Animation Promo

Check out our student animation promo reel. This will give you an insight about the upcoming show reels from our school

Pre Production Promo - Animation and Art School Goa

Hi check out the latest PRE PRODUCTION PROMO VIDEO at our school. We are providing top class art & design programs in the country. Watch the video to see the difference in education. Please share it around and help students to get the right education from our facebook page

https://www.facebook.com/A.and.A.GOA

The Insider's Story

This week we are in conversation with Prem to discover his journey from an engineer to a perfect scorer in his entrance exam for the worlds number one college - Sheridan, where he aspires to be a 2D Animator

What were you doing before Animation and Art School Goa?
 I did my engineering from Trivandrum. After my course got over i was keen on joining the arts, I was quite interested in drawing but couldn't pursue it professionally due to family pressure. After which I got a job and joined Accenture - Bangalore.

Why did you choose Animation and Art School Goa?

After my degree I started preparing for Sheridan as it is the best collage in the world, so I started working towards building my drawing skills. I searched a lot in Bangalore, went to renowned colleges like NID but was still unsatisfied as they gave more emphasis to software based skills. Then i got in touch with a bunch of accomplished artists around India , met them personally, and one of them recommended this school to me. They seemed like experts in their field which evoked my interest. I called Dattaraj and found out that the batch was about to begin, so I got here in the next 2 days

How was your experience here?
It was GREAT... I learned a lot over here.
Earlier i thought If I could draw it was enough, everything happens with time. But it never occurred to me that so much goes into it. Before I got here I was lost and lacked direction or a mentor in my life. They gave me a strong direction to move in and guided on my path towards artistic enhancement.

What is unique about Animation and Art School Goa?

My artistic education here has been very enriching.  The faculties here are specialists in their field. There is no animation school in India at least which teaches both traditional and modern media, This is certainly the college for the next level.

 

What do you think about the Faculty?

The Faculty here is the best part about the college, They are professionals who have worked for many years. So they know what they are talking about and they have a strong sense of mentor-ship towards the students. They are also very warm and friendly.

How was your experience in Goa?

I think its a very good place for students who are starting out as artists. Its very calm, isolated, and among the art experts who love the same things I love. There is nothing to Distract or disturb you, The environment supports our cause. Its a very comfortable and warm space which helps maintain focus

How do you think your education here helped you score a near perfect score at Sheridan?

That is a very general question which encompasses a lot of various reasons but some of them would be

1) Constant feedback
2) Their curriculum - The way the course is structured is very systematic and effective.

3) The study of traditional media and arts

4)  The conceptual thinking imparted into us with the ability to bring art to life

5) The application of all the above principles into the execution of your art.

This is an Avante garde college which gives you the firm roots of the traditional arts. I'd really like most students like me to talk about this place, lets reach out to them.

The Insider's Story

We are in conversation with Alisha Vas who is a BFA graduate in Illustration,

She speaks about how happy she was joining Animation and Art School Goa, as it proved to be a revolutionary learning experience.

What were you doing before you joined Animation and Arts school Goa?

"I was studying fine arts at the Goa college of Art for 4 years, I majored in illustration. Since I had a background in traditional medium I came here mainly with an intention to specialize and gain in-depth understanding of my field 

Why did you choose Animation and Arts school Goa?

I came for a workshop here. I was very thoroughly impressed with the faculty and the way they worked. They knew the subject very well. I did check out other institutes in Goa, but honestly nothing they were offering came close to what i was looking for and the pre-production course offered here met my needs completely.

How are the facilities here?

The facilities the college offers is just right, they have enough to meet the student's needs. This place offers gadgets you need for a comfortable learning experience. This is one of the reasons i chose this school, It makes me very comfortable as not being able to afford technology is not a disability anymore. 







What is the difference in your Art from when you began till now?

Well, i can see a total leap in the level of work i am producing now. While earlier good work was a matter of chance, now we understand the details that go into it, which helps me produce the results required. Now I am a lot more confident about finding a job in my industry.

