Acting in Traditional 2D animation Course 3
In this course, you’ll focus on character acting in 2D animation, learning how to bring emotion and personality into your work. You’ll develop expressive performances by studying references and analyzing character emotions then translating them into believable movement.
You’ll go beyond mechanics and learn how to create authentic, engaging performances that connect with the audience.
New students are required to submit animation samples for review before joining.
About the course
This course is designed to take you from strong animation fundamentals to creating expressive, believable character performances. You’ll focus on acting in animation by learning how to communicate emotion, intention, and personality through exaggerated movements.
You’ll develop your ability to analyze references, break down emotional states, and translate them into clear, readable animation. Special attention is given to subtle details such as facial expression, body language, and secondary motion to help your characters feel alive and relatable.
What you’ll achieve
▪Create expressive character performances with clear emotions.
▪Understand how to analyze and apply reference in animation.
▪Animate subtle acting details like facial expressions and body language.
▪Develop believable, engaging scenes that connect with the audience.
▪Build polished acting shots for your demo reel.
Instead of just theory, you’ll follow a structured, mentor-led step-by-step process used in real animation workflows. Each lesson includes practical assignments where you apply what you learn immediately and refine your work through feedback.
Each week you will meet with your mentor and peers in a group lesson review to critique you progress and gain inspiration from your fellow classmates. You will also get support from moderators and other students through an exclusive Discord channel on our main server. Where you can Ask questions, share your progress, and learn alongside others on the same path.
So you won't be learning alone!
Follow a structured 12-week progression:
▪ Start with head construction, rotation, and understanding facial movement
▪ Develop acting principles, emotion, and expressive character performance
▪ Move into color, environment, and storytelling through scenes
▪ Finish with polished acting shots and a complete demo reel
You’ll begin with foundational exercises focused on head rotation, structure, and how facial features move in space. From there, you’ll develop acting skills by studying emotion, timing, and subtle body language, learning how to create believable performances.
As you progress, you’ll explore color scripts and environment design to support storytelling, combining acting with staging and visual context. By the end, you’ll refine your work into polished acting scenes and assemble a demo reel that showcases expressive, character-driven animation.
After the course
By the end of the course, you’ll have created a series of polished acting shots that demonstrate your ability to animate emotion, personality, and performance.
You’ll have strong portfolio-ready work and the confidence to take on more advanced animation challenges, collaborate on projects, or continue developing toward professional-level character animation.
After the course
Once you've completed this course, you’ll have the skills to create expressive, portfolio-ready animation that brings characters to life. You’ll be ready to go beyond exercises and start developing your own stories and films in our Short Film Creation course series choosing between either: "Animation & Directing" or "Visual Development " courses.
The course is suitable if you:
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Continuing your growth as SERIOUS 2D animator
You want to grow your skills beyond being good to being GREAT. You’re serious about building a career in animation by mastering nuanced motion and want a clear, structured path instead of figuring everything out on your own. You’re looking for guidance from an experienced mentor to develop strong acting and performance skills.
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An Ambitious Indie Studio
You want to improve the quality of your skills to work better with your team’s animation output. Being able to produce stronger, more dynamic animation with better efficiency. . This course helps you develop stronger character performances, refine workflows, and bring more personality and storytelling into your projects.
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Graduate of Course 2: Body Mechanics
Your already fluent in applying the 12 basic principles of animation, such as archs, volume control, weight, timing, and character mechanics, but your animations lack emotion and personality. This course helps you move from action packed motion to suttle charater performances by creating expressive, believable acting and portfolio-ready scenes.
Сurriculum
Month 1: Emotion & Character Expression
4 lessons
- Head turn. Get acquainted with how to convey differnt types of emotion through head movement and facial direction.
- Head drawings. Improve structure and consistency when animating expressive faces.
- Wave principle. Apply overlapping motion to hair, clothing, and secondary elements.
- Character & environment interaction. Begin integrating characters into a scene with context.
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4 weeks (6+ hours per week for homework recommended)
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By the end of Month 1,You will understand how to express emotion through head movement, facial structure, and secondary motion, creating more believable and engaging characters.
Month 2: Acting, Reference & Scene Development
4 lessons
- Wind interaction. Animate how external forces affect character movement and mood.
- Acting fundamentals. Work with reference and sound to develop believable performances.
- Color script. Define mood and emotion through color and visual tone.
