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I want to be a 2D animator.

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I want to be a 2D animator.

Hello everyone, on this discussion board.

I am a new user on this site, and I have recently started to do drawing lessons for cartooning. I'm now thinking about wanting a job for 2D animation in the future. Right now, I'm still trying to move up a lot of levels in my drawing experience. I've been inspired since I was a kid with all the shows, movies I liked, I did it mostly with tracing certain pictures/posters. I would consider myself a beginner still. I feel like I'm about 5-10 years younger by doing this because I was still drawing stuff like how I did back then and it looked bland and dull. But, I'm kinda afraid (or I don't have a lot of faith) about this, I feel like no one would take me as an animator or cartoonist and probably not even like my talent. I still kind of suck at it...

I just turned 17 and I am in senior high school and I have yet to get into college to get a degree, but I'm not even sure if we'll still have 2D in the world and that's what I want. Right now, my school is not very good when it comes to animation but I have a class coming up that I'll probably get to use an animation program.

I mean, I want to address this to anyone on this forum, I would like some advice or something to show that I should pursue this and if I want to. Hope you take the time to read this and maybe chat with me. Maybe I could make a friend or two on here.

Thanks.

Edited by: 2danimationnerd on 01/14/2016 - 3:08pm
Focus on drawing as much each

Focus on drawing as much each day as you can and take drawing in college. You can get the basics of animation from some books like, "Cartoon Animaton" by Preston Blair.

Thanks for that.

OK, I do plan to try to do that, the problem is my high school's art stuff is not exactly how I expected it, not like in the books or anything.

I have at least 3 books that teach/give you the basics right now, I actually want that book but it's available mostly online. I haven't found it in any store at all.

Check your local book store

Check your local book store to see if they can order the book also there are other titles you should look into. Goto the Barnes and Noble website and search animation.

Keep pushing your work on your own by setting up simple things to drawn. 

Response 2

OK.

I have at least a document on me of a list of books I want that are like that. I have at least 27 listed. I'm not rich or anything but I would really want at least all those ones I like.

I'll do that and try my best, I am trying to do simple things but I can't really think of any good ideas. I kinda want to do it all perfectly. Maybe I could have some suggestions, perhaps.

The Animator Letters Project

I believe you would find the answers you are looking for by reading the letters on The Animator Letters Project website. Professional animators have shared their stories about how they broke into the industry, how they overcame roadblocks, and their encouragement and advice for others looking to pursue their dream of becoming an animator. So much wisdom and inspiration is found in the letters. Please let me know what you think. :-) www.theanimatorlettersproject.com

Willie Downs, Creator and Editor, The Animator Letters Project, williedowns.co

Thanks so very much!!!

So...

I've read all the letters that were on the site, and they are very inspiring and joyful. Reading them just brought great belief to my mind.

I did find one that reminded of myself, I have been inspired from anime, video games, TV shows and lots of movies since I was a kid. Besides me wanting to do animation myself, I've also wanted to do voice acting too because I also like to impersonations of my favorite characters or lines from anime/cartoons.

One of the biggest problems for me is that I just want to do 2D animation, same with me also wanting to only do acting for animated shows. Besides that, I'm technically afraid about the demise of 2D, because I think it might be completely gone in the next 10-15 years, by the time I might be either still be in college getting my degree or looking for a simple place to start my career.

I also sometimes wish I worked on some of the classic Disney films or cartoons that I thought were amazing and I've beloved for most of my life.

Overall, they were amazing and I can't believe I'm talking with you, the creator. It made my day. :D

You can tottaly do it. I

You can tottaly do it. I believe 2D animation will never die while there are people who love it and do it well. I'm studying 2D animation too, I love it and I want to master it. You're still really young, I'm 25 and not afraid of trying.

Practice drawing. A lot. Mostly life drawing. Learn how the world arround you works, how it breathes, moves. Feel the life. Drawing is no different from exercising a muscle: you need to keep working on it every day so it become better and better.

I'm learning from two amazing sources: The Animator's Survival Kit and Creature Art Teacher. The first is deep, technical and have every single tool you need to learn, its a book and there's dvds with classes that you'll be amazed. Make this one your bible. The second one I fully recomend because is from Aaron Blaise, one of the top animators from Disney. In that website he sells a totally affordable animation course, fully in HD videos. More than 20. There are the fundamentals and there are the more complex aproaches. Before you study The Animator's Survival Kit, I think its even better that you buy Aaron's full animation course.

https://creatureartteacher.com/product/complete-animation-course/?src=ho...

Its only 75$, a low price for so much content. And its easier to follow up. Maybe you get a bit scared with TASK at first, but this animation course will show you everything you need in a soft way.

If you love Disney like I do, then you must know these words: Keep Moving Forward

Cheers!

OK.

OK. Me too, I would love it more than anything now for a future job and I want to master it and be just like the ones at Disney. True, but I want to have a class like that. I am always trying to think of some good ideas, but it always doesn't turn out well.

Alright, I'm not even sure I could purchase something like that. I think I have seen that book before at a book store and it was $60 dollars or so. Maybe I should think about getting it. I only have a very limited amount of money. I'm not rich or anything. I want to plan on getting lots of other books that have tutorials and stuff, I have a list where I have 27 listed.

The only problem I don't have Adobe Flash or Photoshop on my own computer or any professional software and I only have a 150GB laptop/Windows 7.

I think so, but I guess I would enjoy it. I do love Disney with a huge passion, so I'll hold on to those words.

Thanks!