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    • Animation

    Animation Courses Online

    Learn animation techniques for creating engaging visual content. Understand principles like timing, spacing, and movement in animation.

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    Explore the Animation Course Catalog

    • C

      California Institute of the Arts

      Game Design: Art and Concepts

      Skills you'll gain: Prototyping, Conceptual Design, Storytelling, Software Design Documents, Ideation, Visualization (Computer Graphics), Design, Virtual Environment, Technical Design, Computer Graphics, Storyboarding, Usability Testing, User Story, Graphic and Visual Design, Multimedia, Mockups, Content Creation, Aesthetics, Design Research, Experience Design

      4.7
      Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
      ·
      4.1K reviews

      Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months

    • U

      University of Colorado Boulder

      The Art of Visual Storytelling

      Skills you'll gain: Post-Production, Storyboarding, Storytelling, Media Production, Adobe Creative Cloud, Editing, Content Creation, Writing and Editing, Proposal Development, Data Import/Export, Writing, Graphic and Visual Design, Multimedia, Scripting, Creativity, Timelines, Aesthetics, File Management, Quality Assurance

      4.6
      Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
      ·
      101 reviews

      Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months

    • M

      Michigan State University

      Pixel Art for Video Games

      Skills you'll gain: Storyboarding, Color Theory, Adobe Photoshop, Computer Graphics, Graphic and Visual Design, Design Elements And Principles, Design, Virtual Environment, Creativity

      4.5
      Rating, 4.5 out of 5 stars
      ·
      259 reviews

      Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months

    • U

      University of California, Davis

      Animation with JavaScript and jQuery

      Skills you'll gain: jQuery, Javascript and jQuery, Scripting, JavaScript Frameworks, HTML and CSS, Javascript, Web Development Tools, User Interface (UI), Interactive Design

      4.8
      Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
      ·
      124 reviews

      Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks

    • Status: Free
      Free
      N

      National Taiwan University

      3D CAD Fundamental

      Skills you'll gain: 3D Modeling, SketchUp (3D Modeling Software), Software Installation, Visualization (Computer Graphics), Computer Graphic Techniques, Graphical Tools, Color Matching

      4.6
      Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
      ·
      647 reviews

      Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months

    • U

      University of Michigan

      Introduction to 3D Modeling

      Skills you'll gain: 3D Modeling, Visualization (Computer Graphics), Computer-Aided Design, Design, Graphic and Visual Design, Architectural Design

      4.1
      Rating, 4.1 out of 5 stars
      ·
      37 reviews

      Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks

    • Status: New
      New
      A

      Adobe

      Multimedia Content Creation

      Skills you'll gain: Multimedia, Content Creation, Storyboarding, Design, Media Production, Graphic and Visual Design, Adobe Creative Cloud, Web Content, Infographics, Storytelling, Editing, Creativity

      4.7
      Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
      ·
      47 reviews

      Mixed · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks

    • Status: New
      New
      U

      University of Colorado Boulder

      The Evolution of Video Editing Techniques

      Skills you'll gain: Post-Production, Storyboarding, Editing, Storytelling, Writing and Editing, Media Production, Multimedia, Timelines, Typography

      Beginner · Specialization · 1 - 3 Months

    • M

      Michigan State University

      Low Poly Art For Video Games

      Skills you'll gain: 3D Modeling, Color Theory, Visualization (Computer Graphics), Computer Graphics, Design Elements And Principles, Graphic and Visual Design, Virtual Environment, Adobe Photoshop, Aesthetics