Écorché Foundation Class

Snippets from the Écorché Foundation Class

The Digital Art Conundrum

 Hello people

                      A eye opening article to all the traditional artists on DIGITAL ART by Ruturaj Arolkar. Check it out.

https://www.artsquare.in/index.php/static/expertspeak

Making of the SEA CREATURE CONCEPT ART

We have used a combination of Acrylic colors, Markers, Pastels and Digital Painting for the final Output. This video was made to demonstrate to the traditional artists how traditional media can be used  for development of concept art and their leap to the digital world need not be overwhelming. Digital medium is always preferred by many artists due to its forgiving nature and the speed of output. However in the world of concept art for feature films and Games, concept artists use any medium they are comfortable with and do not essentially stick to the use of digital medium.

WINNERS Announced

Hello participants

                      VOLA!!!Here are the winners for the online concept art competition organized by Animation and Art School Goa. Congrats to the winners and all the participants. It was interesting to see some great entries.

Also please take a look at the winner section for jury reviews

http://aanda.co.in/forum/index.php?topic=123.0

Thank you all for participating and wish to see you all in the next competition

Jury Announced

Announcing the jury for the online concept art challenge. The jury comprises of industry specialists with international feature film experience.

SimpleTips Part 3 - Illusion of space in thumbnails

Here is the PART 3 of the simple tips for thumbnails. Enjoy

SimpleTips Part2 - Focal point and lighting in thumbnails

 Here is the PART 2 video for the thumbnails. Enjoy and please give us your valuable feedback

Exclusive Tips, Tricks and Tutorials

Hello people                    
          
                    These are some helpful tips that will help aspiring students to prepare better artwork for the   competition.At the same time skilled artists too could quickly brush up on the fundamentals before they begin work on the competition.If you don't plan to participate this video will still be of great help as a concise video document for art fundamentals.

Dattaraj is a new CTN member. WOW

Hello folks

                    Animation and Art School Goa congratulates our design faculty Dattaraj Kamat on becoming a new CTN member. Such an honor to join the clan of the worlds best creative people. Do check out his interview and portfolio

Interview : http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs005/1011321007020/archive/1110030455211.html

Portfolio : http://creativetalentnetwork.com/portfolio.php?id=626

Animation express released an article on RUTURAJ AROLKAR, Director of our school ANIMATION AND ART SCHOOL GOA

 Link :http://www.animationxpress.com/index.php/latest-news/in-converstaion-with-ruturaj-arolkar-director-animation-and-art-school-goa?fb_comment_id=fbc_10150975666120809_24815992_10150983836530809#f1718744c54992

What made you start Animation and Art School Goa?

Sometimes situations just force you to do things you never imagined. Animation and Art School Goa is exactly an outcome of such a situation. I had dedicated myself completely to make Takshaa – Academy for the Artist one of the best schools in India for animation. I had co founded it so I never thought otherwise. Well lets just say things do not happen the way you wish they would and I decided to move on. I had an option of either moving to a desk job or continue on my own to still go on and make a school that is well known for art and animation. My well wishers had told me to take up the desk job as an artist and I chose the other way. The hand that wanted to slap me could also give me a pat on the back, only time shall tell.

Why did you start the school specifically in Goa? Why not in other regions?
The very first requirement for a budding artist is a free mind. A mind that is not drained off its creative ability by long strenuous commutes just to get to class. You need an environment that sets you up for the day rejuvenating you by staying close to nature. Life is not just about work, now is it? What better place to be in when you just need that time away from your daily routine to do something different. Probably draw people live, sketch some new environments and with the rich heritage and colonial structures everywhere you have great subjects to study within 5 minutes from wherever you might be in Goa. Which other place offers such freedom? Unfortunately lot of parents have a very different view of what goa has to offer. The real Goa is very different from what most know about it.

What is your education philosophy and teaching methodology?

“Get your 100 bad drawings out of the way before you can see your first good drawing” Students expect their first choice to be their best when creating anything in animation as they do not understand the meaning of this sentence.. There is a big learning curve and lot of subjects that are taught off the computer have a tangible impact on your creations. “If you cant communicate it on paper, chances are you wont be able to do it on a computer either.” I always have believed that any piece of art is 80% planning and 20% happy accidents. You just need to be trained enough to know when those happy accidents occur and how you can use them in your final work.

