2D Animator

2D Animators create the illusion of movement in a series of two-dimensional designs and characters. You’ve probably already done 2D animation (or you should try it now) by sketching a stick figure on a couple pages then flipping through quickly. When you do this it looks like the little guy is walking or, if you are a bad Artist, dancing spasmodically.

Although 2D animators have traditionally been doing work by hand, the use of computer based animating techniques has now become the dominant presence in the field. This integration has both opened up and complicated the field; there is now a whole catalogue of things you will need to learn, from rotoscoping to onion skinning. So even if you are very talented at drawing, this field is headed in the tech-savvy direction and you shouldn’t miss that boat if you want to be a valuable 2D animator.

To do this position well you need a creative side; life requires a personality and spirit, not just motor movements. You are responsible for giving your creations such things by deciding how they dance, how they walk, and how they move through their environment. So you are a storyteller, and your technical and artistic talents allow your stories to become dynamic.

Day to day tasks could include sketching out designs, meeting with clients to review ideas, using computer graphics to interpose several images, and doodling on a napkin as you map out your thoughts. On the whole you work in television, film, video games and as an independent Artist to make non-living objects seem alive.