Sykosan

Meet Sykosan

Animator and Illustrator
Sykosan

About Sykosan

About Sykosan

Mentor of 2D Animation

Sykosan is a London-based 2D animation filmmaker with expertise covering all stages of the animation process including writing and editing, film directing, character design, background and assets design, 2D effects and compositing. His unique style is a modern blend of western and Japanese influences, while his work also shows a strong ability to match a large variety of animation styles.

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Throughout his career, Sykosan has animated for all kinds of media such as advertising, feature films, video games and music videos for diverse clients such as Katy Perry, the BBC, Netflix, Adobe MTV, Samsung, Sony, Adidas, Gucci, and many more.

Sykosan has always been interested in sharing his knowledge and skills through social media and tutorials. Today, at CG Spectrum, Sykosan connects directly with his students like nowhere else.

  

Sykosan's work

Credits include Love, Death & Robots, Cry About it Later (Katy Perry music video), and Teppen, to name a few.

Sykosan Showreel

Q&A with Sykosan

Which city are you currently based in?

London, England

What did your pathway into the industry look like?

I graduated as an architect before deciding that I wanted to try animation. I had created a short animation with a friend during my spare time and then enrolled for a 2-year course in animation film making at La Poudrière in France.

I worked in France for an animation studio as a cleanup artist before shortly moving to London where there were more opportunities. I worked for a while for a TV channel doing mainly basic 3D animations and some programming.

After a few years I decided to go freelance. It gave me more freedom to work for various studios and work on many different projects. I also decided at some point that I would leave 3D aside and become a 2D animator only. I have been a freelancer for many years now and I am happy with this lifestyle.

What has been the best experience of your career so far?
The most satisfying job for me was directing and animating Katy Perry’s music video, Cry About It Later. I was given pretty much complete creative freedom and, despite the tight budget and short deadline, I put a small team together and we did a great job of it. I hope to do more directing jobs in the future.
What’s your advice for animation students?

Always build up your portfolio throughout the years. We always improve and learn new things. It’s worth spending a bit of time creating some personal content to push ourselves and also show the world what we really want to do.

Learn animation from industry pros 

3D Animation Essentials

3D Animation Essentials

3 months - Beginner

Learn 3D animation basics for beginners! Start with the essentials, including the 12 Principles of Animation, character rigs and posing, then animate your first walk cycle using industry tools.
2D Animator Specialization

2D Animator Specialization

9 months - Advanced

Study advanced aspects of 2D animation and create compelling characters, expressive acting and FX animation. Increase your technical skills and build a polished portfolio with mentor support.
3D Animator Specialization

3D Animator Specialization

9 months - Advanced

Master complex character animation techniques to create impressive 3D scenes. You’ll also focus on portfolio preparation and career development with your industry mentor to help you get job-ready.
2D Animation Essentials

2D Animation Essentials

3 months - Beginner

Learn 2D animation basics. This short course covers hand-drawn-style animation, the 12 Principles of Animation, and classic exercises like the bouncing ball and walk cycle led by industry artists.
<b><br>2D Animation</br></b>Bachelor of Digital Art


2D Animation
Bachelor of Digital Art

24 months - Beginner to Advanced

Master the industry tools and techniques to pursue a career in 2D animation. Breathe life and personality into your creations and delve deep into production pipelines and creative workflows.
<b> <br>3D Animation</br></b>Bachelor of Animation & VFX


3D Animation
Bachelor of Animation & VFX

24 months - Beginner to Advanced

Discover how to bring your digital characters and creatures to life for film and games. Build your 3D animation skills from beginner to advanced and discover key production pipelines and processes.
2D Animation Foundations

2D Animation Foundations

9 months - Beginner to Intermediate

Build your 2D animation foundations using both modern and traditional animation workflows to create animations from scratch. Receive guidance from industry pros who’ve worked on iconic cartoons.
3D Animation Foundations

3D Animation Foundations

9 months - Beginner to Intermediate

Forge foundational 3D animation skills taught by industry experts. Learn to make your 3D characters walk, talk, and interact with their environment as you build your understanding of body mechanics.
2D FX Animation Course

2D FX Animation Course

1.5 months - Intermediate

Master the art of hand-drawn 2D animated effects—including flames, gasses, liquids, magic, and more—from initial design to final rendering, guided by an industry expert.
2D Storyboarding Course

2D Storyboarding Course

3 months - Intermediate

Master the essential tools of storyboarding for character-driven dialogue & drama scenes and create fully realized storyboards with guidance from industry pros.
What do you enjoy most about being a CG Spectrum mentor?
I have always enjoyed sharing some of my knowledge and seeing students improve. What I love the most about CG Spectrum is the fact that I can do that and still keep working on animation jobs. It gives me a fulfilling balance in my work life.
How do you stay creative outside of work?
I work mainly as an animator but, on the side I also enjoy illustration, sculpting, photography and Lego. I also have a keen interest in science and scientific news. I have a pet project that I like to go back to now and then and hope to turn into a real animation film some day.
What excites you most about the future of animation?
Animation is an ever growing industry with a bright future. Nowadays we have many tools, genres and styles available so there are plenty of options and opportunities. I particularly like the new trend of animation for grown ups with more mature topics and varied genres. I look forward to seeing this side of animation grow.

See more of Sykosans's work on Artstation.

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