Animation BDes (Hons) Undergraduate Programme By Ulster University |TopUniversities

Programme overview

Degree

BDes

Study Level

Undergraduate

Study Mode

On Campus

BDes Hons Animation aims to provide you with specialist knowledge and skills necessary to develop and adapt your chosen career in the diverse creative practices associated with interactive design and animation. The course aims to contribute, through the education of its students as adaptive and resilient designers, writers and thinkers, to the local, national and international practice of design in its current and future forms. The aims of the course are to: Enable you to acquire a high degree of knowledge, understanding and experience through the practice of animation; and to acquire a high level of practical, conceptual and aesthetic skills and the critical means to integrate them in design problem-solving; Enable you to pursue a high level of intellectual enquiry, independence, and critical awareness through academic conventions and through the creative practice of animation; Offer the opportunity to work collaboratively, on professtional based briefs, industry generated initiative and competitions, in order to gain essential work based learning experience and develop the transferable skills essential to succeed in the creative industries; Enable you to acquire experiences, skills and knowledge appropriate to the professional contexts of design interaction and animation. For students on the Diploma in Professional Practice (DPP) International (DPPI) programme: Enhance an understanding of professional practice; Develop personal and professional skills. For students on the Diploma in International Academic Studies (DIAS) programme: Enhance an understanding of another cultural educational environment; Develop self-reliance and independence. Structure & content You will work both collaboratively and individually in an immersive studio environment on a wide range of animation based projects. Students will have the opportunity to develop your own specialist skills or study a range of areas to develop a wider understanding of the subject. First year provides you with the opportunity to work together on a range of projects designed to introduce them to the broad range of artistic and technical opportunities within the subject area. Creative problem solving and visual thinking are central in year one where you develop new world concepts, which become fertile ground for design thinking and creative experimentation. Students develop the skills and thinking to create 2D and/or 3D computer animated films and interactive designs using the latest industry standard technologies. Second year will cultivate an environment where each student can experience a wide range of facets within the spectrum of animation. Greater emphasis will be placed on the individual’s role within teamwork, mirroring the collaborative nature of the digital creative industries. You are encouraged to become increasingly aware of your strengths and how they align to roles and opportunities within industry. While we provide free student licences and utlise open source software, students may be required to purchase individual student licences at a much reduced cost. After successful completion of Year 2 you can opt to undertake a placement year. Many students avail of this exciting and valuable opportunity and see a great benefit when they return to study in their Final year. The final year focuses on students building a body of work in preparation for entry to the professional arena - this usually takes form through the development of a range of skills on both individual and group projects. Opportunities exist to embrace group projects to develop innovative outcomes with potential for commercialisation beyond the course through the Masters pathways on offer, which potentially integrate with the undergraduate programme. Throughout the course you will be provided with the opportunities and encouraged to engage with industry partners' events and, when possible, with industry led projects, as well as national and international competitions and festivals designed to showcase your abilities on a world stage amongst your peers. These include IDI Design Awards (Institute of Designers in Ireland), Dublin Animation Film Festival (DAFF), Animation Dingle Film Festival, Belfast XR Festival, RENDR Festival, and Pictoplasma. Applying to the course also requires a portfolio submission. Generally, portfolio should include designs and development towards animated / screen-based media. It should showcase interest and understanding of animation or visual storytelling. It does not need to be complex or advanced as all the practical skills are taught from scratch on the course. Could include for example:​ Storyboards​ Character designs​ Asset or Environment concept art Simple 2D animation​ A bouncing ball for example​ Flip book​ Simple 3D Modelling ​ A simple character​ asset/scene using simple shapes​ A short stop motion animation ​ A simple Film Edit/compositing/VFX Students who are unsure about their course choice are encouraged to apply for the foundation year at the Belfast School of Art, which on completion would allow them to progress to BDes Animation or another one of the courses in the school of art. Please see, copied below, some links that might help your portfolio development: Doug Compton - Animator - Has some great drawing lessons on shape and forms for animation:- https://www.dropbox.com/sh/e5cbxmw72sow0oi/AAB1E503bLZPn5_-SgX1U2HYa?dl=0 Etherington Brothers - Some quick tips on forms and shapes - https://www.dropbox.com/sh/4rtj2fc5d1prvkt/AAB7ymeNhZ5-Zvuv3T2TSvjBa?dl=0 Luis Escobar - Simpson's storyboard artist - A great article about drawing forms: https://www.thedrawingwebsite.com/2015/02/18/practicing-your-draw-fu-forms-forms-are-like-sentences/ Think With Forms, Not Lines: Take Your Drawing to the Next Level: https://design.tutsplus.com/articles/think-with-forms-not-lines-take-your-drawing-to-the-next-level--cms-24486 Ron Doucet - TV Show animator - Article about line of action and posing of character forms: https://floobynooby.blogspot.com/2011/01/lines-of-action-mickeys-christmas-carol.html And if you want to try some animation out: Blender - https://www.blender.org/ Intro to Blender - https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjEaoINr3zgFX8ZsChQVQsuDSjEqdWMAD 3D Animation in blender - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBJp82tlR3M 2D animation in blender - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0N20a_9Vzo & https://youtu.be/sA1aeen8UP4 Suggested Tools/Apps: Krita a free 2D drawing software that also has animation capabilities ​ https://krita.org/en/ ​ ​ Procreate​ 2D Drawing app Free on Ipads​ ​ Blender (Free 3D Software)​ 3D modelling/Animation​ Sculpting​ 2D Animation (With Grease Pencil)​ Compositing​ Lots of free online tutorials & Resources​ https://www.blender.org/download/​ ​ Womp3D - https://www.womp.com/ ​ Free and easy to use online app perfect for creating in 3D​ ​ Stop motion studio​ Free app available on phones and tablets​

