In order to be a successful animator, we must first have a passion for art along with developing our artistic skills. Passion is in our soul sparked by inspiration. Artistic skill is something we learn and hone over time after multiple iterations and practice.
Art fundamentals I and II are a welcomed reprieve from being in front of the computer for a long period of time. These classes encouraged outdoor activity inspired the desire to see more of the world and fostered empirical documentation through photographs or through sketches.
Having foregone the benefit of formal studio art classes until taking Fundamentals of Art I and II, drawing and painting were hobbies along with a mild art supply hoarding problem. Fortunately, Art Fundamentals supplies arrived in Project Launch Box with more than enough paper, pencils, and, erasers than you need for both classes. Luckily, your student ID will provide you with a discount should you desire to purchase your prefered art supplies at your local Blicks or, even, AC Moore stores.
In Fundamentals of Art I, is a studio art class where we learn the basics-the elements of art and principles of design, studied composition, explored space through line and shape, examined light and its effect on value, and improved our views with linear perspective. In this class, each week had three assignments in progression starting with an exploration of the theme of the week, followed by practice then a required creation with a final competency assignment. Each week had a consistent cadence to test your learning with a lecture, a quiz as well as a class discussion and peer feedback.
Fundamentals of Art II is also a studio art class that improved on our learning from Fundamentals of Art I. It followed the same progression, cadence, and structure with weekly lectures, discussion, and peer feedback, a quiz, exploratory practice, creative exercise and a project that proves your competency for the weekly themes. We improved our understanding of the environmental effects of atmospheric perspective, formed a deeper understanding of human anatomy and proportion, crawled through animal anatomy and texture, and developed our skills in character design. I enjoyed this class far more than I expected.
As an animation major, I expected, and hoped for, more studio art classes as part of the curriculum. This class emphasized the importance of multiple iterations towards a well-rounded artistic acumen. Fortunately, these classes also showed us different resources online that can help us with further improvement.