Master in 3D Animation/Sculpt

#1

Good night all, I’m new here on CGSociety,

I’ve finished my course in Graphic Design this year, including one class of 3D Animation and Sculpt with Maya and ZBrush in this final year and it’s one thing I really like and want to do.

I was wondering if anyone knows a good school to make one master in 3D Animation/Sculpt in EU. A master with 1/2 years.
I was trying to find one good school on internet but there is to much schools, some cheaper, some a lot expensive, but I don’t know where to start. I know learning is always a good bet, we are investing on us, but I want one school that help me learning much more that I know in this moment, that help me open my horizons.

Best regards.

#2

Hey Joaomk3, welcome to CGSociety,

I don’t know if any school can make you a master in only 1/2 a year, but depending on where your skill level is at now you could get a good understanding of character production in that amount of time and build off of it.
If you’re looking for an online school I highly recommend CGMastersAcademy
They have lots of good classes taught by professionals working in the industry.
However before you sign up for a class I suggest you ask yourself if you want to be working in Games or Film, because both of those pipelines are very different.
Here’s a look at their classes for 3D modeling in Games
https://www.cgmasteracademy.com/courses?p%5B0%5D=Games&p%5B1%5D=Character+Arts

And here are all their 3D modeling courses
https://www.cgmasteracademy.com/courses?p%5B0%5D=3D&p%5B1%5D=Character+Modeling

Hope you can find a class you like :slight_smile:

#3

Hey, and thanks a lot for your answer martintk,

When I said a “master”, I was talking about master degree, 1/2 years in university just learning 3D Animation, all fundamentals and learn how to make good animations from scratch, rigging, movings, animate all king of characters, scenario, all those things. In begging I think we have to learn “all” kind things (I think);
I have a few problems… I really don’t have a lot of experience in storyboarding and sound design, I don’t know if it gonna be one problem in a degree like 3D Animation. I am one person that really like to learn new things but I dont’t have the backgroud studies of that. I’m a Graphic Designer in the moment. Beside, I had one class in the final year of my course of 3D Animation, with Maya and ZBrush where I made one Character inspirated in one 2D draw of other person, made one diorama (again inspired in 2D draw) and made a few animations in Maya, one minion, all those was made in those 2 programs. Learned the basics of software, used mash, arnold…
I’m interested in the Film area. Maybe in the future change my mind and go for games industry, but for now, Film.

I’v searching for schools and found those:

Anyone have opinions of those schools?
Like one teacher told me, We can work in 3D for 20/30 years or more and don’t know everything, 3D are always growing and we are always learning every day.

#4

Martin suggested online classes because many of the amazing sculptors are not coming out of brick and mortar schools but self taught an online. you will spend far less and compact the classes along with getting your information from the source CGMA instructors are often the same Artdirectors and Leads that are included in hiring process so you know the info is accuarate

Is there a reason you want a masters? If money isnt as much of concern and a long term curriculum being that a masters degree has very little to no impact on general positions? Skill however will play a huge part. If you want the eqievelant of what the industry accepts as a masters I would recommend Gnomon in Los Angeles which 3 year program is equal to the hours required for a masters if it has not changed. But again the degree issue is not important more the quality of training.

also what specific focus do you want ?

#5

I’m from Portugal, to make a good degree I have to go outside my country, and I think for work as animator too. We are only 11 million citizens here, and we don’t have the sources in 3D that other countries have, like Spain, France, UK, USA…
So, the money is a little of a problem, if make the decision to go study outside I have to work there and study at same time, in graphic design (other problem is I don’t have experience in this area outside of school, I had 2/3 clients but nothing really important), or other kind of job that can help me pay my life there.

I thinked in online courses, but if have questions, who I’m gonna ask?
I have a degree of Graphic Designer, but if I’m gonna ask a job with good works, what they gonna tell me? Maybe, “you are not an animator, you are a designer”?
That’s my fear, fear to get in a master too and don’t have the “bases” to finish there with good jobs, like I said , I don’t have experience with storyboarding, sound design and I know that in degrees they cover all that (if I’m not wrong).

My passion is animation, “modeling” in Maya and animate there, Maya in Gereal. When I worked with Maya that pushed me, push me to go find new things, how to do this, how to do that, how can I do what I want, search search…
In zbrush, I liked but don’t felt the same thing, don’t pushed me like Maya. (I have one character here on my portfolio that I modeled in zbrush and rendered in Maya, and have one diorama that beginned in Maya, zbruzh and Maya again make water animation/close/open doors, that kind of things.

I’m a little lost on what is better to choose.

#6

Depending on the online school you will have live and recorded time with the instructor.

Cgma offers a variety including live weekly classes where you have 2 or 3 hours with the instructor and download the video after. For recorded classes there are still forums and weekly live q and a for students to get personal feedback.

#7

Thanks for share all those sources, I’ll take a look at those online schools, see the prices and subjects.

But for you, do you think don’t worth go to an University make a master in 3D Animation? I know that maybe the teacher don’t gonna be the best of the best top animators, but usually they are so bad?
My teacher of 3D Animation of that past lective year in the degree of Graphic design is working at 20 years in the area and was always trying to help find solutions and sometimes problems to solve ahahah. I had a very good experience in the area with him.

What business is asking at animators to get a job in those days? Just have a good portfolio or have studies too?
I know they want experience too but in the beginning that king of requisitions is a little weird, 2 years experience and more…

#8

I was at Gnomon for 10 years and we placed students in studios every term with no degree not only do studios not require but I have rarely heard of an artist even being asked for a degree in regards to pipeline positions. You need to demonstrate the skill and understanding in your reel and the interview will determine the rest.

Online gives you access to equal or better instructors everytime and at half the cost from the saving on overhead

A list of a few of each
Brick and mortar schools that are reliable

Gnomon
Art Center
Brainstorm
Sheridan
SCAD
CDA

Online
CGMA
SCHOOLISM
Learn squared

#9

I thinked on masters because I finished my degree and want to make an specialization in 3D Animation, thinked on that because it’s one way to learn more things that I now in this moment, I’ll try but I know that in 1/2 years I’m not gonna be a pro in it, it’s really hard and we always need to work more and work and work and work to be a better professional in the area.

I’ve looked the links you sended but didn’t find lot of things with animation. One I founded is the animationmentor, but is complete is 6 courses and 2.500$ each, it’s a little expensive I think.

Do you know any good Universities in Europe? Just to compare with those you told me in USA.

And thanks for your help, really.

#10

Consider checking out the School of Visual Arts in NY to your list.