Programme overview

Degree

BDes

Study Level

Undergraduate

Study Mode

On Campus

BDes Hons Animation aims to provide you with specialist knowledge and skills necessary to develop and adapt your chosen career in the diverse creative practices associated with interactive design and animation. The course aims to contribute, through the education of its students as adaptive and resilient designers, writers and thinkers, to the local, national and international practice of design in its current and future forms. The aims of the course are to: Enable you to acquire a high degree of knowledge, understanding and experience through the practice of animation; and to acquire a high level of practical, conceptual and aesthetic skills and the critical means to integrate them in design problem-solving; Enable you to pursue a high level of intellectual enquiry, independence, and critical awareness through academic conventions and through the creative practice of animation; Offer the opportunity to work collaboratively, on professtional based briefs, industry generated initiative and competitions, in order to gain essential work based learning experience and develop the transferable skills essential to succeed in the creative industries; Enable you to acquire experiences, skills and knowledge appropriate to the professional contexts of design interaction and animation. For students on the Diploma in Professional Practice (DPP) International (DPPI) programme: Enhance an understanding of professional practice; Develop personal and professional skills. For students on the Diploma in International Academic Studies (DIAS) programme: Enhance an understanding of another cultural educational environment; Develop self-reliance and independence. Structure & content You will work both collaboratively and individually in an immersive studio environment on a wide range of animation based projects. Students will have the opportunity to develop your own specialist skills or study a range of areas to develop a wider understanding of the subject. First year provides you with the opportunity to work together on a range of projects designed to introduce them to the broad range of artistic and technical opportunities within the subject area. Creative problem solving and visual thinking are central in year one where you develop new world concepts, which become fertile ground for design thinking and creative experimentation. Students develop the skills and thinking to create 2D and/or 3D computer animated films and interactive designs using the latest industry standard technologies. Second year will cultivate an environment where each student can experience a wide range of facets within the spectrum of animation. Greater emphasis will be placed on the individual’s role within teamwork, mirroring the collaborative nature of the digital creative industries. You are encouraged to become increasingly aware of your strengths and how they align to roles and opportunities within industry. While we provide free student licences and utlise open source software, students may be required to purchase individual student licences at a much reduced cost. After successful completion of Year 2 you can opt to undertake a placement year. Many students avail of this exciting and valuable opportunity and see a great benefit when they return to study in their Final year. The final year focuses on students building a body of work in preparation for entry to the professional arena - this usually takes form through the development of a range of skills on both individual and group projects. Opportunities exist to embrace group projects to develop innovative outcomes with potential for commercialisation beyond the course through the