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    • Animation

    Animation Courses Online

    Learn animation techniques for creating engaging visual content. Understand principles like timing, spacing, and movement in animation.

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    Explore the Animation Course Catalog

    • California Institute of the Arts

      World Design for Video Games

      Skills you'll gain: Game Design, Conceptual Design, Animation and Game Design, Virtual Environment, Art History, Visualization (Computer Graphics), Design Strategies, Aesthetics, Design Research, Creativity

      4.5
      Rating, 4.5 out of 5 stars
      ·
      818 reviews

      Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks

    • Status: Free
      Free

      The University of Edinburgh

      Code Yourself! An Introduction to Programming

      Skills you'll gain: Software Engineering, Video Game Development, Software Testing, Software Development, Programming Principles, Software Design, Game Design, Computer Programming, Animation and Game Design, Debugging, Computational Thinking, Algorithms

      4.7
      Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
      ·
      3.5K reviews

      Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months

    • Epic Games

      Visual Development and Audio Design in Games

      Skills you'll gain: Unreal Engine, Game Design, Video Game Development, Animation and Game Design, 3D Modeling, Prototyping, Visualization (Computer Graphics), Computer Graphics, Animations, Multimedia, Virtual Environment, Aesthetics

      3.8
      Rating, 3.8 out of 5 stars
      ·
      22 reviews

      Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months

    • Scrimba

      Learn HTML and CSS

      Skills you'll gain: Hypertext Markup Language (HTML), Cascading Style Sheets (CSS), HTML and CSS, Web Development Tools, Web Development, Web Design, Development Environment, Responsive Web Design, Interactive Design, GitHub, Application Deployment, Typography

      4.6
      Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
      ·
      93 reviews

      Beginner · Course · 3 - 6 Months

    • The Museum of Modern Art

      Art & Activity: Interactive Strategies for Engaging with Art

      Skills you'll gain: Design Thinking, Creative Thinking, Learning Styles, Creativity, Learning Strategies, Empathy, Collaboration, Constructive Feedback

      4.8
      Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
      ·
      1.3K reviews

      Intermediate · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks

    • University of London

      Building Interactive 3D Characters and Social VR

      Skills you'll gain: Virtual Reality, Unity Engine, Augmented and Virtual Reality (AR/VR), Virtual Environment, Animations, Non-Verbal Communication, Human Computer Interaction, Psychology, Interpersonal Communications, Artificial Intelligence

      4.4
      Rating, 4.4 out of 5 stars
      ·
      82 reviews

      Intermediate · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks

    • Status: Free
      Free

      Coursera Project Network

      Creating Interactive Learning Videos with Edpuzzle

      Skills you'll gain: Education Software and Technology

      4.7
      Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
      ·
      176 reviews

      Beginner · Guided Project · Less Than 2 Hours

    • Coursera Project Network

      Midjourney for Beginners: Craft an Exquisite Piece of AI Art

      Skills you'll gain: Generative AI, Prompt Engineering, Content Creation, Digital Design, Graphics Software, Creativity

      4
      Rating, 4 out of 5 stars
      ·
      22 reviews

      Beginner · Guided Project · Less Than 2 Hours

    • Status: New
      New

      University of Colorado Boulder

      Modern Video Editing Techniques

      Skills you'll gain: Video Editing, Storyboarding, Post-Production, Editing, Video Production, Animations, Writing and Editing, Typography

      Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks

    • Status: Free
      Free

      Coursera Project Network

      Graphic design: pop your Linkedin with 3D effect using Canva

      Skills you'll gain: Canva (Software), LinkedIn, Graphic Design, Graphic and Visual Design, Computer Graphic Techniques, Social Media Content, Professional Networking, Design Elements And Principles

      4.4
      Rating, 4.4 out of 5 stars
      ·
      64 reviews

      Beginner · Guided Project · Less Than 2 Hours

    • Coursera Project Network

      Adobe Illustrator for Beginners: Create Vector Artwork

      Skills you'll gain: Adobe Illustrator, Graphic and Visual Design, Creative Design, Design, Color Theory, Adobe Creative Cloud, Graphic Design, Design Elements And Principles, Typography

      4.7
      Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
      ·
      16 reviews

      Beginner · Guided Project · Less Than 2 Hours

    • University of Colorado Boulder

      Ready to Roll – The Video Production Process

      Skills you'll gain: Videography, Photo/Video Production and Technology, Video Production, Photography, Media Production, Storytelling, Editing

      4.9
      Rating, 4.9 out of 5 stars
      ·
      27 reviews

      Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months

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    1…456…16

    In summary, here are 10 of our most popular animation courses

    • World Design for Video Games: California Institute of the Arts
    • Code Yourself! An Introduction to Programming: The University of Edinburgh
    • Visual Development and Audio Design in Games: Epic Games
    • Learn HTML and CSS: Scrimba
    • Art & Activity: Interactive Strategies for Engaging with Art: The Museum of Modern Art
    • Building Interactive 3D Characters and Social VR: University of London
    • Creating Interactive Learning Videos with Edpuzzle: Coursera Project Network
    • Midjourney for Beginners: Craft an Exquisite Piece of AI Art: Coursera Project Network
    • Modern Video Editing Techniques: University of Colorado Boulder
    • Graphic design: pop your Linkedin with 3D effect using Canva: Coursera Project Network

    Frequently Asked Questions about Animation

    Knowing why you want to learn animation, be it for film, games, or personal projects, will keep you motivated. Regular practice with animation software is crucial. Join online communities like the Animation subreddits or local groups for feedback and support. Work on real projects such as creating short animations. Coursera offers the course Interactive Computer Graphics by University of Tokyo, which can help you get started with animation.‎

    The skills and experience you may need to have already before studying animation include having a creative mind with the ability to pay attention to the smallest details, some drawing or other artistic ability, and feeling comfortable working on a computer. Having a familiarity with computer graphics software and computer programming may also help you learn animation as well as learning how to create animated 3D movies. If you have some basic graphic design skills, they'll also be helpful. Another set of skills you may want to have to learn animation is the knowledge of color theory so you can understand the use of colors to express and communicate various emotions or feelings.‎

    The kind of person best suited to learn animation is someone who may want to become a game developer artist, an animator, or visual effects artist for a variety of media including film or television, or a digital or graphics designer for the internet. Someone who may do well learning animation might also be able to work both independently and on a team. Often animators must work with a team of other animators or creative colleagues on projects. Someone learning animation will need to be able to handle feedback from directors, other animator team members, game designers, and clients and then edit their work to comply with those requests. Another characteristic of someone who may be well suited to learn animation is patience. That’s because creating animation is a labor-intensive process in order to capture the details that go into each character and setting frame to frame.‎

    Learning animation may be right for you if you feel compelled to express your creativity using computer programs to create illustrations used on various media or platforms. It may be right for you if you want to learn how to design and develop game worlds and gameplay for video games, from concept to presentation. Studying animation is also a good idea if you plan to enter the virtual reality field where interactive animation and character animation and design are important to know. Studying animation may be beneficial for you to learn if you plan to become a 3D artist working on various platforms that require certification, such as Unity.‎

    Yes, Coursera offers a variety of free courses across many topics, including animation. While you can access most course materials for free by auditing the courses, this does not include graded assignments or a completion certificate. For those looking to obtain a certificate to showcase their learning or enhance their professional profile, Coursera provides the option to purchase the course. Additionally, Coursera offers free trials or financial aid to learners who qualify, making certifications more accessible to everyone.‎

    This FAQ content has been made available for informational purposes only. Learners are advised to conduct additional research to ensure that courses and other credentials pursued meet their personal, professional, and financial goals.

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