The word Art is very prominent in your school, so does that mean your school will also have courses like fine arts and commercial arts?
Animation is a derivative of the Art form with heavy use of technology. If you want to belong to the creative side you need strong fundamental art skills. If we look online for the best schools in the US and other European/Asian countries in animation you will find ART schools teaching Animation. They are not just animation institutions!! That is the simple fact. Having studied at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco CA. I realized how important fundamental Art knowledge is for the field of Animation and this i speak from personal experience. My engineering background did provide me with the technical knowledge required but earning my BFA after my BE was the best thing that happened to me. To answer your question, yes we will always have the Fine arts and Commercial arts stream at this school because it is the core of Animation education.

For all the various verticals within animation, color theory and its applications are of great importance for the filed of Texturing, Lighting and Visual Effects. In-depth knowledge of Anatomy, Forms/Shapes and Volumes are key basics for a Modeler and a digital character designer. Good readable and expressive poses whether exaggerated or subtle are of paramount importance for an animator not to mention these artists need a good sense of composition. These essential traits are learnt without the computer at the traditional level. Students who directly try and jump to 3D fail to understand important feedback because they do not have the right kind of Art vocabulary or a catalogue which can help them visualize better in turn gravely affecting their work.

What is the set up of the school like?
The school is spread on 2 floors. The administrative block, A dedicated Art room, a sculpting room, a Design room and 2 computer class rooms sit on the first floor. The Library and the Labs are on the 2nd Floor. We have fabricated sculpting tables so that it can accommodate sculptures from 3 feet to small maquettes. Like a traditional art school we have horse benches and easels foe the artists and drafting/design tables for the conceptual art classes. The computer rooms have high end machines will all the requisite software. We also provide hostel facilities to students who come from other states.

How many students are studying in Animation and Art School Goa at present and how many have passed out so far?
This question would be appropriate for a school that has been around for 3 years at-least as that is the time required by a school to make its presence felt through its graduating batches. Since we are fairly new, actually just over a year old operationally, we have 5 students who have passed out who had enrolled in the specialization course. Their work is available online to see.
The school intakes 15 students in a batch as we feel that is the right size so each student gets personal attention. Another 15 are in the current batch. We also have courses for the young budding artists from age 12 – 16 years. Since this is the age when children start developing their traits we train them professionally at secondary level you will be surprised how well they perform, it is the exposure to this medium of animation that trains their mind right at home. Its much easier for them to grasp concepts.

What kind of courses do you offer?
We offer the following courses that range from 1 year to 2 years. Since this is a lot of information I would urge you to go to our website, www.AandA.co.in for more detailed course descriptions:

• Film Production
• 3D Specialization – Modeling, Animation, Lighting and Texturing, Visual Effects.
• 3D Asset Development – For Hi end feature films and Game concept design
• Pre Production Design – Character/ Creature designs and environment design plus a lot more.
• Illustraion
• 3D Layout & Set Design
• 2D Visual FX
• Contemporary Media

We also teach Online classes for any specialization.

What is the syllabus for these courses?
Syllabus is the core of any course structure. My long association with education in animation right from my time in the US as a Teacher’s Assistant to help set up my universities online courses back in 2004 till date, along with my production experiences on features and commercials have given me a good idea of what the Indian Animation Student requires to build a good skill-set. The Syllabus has been an end result of all this years of this association and has been indigenous crafted to fill any void that arises from a standard course structure. As we have a lot of programs it would be difficult to even summarize them all here. Again the info can be obtained online by sending a request to the student counselor.

Do you have entrance examinations? What are the eligibility rules to enter “Animation and Art School Goa”?

I am sure this industry will soon see coaching classes for training students for these Animation Entrance Exams (A.E.E). “India’s First or maybe Worlds best A.E.E training facility” will be their slogan. I believe this to be a complete marketing gimmick.

We ask students for their personal work, their portfolios which even contain doodles and photos, we need different insights on our students to help them better and that we obtain from their personal work. By the way we also train students who have passed out from other Animation institutes who have given such entrance exams.

