School of Animation & Visual Effects

BFA Program Learning Outcomes

It is the objective of the School of Animation and Visual Effects to provide students with the skills needed to succeed in the field of Animation.

Students attain strong traditional skills and storytelling abilities that can then be applied to digital technology. By advisement of the department directors, the student is guided to take animation college classes focusing on one of the main areas of the Industry which includes: Visual Effects, 3D Modeling, Character Animation, Storyboarding, Visual Development, and 2D Layout and Background Painting. Emphasis is placed on creating a professional quality demo reel and/or portfolio following industry standards. Upon graduation the student is ready to enter the workforce in a number of positions.

BFA graduates of the School of Animation & Visual Effects will meet the following student performance criteria:

• Illustration/Artistic Rendering Skills

  • Visually translate organic and architectural forms from 3- to 2-dimensions, using direct observation and visual research
  • Modeling Specialty: Create technically accurate paraline and orthographic schematics and mechanical drawings for use as modeling guides
  • Storyboarding/Animation/Visual Development Specialty: Draw convincing character designs, poses, expressions that incorporate and demonstrate a understanding of anatomy, drapery, proportion, figure, and animals
  • Storyboarding/ Visual Development /Layout/ Background Painting Specialty: Effectively use a variety of media (graphite, charcoal, watercolor, pastel, acrylic, and digital etc.)

• Design Skills

  • Develop effective compositions through appropriate aesthetic choices of: color, value, interest, balance, repetition, proximity, contrast, depth and staging
  • Layout Specialty: Create credible environments for animated characters as required for each scene
  • Layout/ Background Painting Specialty: Consistent with the overall look of the film, art direct a scene using either appropriate value and design or color elements to help tell the story

• Modeling & Fabrication Skills

  • Model with appropriate use of form, proportion, weight, anatomy, gesture, and facial expressions
  • Create and apply textures consistent with the overall look of the project
  • Modeling Specialty: Effectively create hard surface and organic models, demonstrating an understanding of architecture, sculpture and ��corch��
  • Modeling Specialty: Create and refine accurate, efficient and frugal topology and detail modeling
  • Modeling Specialty: Effectively use polygons, NURBS, subdivision surfaces, UVs and textures

• Animation Skills

  • Apply principles of animation
  • Convey motion (biped and quadruped) and interaction of moving objects, demonstrating an understanding of weight and physics
  • Incorporate direct observation and research to create effective and appropriate animated movement, gesture and expression, demonstrating an understanding of acting and human emotion

• Technical Skills

  • Demonstrate facility and flexibility with animation technology, software and interface
  • Appropriately use digital input and output formats, resolutions, aspect ratios and compression
  • Modeling /Rigging TD Specialty: Create efficient and effective Rigs for animation needs
  • Stop Motion/Fabrication Specialty: Demonstrate facility, flexibility with fabrication tools and materials
  • VFX TD Specialty: Create effective and appropriate scripts for animation and VFX production and pipeline tools, demonstrating an understanding of UNIX and scripting
  • VFX TD Specialty: Design and generate digital elements and effects that meet the needs of the imagery and/or effectively emulate/aesthetically enhance analog physics
  • VFX TD Specialty: Combine digital effects and elements from different sources with live action media to a fine degree of visual believability and consistency

• Cinematography Skills

  • Demonstrate an understanding of camera mechanics and optics through effective choice of focal length, depth of field, and aspect ratio
  • Effectively design and place lighting and shadows, demonstrating an understanding of dramatic and pictorial lighting
  • Effectively create shots and apply editing and compositing in demo reels, animatics, and/or short films
  • Storyboarding/Animation Specialty: Develop visual stories that demonstrate an understanding of what is entertaining for an audience in comedic or dramatic situations
  • Storyboarding/Animation/Visual Development Specialty: Stage stories effectively, incorporating story and compositional elements, set design, screen direction and line management

• Professional Readiness

  • Clearly express creative thought processes, concepts and strategies using appropriate and effective industry-standard vocabulary
  • Assemble professional demo reels and portfolios that demonstrate an understanding of the target market
  • Execute projects that demonstrate attention to: client parameters, research, analytical thinking, detail, flexibility in problem-solving, and revision

Academy of Art University Learning Outcomes

Graduates of the Academy of Art University will demonstrate the ability to:

1. Produce a body of work suitable for seeking professional opportunities in their chosen field of art and design.
2. Solve creative problems within their field of art and design, including research and synthesis of technical, aesthetic, and conceptual knowledge.
3. Communicate their ideas professionally and connect with their intended audience using visual, oral, and written presentation skills relevant to their field.
4. Execute technical, aesthetic, and conceptual decisions based on an understanding of art and design principles.
5. Evaluate work in their field, including their own work, using professional terminology.
6. Recognize the influence of major cultural and aesthetic trends, both historical and contemporary, on art and design products.
7. Learn the professional skills and behaviors necessary to compete in the global marketplace for art and design.

Campus Tour

If you're interested in signing up for one of the Academy of Art University's campus tours, please click here for more information.

You're Invited

Click here to view upcoming Academy events.