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.
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.
Brinton Chan on our BA (Hons) Digital Animation with Illustration Year 3: concept art – a piece of concept art from the student’s honours project exploring different ideas for a modernistic building built into the roots of a tree.
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).
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Emilia Kivilahti on our BA (Hons) Digital Animation with Illustration Year 1: The Hatching – a short animation made using traditional medium (pencil on animation paper, scanned and digitally cleaned) inspired by cuckoos and their habit of laying eggs in other birds’ nests.
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.
Emilia Kivilahti on our BA (Hons) Digital Animation with Illustration Year 2: Story book illustration – the final page of a story book, created in the second year applied illustration module, in which the defeated dragon finds a new job in the palace kitchens.
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.
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.
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.
Luca Geen on our BA (Hons) Digital Animation with Illustration Year 3: Bitter Sweet – a 2D animation about Halloween, created for the third year honours project
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.
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.
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.