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How to become
2D Animator
Who are 2D Animators?
Fantastic characters that come to life and visionary scenarios that blossom, 2D Animators are the creative figures responsible for creating illustrated moving sequences. Their skills are indispensable for the creation of films, short films, TV series, commercials and any other animated audiovisual product. These professionals can be involved from the preliminary stages of character development to the more operational stages of project realization.
What do 2D Animators do?
As mentioned in the introduction, 2D Animators can take part in the creation of animated audiovisual projects from the very beginning. In this case, they collaborate with the creative team to build unique characters, which can be appreciated by the target audience. Equally useful are sketching and storyboard creation skills, to define the appearance and expressions of the characters, as well as the pivotal elements of the work. In the animation phase, characters and objects begin to move fluidly through a series of key drawings and in-betweens. Working closely with other members of the production team (directors, storyboard artists, character designers, and sound designers), animation is seamlessly integrated with other aspects of the project.
What skills should 2D Animators have?
Technical drawing skills and the ability to use software to animate images are the distinctive qualities of this professional. Nevertheless, a solid artistic background and creative aptitude cannot be lacking.
- Artistic skills: drawing and illustration ability; mastery of the principles of perspective, anatomy, and movement; knowledge of traditional animation techniques, such as key drawing and in-between.
- Software knowledge: ability to use specific programs such as Adobe Animate, Toon Boom Harmony, TVPaint, Adobe After Effects, Moho, Synfig Studio, CelAction2D, Dragonframe.
Other skills: creativity and imagination, ability to deal with technical and artistic challenges, ability to communicate and collaborate with other team members.
How to become 2D Animators?
As briefly illustrated in the previous paragraphs, the main skills for 2D Animators can only be learned through a specific training path. At NABA, the Three-year course in Cinema and Animation offers the opportunity to acquire the theoretical knowledge and practical skills that define this role. Just as example, the course includes the teaching of Digital Animation Techniques. Here, students start from traditional drawing and then tackle the many aspects of 2D digital animation on specific software.