- Environment design. Create scenes that support character performance and storytelling.
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4 weeks (6+ hours per week for homework recommended)
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By the end of Month 2, You will begin creating a complex acting shot using reference, sound, and visual storytelling, combining performance with environment and mood.
Month 3: Performance & Portfolio Creation
4 lessons
- Acting performance. Develop a clear and expressive character action.
- Clean-up & drawing. Refine your animation with clarity and consistency through tightdown and drawing clean up.
- Breakdowns & polish. Add detail, timing, and subtle motion to enhance performance.
- Demo reel preparation. Select, refine, and present your best work.
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4 weeks (6+ hours per week for homework recommended)
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By the end of Month 3, You will have create a complex and high quality, emotion-filled acting shot and formalize your demoreel that showcases your ability to create expressive, character-based animation.
You will learn
Student
Reviews
«Traditional 2D animation. Course 3 — Acting» course
The course is definitely awesome!
Elina Kristalnaya
Graduate of the course traditional 2D animation
I have never experienced such freedom in creativity.
Harry Talkhin
Studied all courses in traditional 2D animation
The course really inspires you to new achievements!
Natalia Kendrali
Graduate of courses in traditional 2D animation
All tasks are interesting and very useful!
Nikolaeva Anastasia
Completed all courses in traditional 2D animation
Really loved the first course and it really helped me improve a ton!
How will the training go?
Immediately start learning how to communicate emotion through head turn movements and character design
Access recorded lectures and weekly homework assignments on the learning platform, so you can learn at your own pace while staying on track.
Each lesson is structured as a step-by-step process, , guiding you from analyzing emotion and reference to translating it into expressive movement, timing, and subtle acting choices by helping you build convincing character performances with clarity.
Join live online meetings your mentor and the peers to review your work, get detailed feedback, and improve faster.
All Feedback Sessions are recorded , so you can catch up anytime if you miss a week.
Plan for ~6 hours per week to complete lessons and assignments comfortably.
Follow a clear weekly roadmap, moving from basic expression and motion into nuanced acting, emotional beats, and fully developed performance-driven scenes.
Ask questions, share your work, and get feedback in an exclsuive Discord chat room shared with you, mentors, and other students to get inspired throughout the course.
Additional outside course activities , such as Sundays figure drawing lessons and Thrusdays film studies to help you improve your drawing skills.
You'll get lists of guides and rescourses to help you stay consistent, engage in feedback, manage your time, avoid common animation mistakes, and get the most out of the course.
Also there will be Monthly School-Wide Live Stream for additional FREE tips, tricks, and lessons from instructors, along with school updates.
Complete guided assignments that turn into finished animation pieces you can include in your portfolio.
At the end, you'll receive a personalized certificate and leave the course with completed work that shows your progress.
What software is needed for the course?
TVPaint
or any other animation software
Drawing tablet
for drawing
Zoom
for a weekly meeting with a mentor
Discord
to keep up with everything
Meet Your Course Mentor
Course author
EEdward Kurchevsky is a director and 2D animator with over 10 years of industry experience. He will guide you through the exact techniques and workflows used in a real animation production. He'll help you avoid common mistakes and improve faster through both recorded lessons and and live weekly feedback sessions to give you the best possible change to succeed in your animation journey.
Acting in Traditional 2D animation Course 3
Course fee
415€/month (excl. VAT)
Start
June 8, 2026
Spots left
8 spots
Frequently asked
questions
about the course
What to Expect from the AnimationClub School Courses?
In our courses, you’ll build both the knowledge and the confidence you need to succeed in animation. We’ll help you develop the skills that are essential for a professional career in the industry. By the end, you’ll have a demo reel that reflects your growth and showcases your abilities to potential employers.
How Are the Online Animation Lessons Structured?
It’s straightforward: it is a hybrid class with a mixture of recorded videos and live mentor feedback. First, we introduce you to the theory, then you get to put it into practice. Each online animation lesson is filled with video instructions, helpful visual examples, and assignments that you can work on at your own pace. You’ll have the freedom to take your time, but there is a deadline to recieve mentor feedback. So, remember to submit your work on time to get the thoughtful insights from your instructor during the live interactive mentor feedback classes. The course is designed to fit your life, so you can study from anywhere, using just your tablet or computer. Whatever your path, we’re here to help you grow and succeed, step by step.
What Time Do the Animation Classes Take Place?