Masters pathways on offer, which potentially integrate with the undergraduate programme. Throughout the course you will be provided with the opportunities and encouraged to engage with industry partners' events and, when possible, with industry led projects, as well as national and international competitions and festivals designed to showcase your abilities on a world stage amongst your peers. These include IDI Design Awards (Institute of Designers in Ireland), Dublin Animation Film Festival (DAFF), Animation Dingle Film Festival, Belfast XR Festival, RENDR Festival, and Pictoplasma. Applying to the course also requires a portfolio submission. Generally, portfolio should include designs and development towards animated / screen-based media. It should showcase interest and understanding of animation or visual storytelling. It does not need to be complex or advanced as all the practical skills are taught from scratch on the course. Could include for example:​ Storyboards​ Character designs​ Asset or Environment concept art Simple 2D animation​ A bouncing ball for example​ Flip book​ Simple 3D Modelling ​ A simple character​ asset/scene using simple shapes​ A short stop motion animation ​ A simple Film Edit/compositing/VFX Students who are unsure about their course choice are encouraged to apply for the foundation year at the Belfast School of Art, which on completion would allow them to progress to BDes Animation or another one of the courses in the school of art. Please see, copied below, some links that might help your portfolio development: Doug Compton - Animator - Has some great drawing lessons on shape and forms for animation:- https://www.dropbox.com/sh/e5cbxmw72sow0oi/AAB1E503bLZPn5_-SgX1U2HYa?dl=0 Etherington Brothers - Some quick tips on forms and shapes - https://www.dropbox.com/sh/4rtj2fc5d1prvkt/AAB7ymeNhZ5-Zvuv3T2TSvjBa?dl=0 Luis Escobar - Simpson's storyboard artist - A great article about drawing forms: https://www.thedrawingwebsite.com/2015/02/18/practicing-your-draw-fu-forms-forms-are-like-sentences/ Think With Forms, Not Lines: Take Your Drawing to the Next Level: https://design.tutsplus.com/articles/think-with-forms-not-lines-take-your-drawing-to-the-next-level--cms-24486 Ron Doucet - TV Show animator - Article about line of action and posing of character forms: https://floobynooby.blogspot.com/2011/01/lines-of-action-mickeys-christmas-carol.html And if you want to try some animation out: Blender - https://www.blender.org/ Intro to Blender - https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjEaoINr3zgFX8ZsChQVQsuDSjEqdWMAD 3D Animation in blender - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBJp82tlR3M 2D animation in blender - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0N20a_9Vzo & https://youtu.be/sA1aeen8UP4 Suggested Tools/Apps: Krita a free 2D drawing software that also has animation capabilities ​ https://krita.org/en/ ​ ​ Procreate​ 2D Drawing app Free on Ipads​ ​ Blender (Free 3D Software)​ 3D modelling/Animation​ Sculpting​ 2D Animation (With Grease Pencil)​ Compositing​ Lots of free online tutorials & Resources​ https://www.blender.org/download/​ ​ Womp3D - https://www.womp.com/ ​ Free and easy to use online app perfect for creating in 3D​ ​ Stop motion studio​ Free app available on phones and tablets​

Admission Requirements

We recognise a range of qualifications for admission to our courses. In addition to the specific entry conditions for this course you must also meet the University’s General Entrance Requirements. The entry conditions below apply to applicants presenting qualifications from Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland or Great Britain.

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