Which Way is Better to Study Animation?
Starting a career in animation can seem daunting, especially when choosing between structured courses and self-study. For those just beginning, it’s essential to consider how each learning path shapes your growth and development. Self-study might appear appealing with its flexibility, yet achieving consistent progress without guided structure can be challenging. Animation courses with mentorship offer a more focused, efficient route, providing personalized feedback that accelerates your learning and keeps you on track. Here, we’ll explore why Animation Club School’s course framework, hands-on feedback, and vibrant student environment make it an ideal choice for building both skills and a standout portfolio.
Courses or self-study?
For a successful start in animation, it is important to recognize that self-study requires high motivation and systematic learning. Free materials, YouTube videos, or courses can provide basic knowledge. However, if you are not practicing animation regularly, progress will be slow, and your skills will not improve as quickly as they could in a structured environment with a mentor.
The advantage of courses with mentors is that they help you avoid mistakes and speed up the learning process. Mentors, with their experience, can instantly identify your weaknesses and provide valuable advice, which saves you time and effort. Completing assignments on your own doesn’t always allow you to realize what you’re doing wrong, whereas a mentor will immediately point out mistakes and suggest how to correct them.
Courses with feedback are a kind of «gas pedal» for your learning. You don’t have to spend months correcting your own mistakes when an experienced mentor can guide you in the right direction right away. Interacting with industry professionals boosts your confidence in your skills, as you learn from those who work on real projects and know what is required in practice.
If you are just starting out and plan to take your first course, take your time. For those beginning their journey in animation, it’s important to relax and enjoy the learning process. Over time, as you work on complex dynamic scenes and effects, you may find yourself nostalgically reminiscing about the times you practiced the simplest exercises, like bouncing a ball. So enjoy every step of the way – it’s a valuable experience.
University or online courses?
As for whether you should choose a university for animation or focus on online learning, a lot depends on your goals. Online courses can be more effective because they allow you to focus on the specific skills you need to work in the industry. While universities often offer a wide range of disciplines, online courses can be more specialized and tailored to your needs.
For example, many online schools offer high-quality education, and our courses are no exception. We pride ourselves on the caliber of our students; their work is regularly updated, and they demonstrate a high level of professionalism that aligns with industry requirements. Students who have completed our courses are often better prepared for real work than graduates from renowned European universities.
It is important to note that success in your studies and career depends on you. Whether you choose a university or an online course, your progress will depend on how much time and effort you are willing to invest in your studies. Online courses can be more flexible and allow you to study at your convenience, especially if you have additional commitments, such as work.
Ideally, if you can dedicate all of your time to learning and practicing, you will be able to achieve outstanding results and build a portfolio that will attract the attention of studios. However, even with a part-time job, courses can help you move forward if you are willing to work on yourself. Ultimately, your success will depend on how much effort you put in.
Flexibility in the learning process
Going back to the flexibility of the courses, they allow you to combine your studies with other work. Each student submits their work once a week, and if you can’t attend a live feedback session, you can always watch a recording. However, it’s important to note that attending these meetings gives you more opportunities to grow, as you not only receive advice on your work but also learn from other students’ mistakes. This helps you understand animation principles better and avoid making the same mistakes in the future.
It is also worth emphasizing that our courses include not only practical exercises but also consistent work on your overall artistic level. If your drawing skills need improvement, it is recommended that you devote at least an hour a day to studying anatomy and sketching. Our active student environment will support you in this, including regular drawing sessions on Discord, where students can develop their skills together.
In this way, online courses provide you with the flexibility and opportunity to study at your convenience without sacrificing the quality of your education. You can combine work with learning while still receiving the support and feedback you need to develop yourself.
The importance of feedback
Of course, it’s best to attend the course live, ask questions, and observe the mistakes of your fellow students, as this is also an important part of learning. When you see others’ mistakes and hear your mentor’s comments, you learn faster. This is one of the main advantages of online courses. In offline schools like Gobelins, there is often not enough time to go through each student’s work in detail; sometimes we had to wait a whole day to receive feedback. In online courses, our feedback sessions last a maximum of three hours, and you can see a breakdown of all students’ work, which speeds up the learning process.
Listening to comments on other students’ work is like a «passive experience» in a video game: you gain knowledge by watching others’ mistakes and successes. This helps you «level up» and reach new levels of understanding. At some point, something «clicks», and you realize how to do the right thing. This «moment of insight» often comes precisely because you learn from other people’s mistakes, not just your own.
Portfolio
The whole course is aimed at helping you create your demo reel, which will include your best work from the course. If you have your own projects, you can showcase them during the special After Class sessions that take place three times a year. There, you can receive additional advice on how to improve your portfolio. During this period, the number of meetings increases to twice a week, allowing you to progress and enhance your work more quickly.
What’s particularly valuable about these sessions is their intensity. Unlike the usual weekly meetings, in After Class, you meet with your mentor twice a week, which significantly speeds up your work on projects and provides more detailed advice.
So not only do our courses help you master animation, but they also give you real support in building a portfolio that meets industry requirements.
A word of advice from Edward
Remember, what matters most is the constant effort you put into the learning process. Even if you spend a lot of time on one task, without analyzing mistakes and studying feedback from other students, progress can be slow. It’s important not to stop and to keep working, analyzing, and implementing what you’ve learned. Eventually, no matter when, you are bound to achieve outstanding results.
