artist: Nicole Duet
This web page gives general information about the American Animation Institute and its curriculum. To register for AAI classes, you will have to have a catalogue for the next AAI semester, in order to know the dates and times for phone registration.
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The most recent AAI catalogue is available online in Adobe Acrobat PDF format. Click the icon at left to download the AAI catalogue. |
The next fastest way to get the most recent AAI catalog is to call (818) 766-0521, Mondays-Fridays 8:30 am-5 pm Pacific time.
You can also send an email, or a fax to (818) 506-4805, to request that a catalog be sent by U. S. Mail. Due to its size we cannot fax the catalogue; please use the Adobe Acrobat link above.
What is the American Animation Institute?
What does the American Animation
Institute offer?
What are the prerequisites
for taking AAI classes?
Does the Institute offer degrees or
certificates?
Will I be hired at an animation studio
after I take the AAI classes?
How do the class rebates work?
How do I register for an AAI class?
Does the AAI offer computer animation training?
AMERICAN
ANIMATION INSTITUTE
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artist: Steve BrownThe American Animation Institute was founded in 1980 by the Animation
Guild and Affiliated Optical Electronic and Graphic Arts, Local 839 IATSE,
to further the art of the animated cartoon in the United States through
educational and other activities.
Cartoon animation in the United States is at a crisis point. The classic
animators of the "golden age of animation" have almost all retired,
and too many of the greats have passed away. Few attempts have been made
to pass the wealth of these artists' knowledge to a new generation.
Many of those who have entered the screen cartooning industry in creative
and artistic job categories have received little or no professional instruction
in the "nuts and bolts" of the art. Few animation studios are
willing or able to offer their apprentices any real training, and there
has been no real means for screen cartoonists to brush up their skills.
The American Animation Institute is attempting to bridge that gap.
As well as classes geared to industry professionals, the Institute offers introductory and intermediate classes for persons without previous professional experience who are seeking their first jobs in screen cartooning. The Institute's introductory seminars, Introduction to the Art and Industry and Basic Animation Mechanics, run for three consecutive weeks, one two-hour session per week. Our craft classes run for twelve weeks, one two-hour session per week. Our evening art classes run for twelve weeks, one three-hour session per week; our daytime art classes run for twelve weeks, one six-hour session (plus a half-hour lunch break) per week.
All of the Institute's classes are offered at the M. P. S. C.
Local 839 IATSE headquarters building at 4729 Lankershim Boulevard in North
Hollywood, California. Our facilities include two lecture rooms, an animation
work room equipped with lightboards and facilities for photographing and
viewing pencil tests, and a fully-equipped studio classroom for art classes.
You must be eighteen years old and a high-school graduate to take AAI classes. Non-members of M. P. S. C. Local 839 IATSE are required to take Introduction to the Art and Industry and Basic Animation Mechanics as prerequisites for all other craft classes. There are no waivers from these prerequisite requirements.
No. Our classes are designed for people interested in animation, to augment
their previous or current studies and/or experience in animation, fine arts
or film. There is no curriculum of classes; students take as many classes
as they wish in the areas of screen cartooning that interest them. Many
students take the same classes over again to further sharpen their skills.
High-school graduates should be aware that most persons employed in this
field have had some junior-college or college level art training. The Institute
encourages college students to take its classes concurrently with their
other studies.
Upon request, we will give letters of completion to students seeking employer
reimbursement for class fees.
Our classes are neither a guarantee nor a prerequisite for employment. Finding a job in animation depends entirely on skill, talent, perseverance, presentation and luck. Although many graduates of Institute classes have gone on to careers in screen cartooning, the Institute is not a placement service and cannot recommend students to specific employers; nor do we offer financial aid or housing assistance.
How do the class
rebates work?Active members in good standing of M. P. S. C. Local 839 IATSE qualify for a rebate of $20.00 on classes indicated below. In order to receive a rebate you must attend at least ten of the twelve class sessions. Rebates will be mailed within a week after the last class session.
For registration information for the current semester, obtain an AAI brochure.
Introduction
To The Art And IndustryPrerequisite: Age 18; high school diploma.
Materials: Notebook and pencil. Students with portfolios may
bring them to the final class session.
An overview of screen cartooning in Los Angeles County. The nature of this
challenging (and often exasperating!) field is discussed. A realistic appraisal
is given of current employment possibilities in entry-level job positions.
The union and its purpose and function in relation to employers and workers
is explained, to show that union membership and industry employment are
not a "catch-22" for the prospective screen cartoonist. For the
final class session, students may bring in portfolios to be submitted and
reviewed in class by the instructor, who will give personal advice on presenting
to a potential employer the skills necessary for employment.
Prerequisite: Introduction
to the Art and Industry, or membership
in Local 839 IATSE.
Materials: Notebook and pencil.
All persons working in screen cartooning, whether in creative, rendering
or technical job categories, are required to understand certain technical
aspects of the animation process. This class covers the functions and capabilities
of the animation camera; the use of animation bars and peg systems with
tilts and pans; the composition and reading of the exposure sheet; and the
flipping, rolling and stacking of drawings by the animator in preparation
for the work of the assistant animator, the clean-up artist and inbetweener.
Materials: The only materials students need to bring to the first class session are a pencil and notebook. The teacher will discuss additional materials, which may be purchased from any local art supply store.
Inbetweening And
Assistant AnimationPrerequisite: Basic
Animation Mechanics, or membership
in Local 839 IATSE.
Materials: The only materials students need to bring to the
first class session are a pencil and notebook. The teacher will discuss
additional materials, which may be purchased from any local art supply store.
This class covers the working duties of the inbetweener, the apprentice
assistant animator who fleshes out the movement of the animated sequence
by providing "in-between" drawings as specified by the animator
and his assistant. Students work during class time at inbetweening animated
sequences, using equipment provided by the Institute and their own materials.
