All Online Animation Courses

Best Animation Courses for Every Aspiring Animator

What type of animator are you?

Animation is an art form for people who enjoy creating believable characters and compelling stories. There are many styles of animation, from 3D film animation to the realistic animation seen in live-action movies. As the basic principles remain the same no matter the medium or style, animation skills are useful across many industries. Whether you want to work at Pixar, create your own animated TV series, or contribute to the latest video game, Animation Mentor has the best online animation courses for you. Take a look at the different learning paths and find one to fit your animation goals.

3D Character Animator

Character animators work in many genres, most often animating on films created by studios like Disney, Pixar, DreamWorks, and Sony. Animation Mentor’s Core Character Animation Courses offer a layered curriculum that teaches students everything from animation principles to advanced character performance. Take this path to become a character animator.

Maya ANIMATION

6-Week COURSE

Master this key software before diving into the art of animation.

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Animation
Basics

12-Week Course

Begin your character animation journey and master the basics.

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Body
Mechanics

12-Week Course

Learn to animate realistic bipedal movement.

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Advanced Body
Mechanics

12-Week Course

Create exciting and dynamic action sequences.

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Introduction
to Acting

12-Week Course

Make your characters come alive with emotion.

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Advanced
Acting

12-Week Course

Tell a complex, two-person story with dialogue.

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Feature Animation
Acting & Polish

12-Week Course

Animate a shot the pros would be proud of and finish your demo reel.

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Game Animator

Video games are a multi-billion dollar industry that will continue to grow. Game studios need keyframe animators to create appealing and engaging characters that players can interact with, and that’s where you come in! Advanced animators with solid body mechanics experience can jump straight into game animation. Take the following online animation courses and become a game animator.

Animation
Basics

12-Week Course

Begin your character animation journey and master the basics.

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Body
Mechanics

12-Week Course

Learn to animate realistic bipedal movement.

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Advanced Body
Mechanics

12-Week Course

Create exciting and dynamic action sequences.

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Game Animation:
Mechanics & Interactive Gameplay

12-Week Course

Master a character moveset with Maya and Unreal Engine.

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Game Animation:
Dynamic Action & Combat

12-Week Course

Learn the art of combat and dynamic action in games.

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Game Animation:
Cinematic Cutscenes

12-Week Course

Enhance your storytelling skills in games.

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Game Animation Fundamentals

6-Week course

Animate a character to play live in the Unreal Engine.

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2D Animator

2D animation, also known as traditional animation, is very popular in both film and television among people of all ages. Take these workshops taught by legendary Disney Animator Jay Jackson and start your journey to becoming a 2D animator. For 3D animators, 2D animation can help improve your understanding of weight, timing, and performance. Basic drawing skills are encouraged for anyone hoping to take these workshops.

2D Animation for Beginners

6-Week COURSE

Learn the fundamentals of 2D Animation from a Disney legend.

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2D Animation:
Walk Cycles & Character Movement

6-Week COURSE

Animate exciting and believable character movement in 2D.

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VFX Animator

Many major film franchises such as the Marvel superhero films or the Star Wars stories take place in worlds with fantastical creatures. VFX animators have to be incredibly creative, often animating creatures (like dragons!) that don’t exist in the real world. To become a VFX animator, learn professional workflows from Industrial Light & Magic and Framestore animators, and bring your own fantastical creatures to life!

Animation
Basics

12-Week Course

Begin your character animation journey and master the basics.

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Body
Mechanics

12-Week Course

Learn to animate realistic bipedal movement.

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Advanced Body
Mechanics

12-Week Course

Create exciting and dynamic action sequences.

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Creature Animation:

LOCOMOTION

12-Week course

Animate creatures and animals with guidance from pro VFX animators.

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Creature Animation:

FIGHT OR FLIGHT

12-Week course

Create dynamic flight scenes and fight sequences with creatures.

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Previs Animator

You may not know it, but the majority of films, TV shows, and video games use previsualization (also known as “previs”). As productions become larger and more complex, studios need previs animators to help plan complex animated sequences by quickly laying out the staging, camera angles, and character beats. Previs is a fast-paced and exciting career path, so don’t miss out. Take the following animation courses to become a previs animator.

Animation
Basics

12-Week Course

Begin your character animation journey and master the basics.

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Body
Mechanics

12-Week Course

Learn to animate realistic bipedal movement.

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Advanced Body
Mechanics

12-Week Course

Create exciting and dynamic action sequences.

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Introduction
to Acting

12-Week Course

Make your characters come alive with emotion.

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Previs Basics
for Animators

6-Week COURSE

Quickly animate, layout, and stage shots for production.

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Continue Your Animation Education

As an animator, you will never be done learning. That’s part of the fun! Continue your education by exploring different styles and pushing your animation to new heights. The following learning path teaches the Tex Avery and Chuck Jones exaggerated style, seen in beloved cartoons from Looney Tunes and in early Disney films. If you’re new to animation, we recommend taking the following courses in sequence. Advanced animators with solid body mechanics experience can jump straight into Cartoony Animation for 3D Animators.

Animation
Basics

12-Week Course

Begin your character animation journey and master the basics.

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Body
Mechanics

12-Week Course

Learn to animate realistic bipedal movement.

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Advanced Body
Mechanics

12-Week Course

Create exciting and dynamic action sequences.

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Cartoony Animation
for 3D Animators

6-Week COURSE

Plus your animation by pushing your characters to their limits.

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