Animation (2D & 3D)
About This Block
Students bring characters and objects to life through the principles of animation. This block covers both 2D and 3D animation techniques including timing, squash and stretch, movement, keyframing, walk cycles, and expressive character motion. Students produce a short animated scene as their final project.
Program Summary
Animation is the art of bringing things to life, and Block 6 teaches students the timeless principles that power every animated film, game, and interactive experience. This block covers both 2D and 3D animation, giving students a well-rounded understanding of movement, timing, and character performance.
Week 1 introduces the 12 principles of animation -- the foundational rules developed by Disney animators that still define quality animation today. Students learn timing, spacing, squash and stretch, anticipation, and follow-through. Week 2 focuses on 2D animation: frame-by-frame drawing, keyframes, in-betweens, and onion skinning for smooth motion. Week 3 transitions to 3D keyframing in Blender -- setting up armatures, working with the timeline and dope sheet, and using the graph editor for precise curve control.
Week 4 is dedicated to walk cycles -- one of the most fundamental and challenging animation exercises. Students break down contact, passing, and extreme poses to create natural walking and running motions. Week 5 explores expressive character animation: communicating emotion through pose, acting, facial expressions, and body language. The mini-project is a short animated scene featuring character performance, camera movement, and staging. This block directly prepares students for the character animation work in Blocks 7 and 8.
Mini-Project
Short animated scene
Class Schedule
- Monday & Wednesday: 2 hours per day
- Saturday: 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
- Optional Overflow Days (If Needed): Tuesday & Thursday
Maximum of 20 students per class for quality instruction
At the end of each 6-week block, students receive a Certificate of Completion recognizing the skills they have learned.
6-Week Curriculum
A structured, hands-on program from fundamentals to final project.
Week 1
Principles of Animation
- The 12 principles of animation overview
- Timing and spacing: creating the illusion of life
- Squash and stretch fundamentals
- Anticipation, follow-through, and overlapping action
- Practice: animate a bouncing ball with squash and stretch
Week 2
2D Animation Basics
- Introduction to frame-by-frame animation
- Drawing keyframes and in-between frames
- Working with onion skinning for smooth motion
- Simple character movements: waving, jumping, walking
- Practice: create a short 2D animation loop
Week 3
3D Keyframing in Blender
- Setting up an armature for character animation
- Adding keyframes for location, rotation, and scale
- Using the timeline and dope sheet for timing
- Understanding the graph editor for curve control
- Practice: animate a simple 3D object or character
Week 4
Walk Cycles & Character Motion
- Breaking down the walk cycle step by step
- Contact, passing, and extreme poses
- Creating a 3D walk cycle with proper timing
- Run cycles and variations in movement
- Project: complete a walk and run cycle animation
Week 5
Expressive Character Animation
- Communicating emotion through pose and timing
- Acting and performance in animation
- Facial expressions and body language
- Action sequences: jumping, fighting, and dancing
- Practice: animate a character performing an action
Week 6
Mini-Project: Short Animated Scene
- Planning and storyboarding the animated scene
- Animating characters with proper timing and emotion
- Adding camera movement and staging
- Rendering the final animated scene
- Certificate of Completion presentation