BA (Hons) Animation and Games Art

Program Overview

---

The BA (Hons) Animation and Games Art program at The University of Sunderland equips students with the skills and knowledge for a successful career in the animation, games, and visual effects industries. The program emphasizes both traditional and digital animation skills, encouraging students to explore various techniques and tools within the field. Through a blend of theoretical and practical learning, students develop their artistic and technical abilities, preparing them for employment in the creative industries.

Program Outline

---

Degree Overview:

---

Overview:

The BA (Hons) Animation and Games Art program at The University of Sunderland aims to equip students with the skills and knowledge required for a successful career in the animation, games, and visual effects industries. The program focuses on developing both traditional and digital animation skills, and it encourages students to explore various techniques and tools within the field.

---

Objectives:

• Develop students' artistic and technical skills in animation and games art.

• Introduce students to the broader context of design.

• Provide students with the creative freedom to explore their interests and develop their individual styles.

• Prepare students for employment in the animation, games, and visual effects industries.

---

Description:

The BA (Hons) Animation and Games Art program is a three-year, full-time course delivered at AAS College in Greece. The program offers a blend of theoretical and practical learning, with students participating in lectures, seminars, tutorials, and studio-based work. The program emphasizes a hands-on approach, allowing students to experiment with various techniques and technologies throughout their studies.

---

Outline:

---

Program Content:

The BA (Hons) Animation and Games Art program covers a comprehensive range of topics, including:

• Traditional animation techniques: Students learn the fundamentals of animation through drawing, storyboarding, and character design.
• Digital animation techniques: Students gain expertise in using industry-standard software such as ToonBoom Harmony and Adobe Creative Suite.
• 3D animation: Students delve into the world of 3D modeling, rigging, animation, and visual effects.
• Game development: Students learn the basics of game design, development, and programming.
• Character design: Students learn how to create compelling characters for animation and games.
• Storytelling: Students develop their storytelling skills through writing, storyboarding, and animation.
• Professional practice: Students learn about the business side of the animation and games industry, including portfolio development, marketing, and job hunting.

---

Structure:

The BA (Hons) Animation and Games Art program is divided into three stages:

• Stage 1: Students focus on fundamental animation principles, traditional animation techniques, and digital animation skills.
• Stage 2: Students delve deeper into advanced animation techniques, including 3D animation, character rigging, and game development.
• Stage 3: Students complete a final major project, where they can specialize in their chosen area of interest and demonstrate their skills and knowledge.

---

Course Schedule:

The BA (Hons) Animation and Games Art program follows a semester-based system, with two semesters per academic year. The program typically includes a mix of lectures, seminars, tutorials, and studio work. The course schedule may vary depending on the semester and the specific modules being offered.

---

Modules:

Here is a detailed breakdown of the modules included in the BA (Hons) Animation and Games Art program:

---

Year 1:

• Introductory Classical, Digital and Performance Practice (60 credits): This module introduces students to the basic principles of animation through various techniques, including 2D drawn animation, digital animation using ToonBoom Harmony, and traditional studio practices.
Students work on a short animated film that will be completed using ToonBoom Harmony software. They will also be introduced to the Adobe Creative Suite in a separate creative brief.
• Animation Techniques (40 credits): This module focuses on collaborative work in teams to create short animation sequences using a variety of traditional techniques like pixillation, direct animation, smudge n click, cut-out, and stop motion.
Students will build on the principles and skills learned in semester 1 and explore visual storytelling further. They will also produce a short film for a student-led competition and public screening to showcase their first year's work.
• Design Theory 1 (20 credits): Through lectures and seminars, students gain an understanding of the broader application of design theory and principles.
They have the opportunity to study the context, development, and theories behind their chosen specialism, engaging in debates and critical discussions on the topics covered.

