Animation School? Keeping motived? Your questions answered!

Do I need to go to animation school? Do I need to be able to draw? What's the deal with timing charts? How Do I stay motivated while I animate? You asked me some BIG animation questions and today I try to answer them.

Animation for Anyone is a free animation series where I try and share the basics of animation in a fun and easy to follow way. I hope you're enjoying the classes so far!
00:29 Who are you?
01:00 Do I need Animation School?
02:27 What Software and Brushes do you use?
02:52 Onion Skins or No Onion Skins
03:30 Surviving the Animation Industry
04:31 Timing Charts
05:42 Staying Motivated
07:15 Do I need to be able to draw?
08:01 Animation Doodle

Credits-
Made and Voiced by Alex Grigg
Music by Skillbard
Logo by Renaud Futterer
Additional Imagery--
Ben Hubbard
Lost and Found- Directed by Andrew Goldsmith and Bradley Slabe, Produced by Lucy J Hayes, animated by Sam Lewis

[kyletwebster]

Alex, you have always been so generous with your time and knowledge. You’re a gift to the illustration and animation community!

[ProfessorQuinthanax]

Maybe worth noticing: It's true that you don't need to go to animation school to be an animator. However, if you want to make your own short films, a degree in animation can really help with finding fundings... specially as a beginner. In some countries it can make a huge difference.. But if you wanna learn animation, just with the right motivation and observation you can get really far!

[AltKaxREAL]

0:49 WAIT THIS CARTOON NETWORK BUMPER WAS YOURS?!? holy heck! it's amazing my guy

[Kitsu_Worm]

maybe it's too repetitive to say something like this.

but really, because of you I'm now more confident with animation. like when I first came to learn about it. it's so busy with information like squash & stretch, exaggeration, Appeal from 12 Principles of animation.
but when I know the 3 essentials from you: Pose, Timing, Spacing. it's really help a lot! and even add spicing up with Acceleration & Deceleration (like to call it more than Easing in & Easing out) it's make me have more fun with it without I'm getting too overwhelm.

anyway. thanks a lots! and hope you released more of animation lesson to learn!

[jessejayjones]

Love how inspiring and encouraging your videos are!! I'm sure they're going to bring many generations of new animators into the field! 🥰

[neilsanders]

THAT’S SOME DAMNED GOOD GRIGG ACTION RIGHT THERE!! I love the blobby brushwork, and the soothing sounds of that smooth vocal.

[erindrawsabit]

On a 2 out of 3 year animation course and this video is probably more encouraging and helpful than my classes. I feel more motivated to create after watching this than I have after any of my recent lectures.

[estebanviteri]

I love how much care you put into every video. You don't have to make EVERY shot delicious, but you do, and that is so appreciated. Thank you for all your content!

[tamilaben]

I would absolutely love to learn about stream of consciousness animation. I love your videos! You helped me improve my animation and fall back in love with the process of animating so thank you! I tend to overcomplicate things and end up feeling overwhelmed with the process, especially in personal work, so having little exercices to work on that require less of that dreadful planing is really nice.

[auldgrey]

Hey Alex, I'm an illustrator/designer for whom animation has been a hobby (using Animation Desk by Kdan)for a few years (I did a semester of animation at art school in the 80s) and I'm stepping it up a level. I was happy to see that TVPaint is one of the apps you use, it's the one that had seemed most suited for how I like to work, and now I'm confident it'll be a worthwhile investment. I have to thank you for the manner and spirit of generosity in your tutorials series- your explanations are so clear and ably demonstrated and most of all encouraging and inspiring. Love your work and style btw! Thank you, man.

[TheblessedELK]

We love your videos and how transparent you are with everything! Thank you so much for all you do for the animation community, Alex!!!!

[azza_weak]

Great video, thank you for the great work!
This was the main channel that made me see animation techniques as less intimidating and try to study it. Got into an animation college with discount for this year, can't thank you enough for all the tips!!

[carltonnjenga]

Thank you for these animation videos. They are such a great resource to keep close by for reference.
It's a treat to watch your process as well, thank you. Please make more of those freestyle animation doodles classes whenever you get time.

[MrphoAnimation]

I just started watching your channel and I'm blown away by how much easier it is to learn and improve my skills with your tutorials!

[jason_swet]

Thanks for sharing Alex! Love your work. I’ve been animating as a hobby for years, worked around and with a lot of animators and occasionally animate on the job, but have never worked in an animation studio. You share a lot of practical tips that are hard to pickup on your own, without being able to look over a more senior animator’s shoulder. Especially in this ever increasingly remote industry. So thank you!

[BobbyRossFilm]

Excellent! I'm a film DP who picked up animation at the tail end of the pandemic when work was really sparse. I've kept it up as a hobby and I can't wait to see more of your content- I love stuff that focuses more on the industry side of things/workflows with a team, since I'm starting to make an animation reel! Haha all that to say thanks for making this content, I'm so here for it and everything of yours I've binged I've taken something from!

[SuperRamtin]

One thing I like about this channel is that it's not just for beginners, it's also enjoyable and helpful to watch for animators with experience!
I love your style and work very much, man. It's so unique!

[Neidrocas]

Your tutorials gave me a lot of motivation, the way you explain + your editing makes things very clear, just wanna say thank you!

[apeeatape]

Thank you Alex! As usual an enormous amount of useful and uplifting stuff in such condensed format. And so well articulated too.

Also I have a little tip for people who self study and get discouraged or having trouble choosing a project for themselves and finish it: What worked for me usually was making an assignment a birthday present for a friend. Upsides are that it has a deadline and a motivation of pleasing a friend. And most likely you will get positive reaction in the end. Following this formula I improved my 3d and compositing skills, assembled an interactive postcard game prototype and tried out countless art styles I wouldn't use in my work or personal stuff. Hope somebody find it helpful.

Can't wait for more lessons!

[gatzyuploadsstuff]

As someone who is starting out in animation these tips were really helpful, thank you so much for making videos like this!!