What’s Inside the Course
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01. Introduction
Goal: Kickstart your learning journey with a clear overview of the course structure and what you'll achieve.
Outcome: Understand how the course is structured and what skills and outputs to expect from each stage.
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02. Animation Principles
Goal: Grasp the foundational 12 principles of animation and develop the vocabulary to discuss and evaluate animated movement.
Outcome: Ability to identify, describe, and apply core principles like Timing, Squash & Stretch, and Arcs in basic animation.
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03. Blender Overview
Goal: Get introduced to Blender’s interface, tools, and the animation pipeline.
Outcome: Navigate Blender with confidence and understand its core tools and animation workflow.
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04. The Bouncing Ball
Goal: Apply fundamental animation principles through a basic bouncing ball exercise.
Outcome: Create your first animated shot using Timing, Spacing, and Squash & Stretch.
Includes an assignment
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05. 3 Bouncing Balls
Goal: Expand on the previous exercise with three distinct objects to explore physical properties and Arcs.
Outcome: Animate three balls that demonstrate differing weight and motion styles.
Includes an assignment
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06. Forward Kinematics
Goal: Learn to animate using Forward Kinematics with a basic character rig.
Outcome: Animate a simple character demonstrating mechanical movement using FK.
Includes an assignment
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07. Inverse Kinematics
Goal: Learn how Inverse Kinematics differs from FK, and apply it to the same rig.
Outcome: Create a second animation showing control of the rig through IK principles.
Includes an assignment
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08. Basic Body Mechanics
Goal: Transition to a human rig and apply animation principles to body motion and weight.
Outcome: Produce an animation that communicates believable human motion and weight distribution.
Includes an assignment
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09. The Walk Cycle
Goal: Learn the classic looped walk cycle using a humanoid rig.
Outcome: Create a clean, repeating walk animation that demonstrates rhythm and balance.
Includes an assignment
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10. The Run Cycle
Goal: Build on the walk cycle by adding intensity and speed through a run cycle.
Outcome: Animate a dynamic run loop with clear poses and timing.
Includes an assignment
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11. Advanced Body Mechanics
Goal: Animate with greater energy and complexity, using principles like Anticipation, Overlap, and Follow-through.
Outcome: Create a physical, expressive animation that demonstrates dynamic movement and nuanced control.
Includes an assignment
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12. Hierarchies & Constraints
Goal: Learn how to organise and control object relationships with parenting and constraints.
Outcome: Apply structured rig setups in animation scenarios that require control linking.
Includes an assignment
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13. Pantomime & Performance
Goal: Explore non-verbal acting in animation to convey emotion and personality.
Outcome: Animate a character using body language and posing to communicate narrative or emotional beats.
Includes an assignment
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14. Dialogue & Lip Sync
Goal: Synchronise animation with dialogue to enhance character performance.
Outcome: Create a short lip-sync shot that combines voice, timing, and gesture for convincing performance.
Includes an assignment
When you finish, you receive a certificate of completion.