Program: Art, Art History & Design – University of Iowa
Software Used: Adobe Animate, Premiere Pro, Audition

Course Description

As a visiting instructor, I retooled ANIM 2125 to de-emphasize software-driven workflows and instead focus on technique and process. The class was structured into two concurrent units—Drawing for Animation and Animation Basics—with dovetailed assignments that allowed students to build both draftsmanship and motion fluency throughout the semester.

Drawing for Animation

Before students could animate, they needed a clear definition of what drawing for animation means and how to develop that skill. To this end, I introduced the Andrew Loomis construction method, which trains students to build characters from simple shapes, providing repeatable accuracy in character drawing and performance.

Assignments included weekly “time-boxed” drawing sessions based on hour-long training videos I constructed. Each Loomis drawing appeared on screen for a random duration of 1–4 minutes, intentionally keeping students uncertain about timing. The exercise encouraged bold, confident mark-making under pressure, reinforced repetition, and developed the consistency essential for animation. Students captured as much of each drawing as possible in their sketchbooks, strengthening their sense of form and gesture.

Animation Basics

Building on drawing fluency, the second unit focused on the 12 Principles of Animation, using Richard Williams’ The Animator’s Survival Kit as a guide. Principles explored included:

  • Solid Drawing
  • Timing
  • Slow In / Slow Out
  • Arcs
  • Squash and Stretch
  • Anticipation
  • Overshoots and Settles

In addition, students were introduced to lip-sync fundamentals and animation cycles through walk, run, and jump exercises. Each principle was reinforced with lab demonstrations, followed by targeted assignments.

The semester culminated in a 6-second final project, where students conceptualized, pitched, designed, storyboarded, and produced a short animated film. They learned to cut animatics, refine timing, and animate with full scene continuity—mirroring professional animation workflows at an approachable scale.

Student Showcase - Final Projects (Fall 2019 & Spring 2020)

Credits

  • Lorelei — Sabrina Claman
  • The Wizard’s Apprentice — Carmen Finn
  • Mari Rodriguez
  • Jordan Haessler
  • Leah Sloan

Student Showcase - Assignment Compilations (Fall 2019 & Spring 2020)

In addition to learning animation fundamentals, students maintained a sketchbook of master studies from Andrew Loomis’ Drawing the Head and Hands and studied core principles from Richard Williams’ The Animator’s Survival Kit.

All animations were created in Adobe Animate, with complex projects incorporating Adobe Premiere Pro and Adobe Audition for editing and sound design.

This collection highlights the creativity, timing, and technical growth achieved by the students of ANIM 2125 over the course of the semester.

Closing Note

Well done, Hawks.

Course: ANIM2125 – Introduction to Animation
Program: Art, Art History & Design, University of Iowa
Software Used: Adobe Animate, Premiere Pro, Audition

Credits
Music: A Slippery Slope – Everet Almond