Qualities of Successful Animators

Animation is an exciting and ever-changing field. New techniques and new technology regularly expand the possibilities for bringing worlds, characters, and stories to life. As a result, 2D animation, in Austin and elsewhere, remains a cutting edge field that welcomes new talent, fresh eyes, and creative, technically savvy people. The very best animators possess certain unique qualities that allow them to flourish in this field. The following are a few of the characteristics you should develop if you wish to succeed as an animator, and the qualities you should look for when hiring an animation studio in Austin.

Attention to Detail Successful animation is all about capturing the details that make scenes and characters believable. For instance, creating fluid actions and a realistically changing background require careful attention to exactly how those things happen in real life so they can be mimicked on the screen. This attention to detail extends to every area of an animator's life. For instance, the truly skilled animator pays attention to everyone and everything around him, noting tiny details that others may miss. He then recalls those details and recreates them in the animated project. It is this ability to observe the smallest details in the world around them that allows the best animators to mimic these details in their animated work. For instance, an animator who is naturally curious about every facet of his world will have a deeper store of knowledge from which to draw when making his animated world believable to viewers who want to see the same kind of details played out on their screens. In addition, the animator's attention to detail translates into an outstanding work ethic. They not only pay attention to detail but also take the time to recreate those details successfully on the screen. The most successful of them demonstrate a high degree of patience as they put in as much time and effort as necessary to make an animation production beautiful, creative, and engaging. Animators who do so experience the pleasure of creating genuinely breathtaking works of art.

Creativity Of course, for an animated project to succeed, the animator must balance both an attention to detail with a sense of creativity. Animation is an art form, and as such, demands that its practitioner’s exhibit an ability to use their imaginations and experiment in bold and interesting new ways with the possibilities that animation opens up to them. For instance, an animator should be able to see the world around them in a different way from others. They should be able to take the subject matter they are given and transform it into a beautiful, imaginative piece of art that is entirely unique. This artistic mindset and skill combined with attention to detail is one of the secrets behind the very best and most memorable works of animated art.

Drawing Skill Attention to detail and creativity are the personal, innate qualities that define a good animator. In addition, any successful animator must be able to demonstrate strong technical and artistic skills. For instance, every animator should possess a basic ability to draw. Today, almost all animation is created on the computer, through CGI and software applications such as Adobe Flash or After Effects Animation. These digital tools make the process much faster and easier than it was when all animation was hand drawn. However, even digital animation often requires the artist to apply drawing skills to create realistic and lifelike images. In certain stages of the animation process, such as concept design or character design, being able to capture a client's vision for a project in expertly sketched images and scenes is vital to that project's success. As a result, any would be animator should take drawing classes, and anyone you hire should demonstrate not only strong computer skills but also the ability to develop winsome characters and worlds through drawing.

Knowledge of Anatomy and Movement While anatomy and movement may seem unrelated to artistic pursuits, they are actually integral to successful animation. Animation requires the animator to create work that mimics the real world. Even if the world being portrayed is a fantasy world, and even if the characters are comic book heroes, cartoon characters, or anime creations, they still need to look and move believably on the screen. A sound grasp of anatomy and of the basics of movement will allow an animator to create these scenes with the type of realism that draws audiences in. There are two ways to gain this knowledge. The first is to study anatomy. Even basic anatomy classes can provide you with a foundation upon which to base your artistic creations. The second is to take acting classes or to pursue acting in some other capacity. In fact, animation companies like Pixar often prefer candidates with acting experience over those without, because that experience provides them with the window into movement and emotional expression that they can then transfer to their work in animation.

Technical Expertise Finally, the best animators demonstrate technical expertise that encompasses the various techniques of animation and the various digital methods for creating it. For instance, Austin animation studios will often require the animators they hire to demonstrate an ability to work with a variety of computer applications. Any animator you hire should possess a high degree of skill and comfort with the digital methods for creating 2D animation. Technical expertise and artistic talent go hand in hand with successful animators. When you are hiring Texas animation studios to do your work, select those that come with animators who demonstrate these qualities. And if you want to become an animator, take the time to learn and develop these characteristics to give yourself the best chance for success in this ever-evolving artistic field. Powerhouse Animation is a traditional 2D animation studio based in Austin, Texas with offices in Burbank, California. Since 2001, Powerhouse has been making ideas come to life through animation, illustration, and motion graphics. With a staff of 35 in-house artists, animators, videographers and designers, Powerhouse works on a wide variety of projects and has created animation for companies including Disney, Sony, Marvel, DC, Old Spice, Coca Cola, Miramax, the USO and more. To learn more about some of these projects visit PowerhouseAnimation.com.