We have a simple policy of stringent grading method. Anyone can enter based on seat availability but only the ones that perform in the semester go the next level so if you are not cut out for this you vacate the seat for another deserving person. Hence we do not insist on taking the fees upfront. You can pay as you progress that way if you cant cope, we don’t waste your time and you don’t waste your money. Absolute transparency.

Some are born artists and it is a clear decision for them but some need time to discover and wake the dormant artist with in them and an eligibility criteria would be unfair to them.

Who’s the faculty at “Animation and Art School Goa”?
Every Faculty at the school has a BFA degree at least. Then they have minimum 3 years of experience in production that too working on international projects from feature films to commercials and TV productions. I personally teach too and i have been in this field since 1995 over all learning and working professionally. With Feature film and TV production experience right from working an artist to Directing, I have been nominated at the FICCI Frames and the Golden Cursor award for my work.
Another key person is Aditya Chari who is well known in the art fraternity and the animation industry. Aditya along with Dattaraj Kamat and Shiraj mulla is responsible for the traditional and digital art classes. Aditya has written 2 text books in drawing for human figures and portraits which are used all over India and abroad as reference materials. He is just brilliant and has loads of experience from designing for virgin comics to doing conceptual art for major films and actors alike. Dattaraj has worked with UTV in the design department and has a big fan follow online and Shiraj has over 11 years of experience in matte painting and concept development. Vinay Prasad, an animator by profession handles the Animation classes.
The most important factor for them is passion and the will to make a difference. It is a big task at hand but we strive to make a difference. There has to be a good combination of a proper progressive curriculum and experience d faculty who can provide good critiques.

When is the next batch commencing?
We have begun a Trimester pattern at Animation and Art School Goa so we be having new admissions every four months which is January, May, September.

What are your future plans for “Animation and Art School Goa”?

To be one of the best Art schools in India. We really do have an extensive curriculum and i have done my rounds at various art colleges in different states and I can say for sure most of them need to upgrade their course ware to meet the current trends. They have an environment where people who are naturally skilled can get by but creating talent from the mediocre lot needs a real good setup which exposes them to things from renaissance art to the emerging trends. Unfortunately we as a community are satisfied with mediocrity and it is plaguing the industry. Animation and Art School Goa is a system where the like minded need to bond and create a difference they want to see it is not a one man show and it is right now just an effort that needs to be molded for future creatives. A long way ahead but wih a goal in sight.

How was your experience teaching at Takshaa?
Takshaa is and always will be my first creation as a co-founder in the education field. People still talk about it and believe it was indeed one of the best. There is a good lot of students who have learnt under us there and who are doing real good in the industry. It was the perfect place to be and i have now created the next step to it. The best thing about Takshaa was that the faculties were all working professionals who had industry experience and could share it with their students on a daily basis right from Hollywood to Bollywood.

One official quote from your side
Be wise to know that only you can see the world your way from you shoes. Recognize your strengths and work towards them. It will be the best thing you ever did for yourself.

Indian Animation Industry

A huge animation industry and a biased opinion in India, Why?

If I ask you to name two good movies you have seen, you would quickly name a couple without thinking twice of the category the movies belongs to, be it a comedy, a drama or even a black & white film. Whether you liked them for their songs, the acting or just the overall feel of it, a film for us has always been a combination of all of the above, then why is it when we say Animation film, we quickly assume it as a children film and lose interest?

For a sculptor the tools of choice are a hammer and a chisel, similarly computer animation is just a tool chosen for film making. A computer by itself cannot create good films but the person using this tool will make the difference depending on his understanding of art and technology . The use of computer animation is primarily for making a film cost effective and safe for certain projects like an action film or sometimes to make movies using physically impossible themes like talking animals, Dinosaurs etc.

Pricewaterhouse Coopers International Limited has estimated the Indian Animation Industry to be worth 54 Billion Dollars by 2014, which is Rupees 25,920 Crores!!

Is INDIA experiencing a boom in Animation?