---

Year 2:

• Animated Performance – Dialogue (20 credits): This module builds on the principles and skills learned in Stage 1.
Students study animated performance and work with pre-recorded sound clips to understand staging, dialogue/lip sync, and acting. They create character-led animation directly into 2D digital software using Wacom Cintiqs.
• Maya for Beginners (20 credits): This module introduces students to 3D modeling software.
Starting with weekly life drawing exercises, students move on to modeling in 3D to create models of their own design. They then explore rigging, textures, and lighting in the 3D environment. Students are given the opportunity to choose pre-rigged characters for animation and demonstrate their skills and techniques to give personality and weight to walk and run cycles using various characters. They work with the Motion capture suit to gain an understanding of its applications in character animation. Additionally, they are introduced to Unity and VR workflows.
• Preproduction Practice (20 credits): This module follows the preproduction pipeline for creating either a pitch bible for a children's tv series or a Games Document for a 7-PEGI game.
Students navigate the process from visual and contextual research through concept art, story art, character design, environments, assets, linear and non-linear storytelling. They create an animatic or walkthrough to demonstrate their concept's viability, working individually or as part of a creative team. They can also collaborate with BSc Game Development students.
• Animation for Music, Titles and Idents (40 credits): This module allows students to create a music video for an artist of their choice either individually or collaboratively.
They study advanced After Effects techniques like rotoscoping, tracking, green screen, and keylight and can apply any creative technique to their work. They also explore the genre and contextual background of music and animation in film and games, the title sequence as an art form, and create an ident for themselves. Students help organize a showcase of their work at a public screening at the end of the academic year.
• Design Theory 2 (20 credits): Seminars and lectures continue the study of the context, development, and theories behind students' chosen specialism.
This supports their practical work and helps them focus on their dissertation topic in Stage 3. Students continue with weekly life drawing, looking at environment and figurative drawing practice.

---

Final Year:

• Applied Animation (20 credits): Students collaborate with a charity or other organization to create an animation or interactive piece to highlight a campaign or social issue.
The piece should be educational, informative, or even therapeutic while promoting a good cause. Students treat this as a live brief and work to professional and ethical guidelines using any creative technique.
• Professional Practice (20 credits): Students work on a chosen live brief and a piece to showcase their skills and enhance their showreel/portfolio.
Employability Day enables them to meet successful alumni from this and other Design courses and hear about their experiences after graduating. They will create a Professional Engagement Document, which shows how they have interacted over the past two years with industry professionals either through placements, social media, visits to festivals and studios, or other networking events. This module primarily guides students towards employment and looks at CV writing, interview techniques, and the creative and technical skills required for their chosen specialism.
• Dissertation (20 credits): Students research an approach, concept, or practice relevant to their specialism to support their practical work in their final major project.
The dissertation demonstrates academic research methods, begun in Stage 1, to formulate a written piece of 6,000 words.
• Final Major Project (60 credits): This module builds on the skills and knowledge, both technical and creative, that students have gained across all previous modules.
They create a piece of work that best reflects their specialism and prepares them for professional employment. Students can choose to work individually or as part of a team. They participate in helping to set up and exhibit their work in the final year Degree Show, which is open to the public and industry practitioners.

---

Assessment:

The BA (Hons) Animation and Games Art program uses various assessment methods to evaluate students' learning, including:

• Coursework: Students submit various assignments throughout the program, such as drawings, animations, 3D models, game prototypes, and research papers.
• Examinations: Some modules may include written or practical examinations.
• Presentations: Students may be required to present their work to peers and faculty.
• Final Major Project: The final major project is a major component of the program and is assessed based on its originality, creativity, technical proficiency, and overall presentation.

---

Teaching:

The BA (Hons) Animation and Games Art program is taught by a team of experienced and passionate lecturers with extensive industry experience. The teaching methods used in the program include:

• Lectures: Lectures provide students with an introduction to key concepts and theories.
• Seminars: Seminars encourage active discussion and participation among students.
• Tutorials: Tutorials offer personalized feedback and support to students.
• Studio work: Studio work provides students with hands-on experience and the opportunity to experiment with various techniques and technologies.
• Guest lectures: Guest lectures from industry professionals offer students insights into the real world of animation and games art.
One of the unique aspects of the BA (Hons) Animation and Games Art program is its emphasis on collaborative learning. Students are encouraged to work together on projects, share ideas, and give feedback to each other. This approach helps students develop their teamwork skills, communication skills, and creativity.

---

Careers:

Graduates of the BA (Hons) Animation and Games Art program have gone on to work in various positions within the animation, games, and visual effects industries. Some