dedicated graphics card and a computer that meets the minimum requirements for Autodesk Maya. 

This course gives you an excellent understanding of 3D animation fundamentals. Depending on your level of commitment, skills, and portfolio pieces, you may be ready to start applying for entry-level artist positions.

To further hone your skills and increase your hiring potential, 3D Animator Specialization is recommended. It covers more complex techniques and includes an entire term dedicated to career development and portfolio preparation to get you industry-ready.

Some of the junior 3D animator jobs you could pursue after completing the full study pathway include:

Students also gain access to additional career services to support them in their job search. The CG Spectrum community is another great resource. Through graduates and mentors already working in the industry, you can network and learn about relevant job vacancies. 

Discover more about these 3D animator jobs, tips, and salary expectations on our careers page:

I landed a job immediately after finishing the course.

When I started CG Spectrum's animation program, I wasn't sure what to expect. Now, I can surely tell that choosing CG Spectrum was the best decision I've ever made. My mentors were incredibly knowledgeable, dedicated and supportive.

Vanessa R
Vanessa R
Animation

If you’re looking to enhance your specialist skills to industry level, CG Spectrum is the place to be.

CG Spectrum has been an invaluable learning experience. Having never done an online course, I didn’t expect to receive the level of personalised learning and quality teaching that I have experienced so far. The amount of 1-on-1 is second to none. The techniques I have been taught have not only improved my animation skills by leaps and bounds, they have also taught me to be a better storyteller. Aside from the skills learned, I have also gained a great amount of insight into the industry which will definitely aid in my career as an animator. 

Richard S
Richard S
Animation

It's been extremely helpful for my portfolio and my confidence as an artist!

I've learned so much about not only animation, but the thought process an artist goes through when creating a piece.

Shravani K
Shravani K
Animation