Program: Animation for Television, Film and New Media – Southeastern Community College
Credits: 3 (Lecture: 2 hrs; Lab: 1 hr)
Co-requisite: ANI 110 (Introduction to 3D) and ANI 120 (Introduction to Animation)

Course Description

ANI 100 introduces students to the artistic fundamentals necessary for success in animation. The course develops skills in form, design, perspective, value, composition, and color, while emphasizing drawing as the cornerstone of character and environment creation. Students gain structured practice in traditional drawing techniques that directly support their future work in animation and visual storytelling.

This class builds upon the Drawing for Animation structure previously taught in ANIM 2125 at the University of Iowa, expanding the curriculum to incorporate Betty Edwards’ Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain. Widely recognized and famously taught to all Pixar employees, Edwards’ philosophy teaches students to see better in order to draw better. Through her forty workbook assignments, students refine perception, shed reliance on symbolic shorthand, and strengthen their ability to capture the world with accuracy and confidence.

Alongside perceptual training, students are introduced to the Andrew Loomis construction method, which provides a structured framework for building characters from core shapes. When combined with Edwards’ perceptual development, students gain the dual ability to both observe reality clearly and translate it into structured forms.

Once these fundamentals are in place, the course turns toward symbol systems—understanding when they hinder realistic drawing and when they become essential for character design and animation. Students learn to distinguish between technical quality (a design that aids in the accurate replication) and aesthetic quality (a design that is easily identifiable, appealing and/or stylized design). This prepares students to move fluidly between realism and stylization, a core skill for animation, comics, and visual storytelling.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

  • Demonstrate improved perception and drawing accuracy using techniques from Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain.
  • Apply the Loomis method of construction to create consistent, repeatable character drawings.
  • Differentiate between observational drawing, symbolic drawing, and intentional design choices.
  • Analyze and evaluate both technical and aesthetic aspects of character design.
  • Produce character and environmental drawings that provide a solid foundation for animation workflows.

Courses: ANI-100 – Artistic Foundation for Animation
Program: Animation for Television, Film and New Media, Southeastern Community College
Software Used: Adobe Animate
Students Showcased: Kali Denz, Logan Holt, Amber Jenkins, Ashton Lahvic, Hannah Parrott, Trinity Phosy, Brayden Nordyke
Music: Heads Up – 126ers