3D Animation

Earn your diploma in 3d animation. Centre for arts and technology’s diploma in 3d animation is an in-depth, career-focused program packed with the 3d animation training needed to get you working in this expanding industry! 

Taught over 18 months by working animation professionals, you’ll get the industry connections and in-demand skills to jump into your career in the 3D animation industry.  

This hands-on program covers the professional and technical skills you’ll need to get noticed and hired, including: 

• Character animation processes and principles
• Studio workflow etiquette
• Animation speed and development drills
• Acting and Character development 
• Mocap clean-up and game engine implementation
• Creature/animal animation (body mechanics and acting)
• Foundational skills in traditional drawing and animation 
• History and cultural significance of the animation industry 
• Life Drawing (Including human and animal mechanics) 
• Storyboarding 
• Demo reel creation 
• Industry-standard software including Autodesk Maya

You want the best 3D animation courses. Here’s what our program will do for you: 

01
Industry Connections
Animation industry professionals as your Instructors and mentors. 

02
Let’s Get You Working!
Well-rounded, focused curriculum to get you successfully working as quickly as possible.

03
Degree Pathway Options
Established pathways with BCIT and University of Gloucestershire to further your education after graduation.  

04
Top Tech
Latest technology, facilities and equipment in a dedicated animation lab classroom. 

When you’re backed by exceptional curriculum and an education team focused on your success and individuality, the future of employment is bright. Here are just a few studios and organizations where our award-winning animation alumni have been thriving. 

We understand that choosing a post-secondary school is a big decision that usually involves input from some of the most important people in your life. Tuition considerations, support after graduation and key industry connections – these are all part of choosing the best animation school for you.  

Here are a few reasons why you’ll be happy you chose Centre for Arts and Technology:

Hands-on, employment-focused education.

Employment-focused programs delivering the soft skills you need for lasting career success and hands-on experience with the latest, industry-standard technology. Your career starts here! 

More one-on-one time with your Instructors and mentors.

Small class sizes mean you get more facetime and critical feedback from your education team, to achieve real growth and success.

Personalized support from start to finish.

Financial guidance? We’ve got you covered. Career advice after graduation? We wouldn’t have it any other way. You’re more than a student number to us. We create a personalized experience that you won’t get anywhere else.

Quality you can fact-check.

Centre for Arts and Technology holds a full designation through Education Quality Assurance and the Private Training Institutions Branch. You’ll only get the best at Centre for Arts and Technology.

Quarter 1

You will be introduced to the practical skills and knowledge that are proven fundamentals of 3D animation, therefore laying the foundation for your entire 18-month program. This will be achieved through the introduction of Autodesk Maya that will be used consistently throughout your program and aid in the creation of, what will be, a regular end of Quarter demo reel. By the end you will display introductory knowledge/skill in the 6 basics of CG; modeling, texturing, rigging, lighting and rendering; Your introduction to the principles of animation is through traditional methods. In addition, traditional drawing as it relates to drawing the human form and perspective drawing and an introduction to the history and overall industry operations and trends that aid students in their motivation and knowledge around this career choice. 

Quarter 2

You will be introduced to the CG tools and pipeline of animating in Maya. The animation principles you were introduced to and how they translate to a CG medium will be a major focus of this as well. Parallel to this you will continue doing more advanced animation through traditional methods, while also continuing to study the human form/movement through life drawing studies and developing your visual storytelling and camera/film language skills through the art form of storyboarding. 

Quarter 3

You will continue to focus on animating in Maya through a more advanced study of body mechanics and an introduction to pantomime acting. Your traditional animation training will be complemented by introducing ToonBoom Harmony as a means of creating breadth and depth in your overall employability. Studies of the animal/human form/movement will continue, and 3D Layout will allow students to translate their visual storytelling and camera/film language skills from two-dimensional drawings into a CG medium. 

Quarter 4

CG animation training continues in Maya as acting to dialogue is introduced as your main focus. Complimenting this will be studied in acting for animation through film performance and genres. To further increase breadth and depth in your employability and understanding of organic movement and mechanics, creature animation will be studied along with the continuation of human/animal analysis through life drawing methods. 

Quarter 5

This quarter you will mainly focus on creating material for your final graduation portfolio and demo reel through more advanced CG animation studies of acting to dialogue and an introduction to animation specifically for gaming. Aspects of this training are now more self-directed with instructors taking on an increased mentoring role. Professional attitudes, studio practices, production schedules and networking are emphasized to a greater degree and put under more scrutiny, in addition to getting you prepped for this type of career. 

Quarter 6

Your final quarter is all about getting it done to the highest level. This is the culmination of all your hard work. Polishing your animation, creating a professional demo reel/portfolio site, job searching, networking and meeting the graduation criteria is your focus.