To answer this let's take a look at the Animation market which is broadly categorized as:

• Feature Film (Visual Effects/Animation)
• TV Series
• Direct to DVD films and series
• Gaming – for consoles like SONY PlayStation, mobile phones and internet etc.
• Advertising and Music videos
• Other fields like Architecture, Interior Designing and Medical.

The Indian Animation Feature Film market is not doing well even with the backing of big names like Saif Ali, Akshay Kumar, Kareena Kapoor, Yash Chopra proving a point that just attaching big stars to lend their voices to characters does not lead to a good film. If its a good quality animation it will sell. We had few releases which failed to make money in theaters but made their money through after release sales like TV channel rights, CDs, DVDs and merchandising like T-Shirts, toys etc.

In the USA, Animation Film projects make more money than most of our best Bollywood hits. They create royalty which makes money for years to come. We have seen some success in international movies like Tinker bell, Alpha and Omega done in India but for big off shore studios.

In the TV series market most of the money made is from the never ending volumes of outsourced work coming from the biggest studios worldwide like Disney, Nickelodeon etc. Indian mythology series and a few odd projects are the few contents that India have managed to develop. Chota Bheem, though with medium quality animation has seen real good success and is a great Intellectual property from the business point of view.

The advertising and music video market has a lot of creative projects being done and some do really match international standards.

The gaming industry is expected to grow by about 36 per cent in the next four years but it is still not hitting volumes as in the USA and Europe markets.

Indian Animation boom is mainly from outsourced work.

Is India is capable of developing animation movies that can make 100 Crores?

We are not yet ready. A lot of this has to do with the Art Education System in India.

We have still not been able to embrace this field as a mainstream subject and consider this only for average ranking students. The outlook on animation is of an easy alternative to the other mainstream subjects. On the contrary this field is just as demanding as other fields, requiring a lot of hard work and a proper education system to make it successful. The pay scales are equivalent to MBA or Engineering graduates and even students from IIT work in this field on the technical and programing side.

Animation is not just cartoons, it is a tool developed by use of advanced computer technology for artists. Animation is more about the Art than it is about the softwares that change with time but the art fundamentals remain same. A strong art foundation is recommended for animation. Most people don't think this is necessary and only learning the software is enough with the result that we are not able to create the big money movies that match international standards. Take a look at Japan, they compete with the American animation industry and still maintain their cultural influences in their animations but deliver international quality movies which even win Oscars.

What kind of jobs are offered ?

The jobs in this field are broadly categorized in 3 segments : Art, Technology and Production Management .

Artists are of 2 types, one who is a traditional artist like a painter or sculptor and the other a technical artist (an artist interested more in programming). Technology has 2 departments, Pipeline and IT. A pipeline programmer writes programs for easy work flow between all Animation departments so no data is lost, develop tools that help artist unfamiliar with technology for speedy production process. 
 

The IT department is responsible for safe keeping of data and machine maintenance and updates. The production management team overlooks production planning and delivery. There is a scope for all types of students in animation, engineers, artists or even MBAs. To give an example, Rhythm and Hues studios in Los Angeles California employed a PhD in physics who develops tools for realistic simulation of ocean, fire etc. which is based on actual physics and little to do with art. Scientists are hired and provided with facilities to develop newer technology to make Visual effects more real for animated films.

Even the “The Academy Awards – Oscars” has a category for Animated films and another one for technology development.

What is the current scenario in India?

India is evolving in this Big money making industry. Students having art background or an understanding of both Technology and Art, irrespective of their educational background make perfect candidates for this field.

Few of the 'A list' Oscar winning studios like Dreamworks, Rhythm and Hues, Sony Image works from USA and Technicolor, Moving Picture Company from UK have setup in India. Also International colleges like France based Supinfocom have set up Animation Institution in India.

India is an emerging market in this field and great opportunities lie ahead. Students now have a chance for international recognition without leaving India, I believe now is the right time to enter this field which promises to be a 1000 crore plus market in near future.

Ruturaj Arolkar

BFA – Academy of Art University,

San Francisco, California, USA

Director

Animation and Art School Goa

ruturaj@AandA.co.in