Learning Access in Animation

 Going to school can help those pursue the career path they want, regardless of the focus. Some don't require schooling but rather technological and practical skills. In studying Animation, going to school can prove to be a great help to those who have never dabbled in the software, especially the industry level software that can be costly for those without the educational license. 

That being said, pursuing animation on your own can cost a lot more than expected out of pocket. But there are a lot of resources for animators online for animators to refine their craft using blogs, books, tutorials, and more. Lots of the basics for animation stem from the fundamentals of art. So learning motion paths, dynamic poses, and composition are incredibly beneficial to create a visually appealing animation.

One great online resources known by many already animating and is extremely useful to beginners is Rusty Animator. They provide a lot of tips on improving your work  as well as some insider information on the industry. Like what pros look for in portfolios and demo reels, the hiring process in the industry, and many more. I would definitely recommend this site for aspiring animators and those interested in the profession.

Another great resource of animators to use is: LinkedIn Learning. LinkedIn Learning provides great, in-depth, and detailed tutorials in both 2D and 3D animation. As well as other topics like character rigging. These tutorials are made by industry professionals and help take the basics of animation into clips that can be used in a demo reel.

However, if using LinkedIn Learning is not something feasible, there are still more resources available. One could start to learn more about animation and still have access to step-by-step tutorials by looking up videos on YouTube. There are some great and quick videos explaining the process and other related topics for free, making it a fantastic source for animators of all levels.

That being said, there are a wide variety of resources for anyone to learn animation. It is not necessary to university or a specialized institute to learn. Obtaining the software necessary can be costly, but not impossible. By watching tutorial videos, learning the basics and how to use the software would take time like anything else. But it does not replace a crucial part of the learning process; critique and feedback. Just like any academic paper or work of art, critique and feedback are necessary to grow as student. The lack of access in doing animation by oneself would be the access to industry level software and a limit visually developing their animation due to the lack of critique.