Undergraduate Course: Animation 2A: Character (DESI08155)
Course Outline
| School | Edinburgh College of Art |
College | College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 8 (Year 2 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Not available to visiting students |
| SCQF Credits | 40 |
ECTS Credits | 20 |
| Summary | This course will serve as a primer in key animation principles, production methods and techniques. The course provides fundamental technical and conceptual knowledge and understanding that is vital for sustained practice as an animator. |
| Course description |
The course will cover:
1) Historical and contemporary precedents in material-based and virtualised animation methods;
2) Technical workshops in 2D and 3D physical and digital animation techniques;
3) Comparative analysis and practical synthesis and hybridisation of different production methods;
4) Analysis of movement and performance;
5) Training in relevant compositing, sound recording and editing techniques;
6) Production scheduling and management.
This course will comprise multiple projects, usually, but not exclusively, three, students will receive verbal feedback during each project, but they will receive written feedback upon a portfolio submission of all available projects in a formative assessment that takes place in the middle of the semester, and a final portfolio submission for summative assessment at the end of the semester.
Illustrative examples of possible projects include (but are not limited to): the study of a set of animation principles and their application through mirrored physical and digital workflows. This could consist of an exploration of the basic animation requirement for a simulation of human movement, a walk cycle. The creation of a convincing walk through the use of physical puppets, their attendant armatures, and the use of an actual camera, and its development through a disembodied mirror of this method, through the use of CGI models and their associated rigs, using virtualised cameras.
Development of projects, and evaluation of production method and personal performance with them, will be documented via a continuous online design journal.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
|
Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
| Additional Costs | No additional costs to students beyond basic animation materials. Students will be required to provide:
Drawing and painting materials (pens, pencils, crayons, charcoal, markers, paper, sketch pads for example.)
Sculpting materials (wire, modelling clay, balsa wood for example.)
Animation supplies (Peg bar, animation paper and cels for example.)
The list above is an example, and is by no means exhaustive. |
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2026/27, Not available to visiting students (SS1)
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Quota: 0 |
| Course Start |
Semester 1 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
400
(
Lecture Hours 4,
Seminar/Tutorial Hours 15,
Supervised Practical/Workshop/Studio Hours 51,
Feedback/Feedforward Hours 6,
Formative Assessment Hours 1,
Summative Assessment Hours 1,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 8,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
314 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
|
| Additional Information (Assessment) |
SUMMATIVE Assessment
Portfolio (100%) submitted at the end of the course and evidencing all Learning Outcomes.
Learning Outcomes are weighted as:
LO1 40%
LO2 40%
LO3 20%
All Learning Outcomes must be passed to pass the course.
SUMMATIVE Assessment details
Portfolio, consisting of a folio of filmmaking and animation tests as well as accompanying research journal and critical reflection, should include:
- A research journal showing research that has led to the development of the films submitted and documentation of method and progress. Physical work is acceptable but should be digitised for online presentation and submission. Journal should include contextualisation annotation and reflective commentary on your work.
- Life drawing and sketchbook also to be included in the research journal.
- Animation film work, folio of development work such as animatics, and final version of the films created. Approximate duration of animation should be no less than 1 minute.
Resit Information
The resubmission assessment is the same as the original submission for this course. |
| Feedback |
FORMATIVE
Formative feedback will be offered throughout the course and in a variety of formats, including written and/or orally at formative submission point(s), tutorials, and other activities.
SUMMATIVE
Final course grades and written feedback will be provided at the end of the course. |
| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Research and plan using a range of pre-production methods appropriate to the project briefs set.
- Develop and use of a range of physical and digital methods appropriate to animation production.
- Independently manage time across multiple film projects and their associated production methods (including pre and post production)
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Reading List
Purves, B. Basics Animation 04 Stop Motion, AVA Publishing (2010)
Pikkov, U. Animasophy, Estonian Academy of Arts (2010)
Palamar, T. Mastering Maya 2016, Autodesk Official Press (2015)
Adobe Creative Team, Adobe After Effects CC Classroom In A Book (2013) |
Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Organisation, evaluation, problem solving, self-reflection, critical thinking, collaboration, practical camera, lighting, sound recording and non-linear editing skills, creative understanding of cinematic grammar and production technologies. |
| Keywords | Animation,Film,Research,Collaboration,Teamwork,production technique |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Mr Alan Mason
Tel: 0131 221 6135
Email: alan.mason@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Mrs Carrie Parker
Tel:
Email: Carrie.Parker@ed.ac.uk |
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