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Classical Animation

DIPLOMA | 12 MONTHS | FULL TIME | ON CAMPUS

Master traditional hand-drawn animation, from fundamentals to a finished short film in one intensive year, graduating with a professional demo reel, portfolio, and production-ready skills.

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Program Overview

Duration:
12 months (6 terms, full-time)

Location:
Vancouver, Canada (Campus)

Credential:
Diploma, Classical Animation

Grad Deliverable:
Original animated short film with demo reel/portfolio

Core Tools:
Toon Boom Harmony, Adobe Animate, Photoshop, Maya, ZBrush

What You’ll Graduate With:
Production-ready 2D animation skills, along with a powerful multi-piece production portfolio

Start Dates:
Multiple intakes per year

Tuition:
Domestic students: C$25,950
International students: C$31,000

Career Paths:
2D Animator, Storyboard Artist, Character Designer, Layout/Background Artist, 2D FX Animator, Ink & Paint, Compositing

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START YOUR TRAINING

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Program Focus Areas

From Sketch to Screen – Classical Animation Production Training

The program covers the full 2D animation pipeline:

  • Drawing fundamentals and anatomy
  • Character animation and acting
  • Storyboarding and layout
  • Background design
  • Effects animation
  • Digital ink & paint and compositing
  • Editing and sound integration
  • Portfolio and professional preparation

Students progress from hand-drawn exercises to producing an original short film and demo reel.

Explore Student Portfolios

While training at ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥¼ä, students are immersed in the Animation industry and experience hands-on, studio-based 2D animation training, creating professional-quality work. And, nothing is a greater testament to the incomparable industry resources and career preparation that define ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥¼ä’s education model, than the top quality work our students produce. Here, a portfolio of outstanding work is just the beginning. Just take a look. Ìý

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Serio

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Created by Ana Gusson

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Tragaluz

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Created by Eduardo Garcia

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The Signal

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Created by Elisa Hernandez

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What You’ll Learn

  • 12 Principles of Animation
  • Keys, breakdowns, and in-betweens
  • Timing, squash and stretch, anticipation, overlap
  • Clean-up techniques and production procedures
  • Life drawing and anatomy
  • Perspective and spatial drawing
  • Composition and staging
  • Gesture and movement analysis
  • Model sheets and construction
  • Character proportions and personality
  • Expression sheets and poses
  • Consistency for production use
  • Storyboard creation and animatics
  • Camera work, staging, and continuity
  • Directing action and performance
  • Blueprint for production
  • Scene planning and environment design
  • Multi-level scenes and perspective
  • Establishing shots, pans, and staging
  • Animating natural elements: fire, water, smoke, explosions
  • Physical laws of motion in environment animation
  • Lip sync and performance
  • Emotional expression through motion
  • Body mechanics and character acting
  • Scanning and cleanup workflows
  • Digital colouring and compositing
  • Camera moves and scene planning in software
  • Leica reels and film assembly
  • Sound integration with dialogue
  • Final rendering and presentation
  • Resume and cover letter preparation
  • Industry awareness
  • Interview readiness
  • Portfolio presentation standards

SPEAK WITH A ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥¼ä ADVISOR TODAY

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Career Outcomes After Graduation

Vancouver Film School’s signature, hands-on training starts from day 1. By the time you graduate, you’ll have developed an industry-ready skill set that will prepare you for a variety of careers:

  • 2D Animator
  • Storyboard Artist
  • Character Designer
  • Layout/Background Artist
  • 2D FX Animator
  • Ink & Paint
  • Compositing

Faculty

Vancouver Film School’s Faculty consists of the most highly trained professionals in the creative industries. While our full-time instructors provide more one-on-one time with students than other film schools, our part-time instructors are pulled right from the heart of the industry, equipped with the most current, relevant industry experience and credits.

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Course Content

  • Animation Fundamentals
  • Character Design 1
  • Composition
  • Perspective
  • Life Drawing
  • History of Animation
  • Career Prep

Outcome: Understand core animation principles, drawing fundamentals, and basic character design.

  • Animation 2
  • Background Design
  • Character Design 2
  • Effects Animation 1
  • Storyboarding 1
  • Layout

Outcome: Design environments, animate character movement, and create storyboards and layouts.

  • Animation 3
  • Assisting Animation
  • Colour Theory
  • Effects Animation 2
  • Storyboarding 2
  • Final Film Concept

Outcome: Refine timing, staging, and storytelling while developing the concept for your final film.

  • Animation 4 (dialogue acting)
  • Final Film Project (pre-production and animation)
  • Layout recap
  • Premiere (editing tools)
  • Sound Breakdown

Outcome: Your short film moves into full production with dialogue animation and scene planning.

  • Digital Ink and Paint (Toon Boom Opus)

Outcome: Convert drawings into finished digital animation using industry-standard tools.

  • 2D Digital Animation
  • Portfolio Preparation and Review
  • Sound Collaboration
  • Maya Intro
  • Photoshop Sessions

Outcome: Complete your animated film, assemble a professional portfolio, and prepare for employment.