The schedule will be shared with you a week before the animation class begins, but rest assured, classes are typically held no earlier than 17:00 UTC, most often on weekdays. Life can be busy, and if you can’t attend a class on a certain day, that’s okay. You’ll always have the option to watch the recording at your convenience, so you never have to miss out on the learning experience
If you're unsure whether your timezone is compatible for effective learning, please feel free to reach out to us on WhatsApp
At What Age is it Possible to Take Animation Club School Courses?
We generally accept students starting at age 16, as the course is intensive and requires a certain level of focus and understanding for completion. However, if you're passionate and dedicated, we’re open to considering students as young as 14 on an individual basis. We take into account your potential and the quality of your work, believing in your ability to rise to the challenge and succeed in the world of animation.
For anyone under the age of 18, please have your caregiver or guardian submit a portfolio on your behalf to AnimationClub.school@gmail.com or contact through WhatsApp for more information.
When Do You Need to Pay for the Animation Course? Is it Better to Pay in Advance or Wait Until the Start Day?
To secure your place in the online animation course, simply pay for the first month or the entire course upfront. Because we limit the number of students in each group, it’s important to act quickly, especially as the start of the course approaches—there are usually only a few spots left as enrollment closes early due to high demand.
We also encourage you to make your payment in advance, giving you peace of mind and allowing enough time for processing. This way, you can focus on the exciting journey ahead without any last-minute stress.
I Paid for an Animation Course, What Should I Do Next?
A week before the animation course begins, you’ll be invited to the study group, where you'll find all the essential information about the learning process. The course materials on the training platform will become available on the first day of the course. All the links will be sent to your specified email, but sometimes they can end up in your 'spam' or 'promotions' folder. We recommend checking those just in case, so you don’t miss anything important. If you have not received your starting instructions by then please reach out to use. We’re here to ensure you have everything you need to start strong!
What Should I Install and Prepare Before Starting Our Animation Course?
A week before your training begins, you'll receive emails with all the preparation details. The first step is to install Discord, where your study group will be waiting for you. Your supervisor or teacher, who will add you to the group ahead of time, will guide you through the training programs and what to expect.
To make the most of your classes, you’ll need a computer or laptop, a headset, and a webcam (the webcam is optional but recommended). Classes will take place on Zoom, so be sure to install Zoom before your classes start to make it easier to attend classes on time.
When it comes to animation software, TVPaint are industry standards, used by most professional studios. Becoming familiar with these tools will definitely give you an edge if you’re serious about breaking into the animation world. However, don’t worry if they’re out of your budget right now! You can still get started with accessible programs like Rough Animator or OpenToonz. These are fantastic tools that provide everything you need to dive into our courses. As long as you can export your work as MP4 or Image Sequence files, you’ll be able to get valuable feedback on your progress.
And when it comes to drawing in these programs, a tablet is far more effective than a mouse. There are plenty of great options available from trusted brands like Wacom, Huion, and XP-Pen. Any of these will work perfectly with the software we use, setting you up for success in your animation journey.
Why Is Your Animation Courses More Effective Than Self-Study?
Well, we’ve gathered everything you need to learn animation in one place, so you don’t have to spend time searching for lessons or resources else where. Giving you the structure to create amazing animation while still being able to use your creativity. You’ll have a clear path ahead of you, every step of the way. And most importantly, you’re never alone. If you have questions or run into challenges, you can always reach out to the instructor for professional guidance. We’re here to help you, support you, and make sure you’re never stuck.
Our course is thoughtfully structured to guide you, from the basics to the more complex animations, so you can move forward with confidence—without feeling overwhelmed or confused.
What Makes Our School Stand Out Compared to Traditional Animation Universities, Schooling, or Programs?
Our courses are led by industry professionals who know exactly what today’s animation world demands. We equip you with practical skills that let you start animating from the very first lesson. Forget spending years on theory—our approach helps you gain hands-on experience right away. With a flexible schedule, you learn at your own pace, fitting your studies into your life. It’s all about making your animation dreams a reality on your terms.
Will I receive a certificate upon completion of Animation Courses?
Upon successfully completing all Animation course requirements, you'll receive an electronic certificate to celebrate your achievement. While this certificate is not a state certified diploma, we place greater value on the portfolio work you’ll build throughout the courses. In the animation industry, your portfolio is your most powerful tool, showcasing your skills and creativity in a way that truly speaks to your potential.