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English, Spanish, 4 more
German, French, Italian, Portuguese
English, Spanish,
4 more
French, German, Italian, Portuguese
Tom Bancroft is an animator who has worked with Disney Studios for over 25 years. Films he contributed to include Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King and Mulan.
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English, Spanish , 4 more 
English, Spanish , 4 more
Learn to think like a master Disney animator, by planning your animation in advanceDiscover Tom Bancroft’s thought process for developing an action sceneGet to know the 12 Principles of Animation and examples of eachWhat are the various types of animation and important animation termsFind out the difference between sketching and drawingMaster the 'BIG THREE' Animation Concepts: Timing, Spacing and Squash & Stretch Have you ever dreamed of animating your artwork and seeing your characters take on a life of their own?
For many unfortunately, this dream remains just that: a dream. Starting out in the world of animation can seem very daunting and understandably so! Where does one begin!?
While animation can be complex with many different factors to take into account, don’t despair! You now have an excellent instructor with years of experience under his belt to guide you through the learning process. Disney veteran, Tom Bancroft, will simplify the essential principles in a way that is easy to grasp and apply. Once you are done with this course, you’ll have the confidence to start practicing your newfound skills right away!
Discover for yourself that “there is no better reward than seeing your artwork come alive before your very eyes” (as Tom says)! Ready to jump in? 🙂
Note: This course uses 2D Animation, however the principles also apply to CG (3D) Animation and Stop Motion (Puppet) Animation.
2+ Hours of on-demand videos
5 Assignments (PNG)
Bonus material
List of recommended resources
Certificate of Completion
Welcome ‘Introduction to Animation’! Meet your instructor, Disney legend and professional animator, Tom Bancroft, and get a glimpse of what’s in store for you in this course.
In this introductory espisode, you’ll learn the foundational animation concepts and terminology.
You will get a basic understanding of how animation works and how to think like an animator. Also, Tom teaches essential drawing principles that animators use, to get you started on the right foot.
List of Recommended Resources included
Extra Resource Guide included
Tom takes the ‘Big Three’, the most essential principles, from the ’12 Principles of Animation’ and breaks them down in a very simplified manner so you can start animating right away!
These three principles are really the essence of how to effectively move your character around and make their movements believable. Watch his fun examples and demos to really get these concepts.
Assignment included
2 Extra Resource Images included
This episode builds on the three foundational animation principles with additional concepts that are also important for smooth flow and creating interesting dynamics, eg: how body mechanics and movements work.
In the homework assignment, Tom carefully explains step-by-step how you can combine all these concepts effectively into one animation. It’s gonna be lots of fun!
Assignment included
Extra Resource Template included
In this episode, you will learn a few more principles from the ’12 Principles of Animation and get to experience Tom’s thought process first hand, as he explains how he plans out an animation.
You’ll also learn how to think like an animator, by stepping back, pondering your ideas and evaluating the mechanics of movement before putting pen to paper.
Assignment included
Extra Resource Thumbnail Plan included
Tom discusses some additional animation concepts in this final episode, which complement the major ones you learned previously. These concepts will help make your character’s movements smoother and more graceful.
Enjoy the last assignment, which brings together all the principles and techniques taught in this course. And remember to keep growing and learning more!
Assignment included
Extra Resources (Image and Guide) included
Course rating
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2 courses
Tom Bancroft has more than 25 years of experience in the animation industry, much of which was for Walt Disney Feature animation where he was an animator on four animated shorts and eight feature films of which Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King, Aladdin, Pocahontas, Mulan, and Brother Bear were part of the list. He has been nominated for Annie and Rueben division awards, spoken at the Kennedy Center, and awarded an entry into the Chicago Children’s Film Festival.
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21 Draw is an online learning community where students of all skill levels can learn how to be a better artist. Our contributing artists and instructors are the best in the world.
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Each class includes 10-20 video lessons that are 7 minutes long on average. Most classes include exercise sheets, assignments, and layered PSD or PNG files.
Some classes include the ability to chat with the instructor in a public forum, e.g. if you want feedback on your artwork.
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