What Skills Make A Great Animator?

Terence Morais 5 years ago

An animator is a crucial part of films, TV shows, and games. They create animations, and special effects using computer software and electronic tools. Just drawing the character is not enough, animator should be able to pump life into the character and make it move around and emote. Creativity, drawing and basic animation software proficiency are the minimum skill requirements for an animator.

Listed below are some of the essential skills for a great animator:

  • Technical animator skills

To give the character life, an animator needs to combine both practical and artistic skills. It is pertinent to have the basic drawing skills so that you can draw the character down on paper. This would make things easier. You get a road map to animating the character once it is down on paper. The animator needs to deeply understand body movements to give it proper animation. Animator’s technical skills should include audio/video editing and software like Adobe Flash, 3D Studio Max, and more.

  • Graphic design skills

The main responsibility of an animator is to bring static figures or sketches to life. For that, you need to know graphic motion. You cannot settle for kitschy movements and design. The animator should know better to add aesthetic visual effects and make them real as possible or needed.

  • Color theory

Color is one of the most import parts of the animation. One needs to understand color theory to properly infuse color into their animations. You should know how to use a color that would best express what the character is feeling or what the central emotion of the scene is depicting. Knowing what to communicate will help you direct your usage of colors.

  • Sense of time and space

A great animator uses his knowledge of time and space to cue the movement in his animation that would create a free-flowing and seamless motion. He/she should know when and where to anticipate movement, action, and reaction.

  • Analytical Skills

Paying attention to the finer details such as the way a character moves and where the character looks and the pace of the character’s movements is pertinent in making a professional animation. A good animator always pays close attention to these details and beyond. For example, she makes sure that the characters fit well with the environment they are in. One should be able to analyze all these details and factor it into their animation.

  • Originality

When you start with your cartoons and character sketches, you probably emulate the great, well-established creators. But don’t feel bad that you are not being original, it will come as you keep practicing your craft. Every great animator makes his mark with easy-on-the-eyes and memorable animations. Originality is a necessity if you need to make a mark in the industry.

  • Creativity

Anyone can learn the software and manipulate three-dimensional figures but its take a good animator to contribute perspective, color theory, shading, and intuitive motion to their animations. If you are looking to enroll yourself in an animation school, look for institutions that have workplace skill development and project management techniques in their syllabus.

  • Math, Computer Software and Physics Skills

A good animator should be able to calculate shadow lines and the angles of light with respect to the environment the character inhabits for which the animator should possess math skills. He/she should understand the physics of the world to know how to animate a falling object or any interaction the character has with the ground. A good animator should know which software to use for what animation. So relatively deep knowledge of software such as 3D modeling, flash, illustration, and desktop publishing is desired.

The place where you start is very important to define your career as an animator. Finding the best Multimedia & Animation Courses in your city will help you kick start your endeavor.


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