Prerequisite: Basic Animation
Mechanics, or membership
in Local 839 IATSE.
Principles of story structuring for feature animation. Assignments stress
continuity, staging, attitudes and personalities.
Prerequisite: Basic
Animation Mechanics, or membership
in Local 839 IATSE.
Create the environments in which animated characters move. Learn techniques,
short cuts and the basic visual elements for painting good animation backgrounds.
Find your own "style", and honestly critique and improve your
own artwork.
Prerequisite: Basic
Animation Mechanics, or membership
in Local 839 IATSE.
Conceptual approaches to composition, staging and lighting. During the class,
assignments and lectures will lead to a compiling of examples into sketchbooks
and portfolios.
Prerequisite: Basic
Animation Mechanics, or membership
in Local 839 IATSE.
Character design is the study of cartoon character anatomy (human and animal)
as well as the study of personality types, body language and attitudes.
The goal is to make the artists into "actors with pencils".
A course on how to prepare and pitch your concepts and ideas to the financial world, the networks, film studios, toy companies, and publishing houses. This is a course for concept designers, artists and writers to improve their skills so their work is not just seen, but produced.
This couse is not for the weak of heart that want to come and listen
-- it is directed at the individual who wants to succeed.
Materials: The only materials students need to bring to the first class session are a pencil and notebook. The teacher will discuss additional materials, which may be purchased from any local art supply store.
This class covers the fundamental concepts of perspective with emphasis on freehand drawing and on the creation of environments as related to layout and storyboard.
artist: Steve
BrownHow the environment enriches layouts and storyboards using composition, the tonal thumbnail, use of perspective grids, design of trees and foliage, and a variety of rendering techniques. Locations available at time of registration.
Students must provide their own transport and entrance fee. Materials: For the first class, bring what you have. Instructor will will provide list and discuss supplies.
A course in animal drawing from life. Topics include gesture, 3-D construction,
comparative anatomy, and rendering techniques as related to a variety of
animals.
Students must provide their own transport and entrance fee.
Materials: For the first class, bring what you have. Instructor
will will provide list and discuss supplies.
Acting For AnimationThis is an acting class for animators, developed to provide essential tools and techniques for creating character, and behavior that comes from character. This is not a drawing class and no acting experience is necessary. Participants will learn to express attitude and emotion, explore needs and obstacles, discover the difference between comedy and drama and learn to translate between comedy and drama and learn to translate their thoughts and feelings into specific gestures and actions.
IA basic foundation figure drawing class. Emphasis on fundamentals of seeing and describing form. Procedures used in quick sketch, construction and fundamentals of volume and structure. The goal is to develop the ability to draw with skill and imagination.
Artist: Diana CocoEmphasizes drawings that are entertaining and tell a story. Students need a general knowledge of anatomy since this class will focus on stretching, bending, tension, overlapping of shapes, distortion and center of interest.
This course is designed to intensify the fundamental understanding of structure and form developed in earlier classes. The objective is clarity of expression. Attention will be given to anatomy, conceptualizing form and troubleshooting difcult poses. We will work on the description of form with tone in longer, more complete drawings with emphasis on integration of the parts, compositional structure and anatomical relationship.
This class will develop a solid understanding of the construction of the head, hands and feet. This will include a study of the planes, forms and volumes and the structure of bones and muscle to show how they interact dynamically, creating action and character.
Artist: Glenn VilppuAll weekday classes include a thirty-minute lunch break.
Close attention will be given to the fundamentals of anatomy, structure and form followed with emphasis on character, mood and action. We will examine and explore different theories of color, the value scale, direct and indirect light and procedures used by various artists throughout history. Finally, a discussion of personal approach, inviting the student to challenge established norms and limitations.
A basic course in drawing. Methods of describing, organizing and observing form. The course will include the use of various materials including paint, values in drawing and painting, various procedures and approaches to drawing and painting including quick sketch, compositional sketches, gesture drawing, figure lay-in, basic landscape drawing and painting. The students will be expected to work on assignments both in and outside of class.
Fundamentals of three-dimensional head construction, anatomy, and expression with emphasis upon the individuality of the model. We will be doing both short and long poses. The range of approaches will be from the quick sketch to portraiture.
Painting the Still
LifePainting from the still life is one of the most quietly rewarding ways for students of all levels to develop the skills of a painter. This class covers fundamentals of paint handling and color mixing, and how to create the illusion of light, form and atmosphere. Students learn to see the setup with the eyes of a painter; as a world of color, value, shape, and edge relationships. We will experiment with subject matter, paint handling and various lighting conditions. This class can provide either an in-depth introduction to oil painting or a deepening of the student's understanding as a painter. Demonstrations and individual attention will be given.
The primary focus of this class will be figure construction and anatomy, as a preliminary foundation for further study in figure drawing. The goal of this class is to give the student fundamental knowledge, skills and confidence in figure drawing, allowing for the development of more advanced skills.
Various procedures and attitudes towards the quick sketch. No poses longer than five minutes. A variety of materials will be used with both clothed and nude models. The goal of this class is to develop the student's skill in using a shorthand approach to capturing the figure in action, both from life and imagination.
Featuring fundamental to advanced techniques using various materials from Conte to brush-and-ink. We will cover key fundamental drawing concepts, structure, observing and organizing form, procedures and approaches, quick sketch, line of action, gesture drawing, line and contour, figure construction and anatomy, figure lay-in/compositional sketches, form and tone, understanding and describing difficult parts, the draped figure, advanced figure - long poses using the basic theories of modeling form, analysis of the old masters - composition and drawing techniques.
Artist: Karl Gnass