Digital Animation
Our Digital Animation with Illustration Degree offers a unique blend of both animation and illustration. In developing this course, we consulted extensively with industry experts to ensure its alignment with industry needs. Beyond proficiency in both 2D and 3D animation, there is a growing demand for individuals with strong drawing skills, which are currently in short supply.
Through hands-on exploration using light boxes and rostrum cameras, you will delve into traditional animation methods, including the foundational twelve principles that have guided generations of animators. The course also encompasses post-production techniques such as editing, layering, and incorporating music and sound effects. The motion capture module provides practical experience in capturing, refining, and utilizing data acquired from the mocap system.
Additionally, a theory-strand is woven throughout the course, delving into both historical and contemporary aspects of the subject. This culminates in a research dissertation focusing on the animation industry, offering students a comprehensive understanding of the field.
More Information
If you are interested in discovering more about Digital Animation, including admissions, course structure and fees, please click here.
Showreel of student work on BA (Hons) Digital Animation with Illustration 2024
Ben Mullard, BA (Hons) Digital Animation with Illustration, year 1: 2D digital done in OpenToonz. The piece was inspired by classic Westerns, with a twist.
Macy Lomas, BA (Hons) Digital Animation with Illustration, year 3 student: Lip-sync animation piece,3D animation made in Maya. This was a re-interpretation of a piece of found audio taken from the game Bioshock.
Mish Redmond, BA (Hons) Digital Animation with Illustration, year 1 student: 2D digital done in OpenToonz, the piece was based on a funny thing that happened during a D&D campaign the student took part in.
Rebecca Child on our BA (Hons) Digital Animation with Illustration Year 3: Honours project – a page from the student’s manga, made for the third year honours project, in which an FBI-inspired demon catches us with our angelic protagonist.
Lauren Mather on our BA (Hons) Digital Animation with Illustration Year 3: This is a children’s book teaching kids a varied pool of lessons throughout the book. The story follows Bonnie’s journey facing the struggle many face about being accepted.
Lauren Mather on our BA (Hons) Digital Animation with Illustration Year 3: This is a children’s book teaching kids a varied pool of lessons throughout the book. The story follows Bonnie’s journey facing the struggle many face about being accepted.
Donte Moyce on our BA (Hons) Digital Animation with Illustration Year 3: “This was my third year comic that I made for honours using Photoshop. The idea was that this comic would be the start of a series where you see the characters develop and change as the story goes on, this first segment is to establish a dynamic in my main trio which I want to play with as the story progresses.”
Donte Moyce on our BA (Hons) Digital Animation with Illustration Year 3: “This was my third year comic that I made for honours using Photoshop. The idea was that this comic would be the start of a series where you see the characters develop and change as the story goes on, this first segment is to establish a dynamic in my main trio which I want to play with as the story progresses.”
Sean Bradley on our BA (Hons) Digital Animation with Illustration Year 3: Created using Procreate Dreams and a sound byte from Always Sunny In Philly, Sean has created this lip synched animation for his final year on BA (Hons) Digital Animation and Illustration.
Vincent Ohenhen, BA (Hons) Digital Animation with Illustration, year 2 student: Second year illustration piece inspired by “Moby Dick” by Herman Melville
Shanie Welsh, BA (Hons) Digital Animation with Illustration student, year 2: Second year illustration piece inspired by “Journey to the West” by Wu Ch’eng-en
Nathan Rose, BA (Hons) Digital Animation with Illustration student, year 2: Second year illustration piece inspired by “Journey to the West” by Wu Ch’eng-en
Kieven Liu, BA (Hons) Digital Animation with Illustration student, year 2: Second year illustration piece inspired by “Journey to the West” by Wu Ch’eng-en
James Nash, BA (Hons) Digital Animation with Illustration student, year 3: This is the opening page of his comic about an extraterrestrial coming to earth.
Mac Stones, BA (Hons) Digital Animation with Illustration student, year 3: This is a splash page from his comic “Astral Chronicles” completed for the honours project.
Mac Stones, BA (Hons) Digital Animation with Illustration, year 3: Third year lip-sync animation piece by student Mac Stones. 2D animation made in OpenToonz. This was an original piece written and voiced by Mac designed to sit alongside his comic “Astral Chronicles”.
Dan Maryk on our BA (Hons) Digital Animation with Illustration Year 1: Sunday – a short digital animation made using Adobe Animate portraying a day in the life.
Rebecca Power on our BA (Hons) Digital Animation with Illustration Year 3: Double Trouble – a short animation made in Maya, notable as the student designed, modelled, rigged and animated the dinosaur characters themselves.
Dom Knapper on our BA (Hons) Digital Animation with Illustration Year 2: Otter illustration – a piece of digital painting, created in the second year applied illustration module, on the theme of nature; its peacefulness and its violence.
Ella Veitch on our BA (Hons) Digital Animation with Illustration Year 2: Monkey – a character piece redesigning Monkey; the character from Chinese classic Journey to the West.
Eleanor Durkin on our BA (Hons) Digital Animation with Illustration Year 3: Comet – a multi-media animation including sections of digital and traditional 2D, rotoscope, zoetrope, stop-motion and Claymation, co-written in collaboration with the musician who created the track while the short was being animated.
Ellie Durkin on our BA (Hons) Digital Animation with Illustration Year 1: Gnome – a short animation made using traditional medium (pencil on animation paper, scanned and digitally cleaned) inspired by the student’s love of garden gnomes.
Caleb Riley on our BA (Hons) Digital Animation with Illustration Year 3: Mass Production – an extended animation exploring ideas of sexual commodification and femininity through the medium of anime-style ultraviolence (CAUTION: CONTAINS STROBE).
Gemma Hanley on our BA (Hons) Digital Animation with Illustration Year 3: Murder – a short 3D animation, created in Maya, reinterpreting a scene from a BBC 4 Radio drama Angarrack.
Jon Gibson on our BA (Hons) Digital Animation with Illustration Year 3: Dance – a short 3D animation, created in TV Paint, based around a section of Disney song “I see the Light” from Tangled.
Oliver Hodgkiss on our BA (Hons) Digital Animation with Illustration Year 3: Trick – a one-shot piece of animation combining 2D characters with a 3D environment made in Maya and painted over, created for the third year honours project.
Leah Hyde on our BA (Hons) Digital Animation with Illustration Year 3: Harvest Home – a 3D animation, made in Maya with the student’s original characters, heavily inspired by Harvest Moon, Animal Crossing, and other cosy games.
Jonathan Ching on our BA (Hons) Digital Animation with Illustration Year 3: Honours project – a piece of digital painting in a concept art style, created for the third year honours project, inspired by The Wizard of Oz.
Emilia Kivilahti on our BA (Hons) Digital Animation with Illustration Year 3: Honours project – a “vertical slice” of a film demonstrating the student’s digitally painted backgrounds, their character design, modelling, rigging, lighting and animating skills, all within a very short clip.
Ash Flanagan on our BA (Hons) Digital Animation with Illustration Year 3: Manbeast Returns – a short 3D animation, created in Maya, bringing to life an audio clip from the Australian comedy show Aunty Donna.