      4.3
      Rating, 4.3 out of 5 stars
      ·
      66 reviews

      Intermediate · Course · 1 - 3 Months

    • Status: Free
      Free
      C

      Coursera Project Network

      Use Animations and Transitions in PowerPoint 365

      Skills you'll gain: Microsoft PowerPoint, Presentations

      4.5
      Rating, 4.5 out of 5 stars
      ·
      37 reviews

      Intermediate · Guided Project · Less Than 2 Hours

    • Status: New
      New
      A

      Adobe

      Graphic Design

      Skills you'll gain: Adobe Illustrator, Color Theory, Typography, Graphic and Visual Design, Graphic Design, Graphic and Visual Design Software, Design, Adobe Creative Cloud, Design Elements And Principles, Creative Design, Logo Design, Digital Design, Creativity

      4.6
      Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
      ·
      46 reviews

      Mixed · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks

    • Status: Free
      Free
      C

      Coursera Project Network

      Create a Storyboard using Canva

      Skills you'll gain: Storyboarding, Storytelling, Canva (Software), Content Creation, Graphic Design, Writing

      4.6
      Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
      ·
      198 reviews

      Intermediate · Guided Project · Less Than 2 Hours

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    In summary, here are 10 of our most popular animation courses

    • Game Design: Art and Concepts: California Institute of the Arts
    • The Art of Visual Storytelling: University of Colorado Boulder
    • Pixel Art for Video Games: Michigan State University
    • Animation with JavaScript and jQuery: University of California, Davis
    • 3D CAD Fundamental: National Taiwan University
    • Introduction to 3D Modeling: University of Michigan
    • Multimedia Content Creation: Adobe
    • The Evolution of Video Editing Techniques: University of Colorado Boulder
    • Low Poly Art For Video Games: Michigan State University
    • Use Animations and Transitions in PowerPoint 365: Coursera Project Network

    Frequently Asked Questions about Animation

    Knowing why you want to learn animation, be it for film, games, or personal projects, will keep you motivated. Regular practice with animation software is crucial. Join online communities like the Animation subreddits or local groups for feedback and support. Work on real projects such as creating short animations. Coursera offers the course Interactive Computer Graphics by University of Tokyo, which can help you get started with animation.‎

    The skills and experience you may need to have already before studying animation include having a creative mind with the ability to pay attention to the smallest details, some drawing or other artistic ability, and feeling comfortable working on a computer. Having a familiarity with computer graphics software and computer programming may also help you learn animation as well as learning how to create animated 3D movies. If you have some basic graphic design skills, they'll also be helpful. Another set of skills you may want to have to learn animation is the knowledge of color theory so you can understand the use of colors to express and communicate various emotions or feelings.‎

    The kind of person best suited to learn animation is someone who may want to become a game developer artist, an animator, or visual effects artist for a variety of media including film or television, or a digital or graphics designer for the internet. Someone who may do well learning animation might also be able to work both independently and on a team. Often animators must work with a team of other animators or creative colleagues on projects. Someone learning animation will need to be able to handle feedback from directors, other animator team members, game designers, and clients and then edit their work to comply with those requests. Another characteristic of someone who may be well suited to learn animation is patience. That’s because creating animation is a labor-intensive process in order to capture the details that go into each character and setting frame to frame.‎

    Learning animation may be right for you if you feel compelled to express your creativity using computer programs to create illustrations used on various media or platforms. It may be right for you if you want to learn how to design and develop game worlds and gameplay for video games, from concept to presentation. Studying animation is also a good idea if you plan to enter the virtual reality field where interactive animation and character animation and design are important to know. Studying animation may be beneficial for you to learn if you plan to become a 3D artist working on various platforms that require certification, such as Unity.‎

    Yes, Coursera offers a variety of free courses across many topics, including animation. While you can access most course materials for free by auditing the courses, this does not include graded assignments or a completion certificate. For those looking to obtain a certificate to showcase their learning or enhance their professional profile, Coursera provides the option to purchase the course. Additionally, Coursera offers free trials or financial aid to learners who qualify, making certifications more accessible to everyone.‎

    This FAQ content has been made available for informational purposes only. Learners are advised to conduct additional research to ensure that courses and other credentials pursued meet their personal, professional, and financial goals.

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