SPEAK WITH A ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥¼ä ADVISOR TODAY

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Campus Life

We’ve designed our production centre to mirror the professional studios that surround us in Gastown – among the coffee shops, restaurants, and beautiful brick buildings. You’ll create with industry-level tools in pro-grade spaces – including a motion capture volume, black box studios, a 280° green screen studio, & more – while collaborating with ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥¼ä students across our Animation, Film, and Writing programs.

Program Delivery

ON-CAMPUS

Our 1 year, fully in-person production-based experience, preparing you for the industry’s current practices and technologies.

ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥¼ä’s School of Animation Production Centre is located at 151 W. Cordova Street in Vancouver, BC, Canada. Our state-of-the-art facilities include a 64,000 cubic ft. motion capture volume, a 180-degree green screen room, a render farm, and much more.

Portfolio Outcomes

Your Portfolio by Graduation

Every piece demonstrates your ability to contribute to a professional animation pipeline.

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Book a 1-on-1 Portfolio Review

Have you ever wondered about your true creative potential? Book a review to get valuable insight into your creative work and find out if you’ve got what it takes to go to ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥¼ä.

Find Out More

Admissions

ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥¼ä Advisors are here to answer any questions about the applications process, help you book a tour, or set you up for a free portfolio review with our industry faculty.

How to Apply Refund Policy Contact an Advisor

For more information about language requirements and other information for international students, visit the International Students page.

Tuition

On-Campus Delivery

Domestic: $25,950 CAD
International: $31,000 CAD
Start Dates: Aug. 31

  • A visual art portfolio of your work, including samples of your work (still-life drawings, life drawings, and character sketches; maximum 12 pieces), OR
  • Completion of ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥¼ä’s Foundation – Animation OR Foundation Visual Art & Design programs

Program FAQ

Classical Animation focuses on hand-drawn techniques taught in a 2D animation program, while 3D Animation uses digital models and CGI workflows. Both are offered at an animation school, but this animation program is centered on traditional pipelines and visual storytelling.

Yes, most animation school applicants submit 6-12 pieces of artwork showing drawing ability, such as life drawings or character sketches. If you’re not ready, a preparatory 2D animation course can help you build the skills needed for admission to a 2D animation school.

This 2D animation program teaches industry tools used across studios, including Toon Boom Harmony, Adobe Animate, and Photoshop, alongside exposure to tools like Maya and ZBrush. These are integrated throughout the 2D animation course to support both traditional and digital workflows.

Graduates of this 2D animation program from a leading animation school can pursue roles such as 2D Animator, Storyboard Artist, or Character Designer. The training also supports specialized paths through a character animation course approach embedded in the curriculum.

This 2D animation school integrates career preparation directly into the 2D animation program, including portfolio development, mentorship, and networking opportunities that reflect real studio expectations.

Yes, international students are welcome at this animation school, with support provided throughout the admissions process and transition into the 2D animation program in Vancouver.

Tuition for this 2D animation program is $25,950 CAD for domestic students and $31,000 CAD for international students. As a leading 2D animation school, ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥¼ä offers an intensive, production-focused education within a 12-month timeline.

Yes. 2D animation remains in demand across streaming, television, and games. Studios continue to hire graduates from top 2D animation schools, especially those with strong portfolios developed through a hands-on 2D animation course.

To begin a 2D animation program, you typically need a strong foundation in drawing and storytelling. A traditional animation course or beginner 2D animation course can help you build the portfolio required for admission to a 2D animation school.

This 2D animation program covers the full pipeline, including drawing, storyboarding, layout, and performance. Structured like a professional character animation course, it prepares you for studio workflows while building a portfolio at a leading animation school.

Testimonials

Learning the fundamentals of animation from a great faculty, with an intensive time schedule, helped me learn so much in a short time frame. I am currently working in the animation/gaming industry as a 2D artist, and I animate in my spare time, none of which I could have done without my experience at ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥¼ä.

Hyunwoo (Mac) Ko

Classical Animation Student

Crunchy Games

I put in long, time managed, focused hours of hard work every day of the week for months at a time. As a result I was blown away by my rapid improvement as an animator and an artist.

Johanna Schread

Classical Animation Student

Bardel Entertainment

It will try and test you in a thousand areas that you didn’t expect. Leech every drop of information and experience you can out of every millisecond that you’re there because I guarantee that when it’s over you will weep bitter tears that you couldn’t stay another hour.

Sarah Jolley

Classical Animation Student

Rainmaker Entertainment

I wake up every day full of energy and happiness with a smiling heart because I know I’m learning from the best and also in one of the best animation schools in the world.

Silvia Prieto

Classical Animation Student

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There were a lot of reasons why I chose ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥¼ä: The first being the faculty and the second being the glorious city of Vancouver. It was the first time in my life I ever felt like I was somewhere I belonged.

Tamara Knoss

Classical Animation Student

Big Fish

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