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Animation Design
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During the Animation Design course, there is a strong focus on telling stories with moving images. By drawing and creating a lot both by hand and using digital techniques, you will develop your own way of looking and telling stories.

Experimental animation

Working on artistic products requires initiative, courage, flexibility and tenacity. Animating is a laborious craft. You are constantly challenged to push your boundaries and look for an authentic and innovative way of telling stories with animation. The story determines the choice of medium: stop-motion, analogue animation or 2D animation. You will be exposed to various techniques where you can experience for yourself what suits you as a maker.

Traditional and experimental animation 

To work on artistic products, you need initiative, courage, flexibility and perseverance. Animation is a craft, whereby you learn to tell stories through moving images. Besides learning to plan the process, you can work in a professional team context, you learn to use free association and to experiment. You are continuously challenged to push your boundaries and to look for an authentic and innovative way to tell and express stories. You create work that has meaning for your audience.   

Observation as a starting point

During the course, there is a strong focus on perception as the starting point for your images. Perception is about the form of representation as well as about understanding and interpreting what you see. You learn to look sharply and critically and ask questions about what you are looking at. Drawing/painting by observation is important to create recognisable images. It is one of the tools for creating both characters and spaces that appear natural.

Course structure

  • The first year lays the foundations for your visual and reflective development. There is also a strong focus on a broader view of visual art and design. The subjects you take during the first year include visual research, animation, storytelling, visual storytelling and drawing. You will also take part in various workshops, including ROOM. These are career-preparatory workshops and master classes with guest lecturers and alumni. ROOM also provides space for debate on topical issues. 

    The technical workshops you will take include courses in wood, metal, ceramics and photography. The graphic techniques you will be introduced to include riso print, screen printing, etching, lithography, typesetting and linocuts.

    After the autumn holidays, a multidisciplinary study trip to Berlin is planned, in which all visual arts study programmes in Zwolle participate. You will take many study components in a mixed class with students from Comic Design. The animation-specific subjects and technical support will be taught in your own group. There is also room for a disciplinary activity, such as a studio visit or a presentation by makers from Berlin.

  • In the second year, you conduct further research into your own signature within animation. You take subjects that contribute in a more in-depth way to your artistic development and research. These include: visual research, animation, storytelling, visual storytelling, drawing and ROOM. But also theoretical courses such as art history and philosophy in practice. You will also participate in subject-specific activities such as film festivals and museum visits.

    In spring, you will join Comic Design students on a trip to Duisburg to draw in an industrial monument. In this new, special situation, beautiful collaborations and connections often arise.

  • In the third year, you are given more scope to work from your personal preferences and seek deepening and profiling as a creator. You will do an internship with an animation director, production company or animation studio, and you will conclude the internship with a report and content preparation for the graduation year.

    The courses you take in the third year are: visual research, animation, storytelling, visual storytelling, drawing and ROOM. And theoretical courses such as Art History and Philosophy in Practice.

    In early June, you will visit the Annecy International Animation Film Festival. You can also choose to study abroad. ArtEZ has contacts with a large number of international art academies. This offers you a chance to build an international network and see how animation is worked abroad.

  • During the final examination year, you will work on the Master's thesis, a final examination work that demonstrates your personal talent and ambition. You will also work on writing an essay in which you give your vision on animation films.

    In the fourth year, you are guided by animation, storytelling, design, theory/reflection and professional animators and directors from the field. 

    ArtEZ finals

    All students showcase their work during the ArtEZ finals in Zwolle. We would recommend visiting one of the final presentations if you are considering doing the Animation Design course. 

Interdisciplinary projects 

Twice a year, the programme organises an ArtEZ University of the Arts Zwolle artistic interdisciplinary programme in which students from different programmes collaborate with fellow students under the guidance of artistic professionals. See, for example:

Techniques and workplaces

On the course, we use various techniques. These include (digital) drawing and stop-motion. Stop-motion can be done in many different ways: paper-cut, collage, drawing, painting, clay animation, puppet animation, animation in a 3D built set. You can also work with combinations of techniques, for example using video mapping in a built set or applying computer-generated special effects afterwards.

As an animation student, you will make intensive use of the excellent studio facilities: a professional photo studio, a film studio with green screen, stop-motion animation studio with workstations, editing suites, a sound recording studio, small studios with special animation tables for cell animation and digital drawing studios.

Study costs

You pay tuition fees every academic year. Depending on your nationality and previous degrees, among other things, you pay either the statutory or institutional tuition fees. Check here for more information and to calculate your tuition fee rate.

Studying in Zwolle 

Zwolle is a dynamic Hanseatic city, with winding streets and many original shops and dining spots. This is where creative students, innovative entrepreneurs and headstrong freethinkers easily find each other. You can find more information about studying in Zwolle here