Course Duration
6 Weeks (6 x 2hrs)
Program Delivery
Online
Character Design for Animation, Games & Comics
Online Micro-Credential Certificate
Ever wondered how famous characters like Homer Simpson or Batman are created? Want to learn what makes a character stand out in a compelling narrative? In this 6-week course, you will discover how to design effective characters for animated stories, comics & video games and analyze & distill what makes a character memorable. From shape to clothing to turnarounds, character designers consider every detail of how a character becomes an integral part of a story.
You’ll learn from an industry veteran all about the character design pipeline, from concept to research to actual design. By the end of this course, you will have designed a character that may be used as part of your portfolio to apply for the 2D Animation and Digital Art program
Learning Outcomes – Participants Will:
- Identify what makes a character stand out and be memorable
- Learn how design choices are made to enhance a character’s effectiveness
- Create and organize character sheets – an important piece of the puzzle
- Understand how character design supports story and medium
- Learn how to draw with structure and shape
- How to receive, give and implement constructive feedback
- Create stories for your character and design a basic character to use as part of your portfolio
Requirements:
- Computer with dual monitors (recommended), microphone, and camera
- Stable Internet connection (wired connection recommended)
- Sketchbook and sketching materials (pencil, eraser)
- Digital drawing tablet/Cintiq/iPad (i.e., some sort of drawing tablet)
- Adobe Photoshop or drawing program of your choice (Procreate, IbisPaint, Infinite Painter, ClipStudio Paint, PaintTool SAI, etc.
Prerequisites:
- Some experience with character drawing OR knowledge of human anatomy relating to design.
- Must be 16 years of age, or older.
Course Details:
- Dates: Tuesdays, July 7th - August 11th
- Instructor: Neil Hooson
- Delivery: Online
- Duration: 12 hours in total. 6 x 2-hour classes. One class per week
- Time: 5:30pm-7:30pm PST
- Cost: $400.00
Your Instructor:
Neil Hooson
Neil is an Art Director and Character Designer with 15 years of experience across games and broadcast animation, including work on Pete the Cat (Amazon Prime), Avatar Generations, Iron Maiden: Legacy of the Beast, LEGO Friends, and Disney's Club Penguin. He has led art teams at studios ranging from Disney Interactive to independent mobile developers, created original characters within major licensed franchises, and co-created three published children's book series with Macmillan and Penguin Random House. At the heart of it all is a love for creating worlds and characters that people connect with.
Our Grads Power the
Arts & Tech Economy
CAT’s creative and technical programs are directly connected to a creative sector that makes a $6 Billion contribution to the British Columbia economy every year. Graduates from our 2D and 3D animation, filmmaking, graphic design, audio engineering and other programs are among the over 120,000 skilled arts and tech workers employed provincially in this vibrant, constantly growing ‘creative economy’. Over the years, hundreds of CAT animation graduates have made their mark on the industry, contributing their skills and creativity to numerous award-winning projects. Industry accolades include five Oscar-winning works and over 40 movies, TV shows and games that have garnered Emmys, BAFTAs, and Game Awards including Game of Thrones, Fortnite and Spider-Man: No Way Home just to name a few!