Diploma in 3D Animation – Course Content

Semester 1 – Fundamentals & Basics

1. Introduction to Animation & Multimedia
   • History & evolution of animation
   • Types of animation (2D, 3D, Stop-motion, VFX)
   • Careers in animation industry
2. Drawing & Sketching
   • Basic drawing & anatomy
   • Perspective, proportion & shading
   • Storyboarding fundamentals
3. Design Fundamentals
   • Principles of design & composition
   • Color theory & psychology
   • Typography & graphics
4. Computer Graphics & Multimedia Tools
   • Photoshop/Illustrator for digital art
   • Basics of video editing tools (Premiere Pro)

Semester 2 – 2D Animation & Pre-Production

1. Storyboarding & Concept Art
   • Script to storyboard
   • Character design & environment design
   • Visual storytelling
2. 2D Animation Techniques
   • Principles of animation (12 principles)
   • 2D animation software (Toon Boom, Adobe Animate, Krita)
3. Digital Imaging & Audio Editing
   • Image editing & compositing
   • Sound editing (Audition, Audacity)
   • Syncing audio with visuals

Semester 3 – 3D Animation Production

1. 3D Modeling
   • Introduction to 3D software (Maya/Blender/3ds Max)
   • Polygonal modeling, NURBS, sculpting
   • Character & environment modeling
2. Texturing & Shading
   • UV mapping techniques
   • Texture painting (Substance Painter, Photoshop)
   • Shading networks & materials
3. Lighting & Rendering
   • Light types, shadows, reflections
   • Rendering engines (Arnold, Cycles, V-Ray)
   • Optimizing render quality

Semester 4 – Advanced 3D Animation & VFX

1. Rigging & Animation
   • Skeleton setup & controls
   • Skinning & deformation
   • Character animation (walk cycles, lip sync, acting)
2. Dynamics & Visual Effects
   • Particles, fluids, smoke, fire simulations
   • Cloth, hair & fur dynamics
   • Compositing with After Effects / Nuke
3. Camera & Cinematography in 3D
   • Camera movement & staging
   • Virtual cinematography
   • Scene setup for storytelling

Semester 5 – Post Production & Game/Film Integration

1. Compositing & Editing
   • Layer-based compositing (After Effects/Nuke)
   • Chroma keying & rotoscoping
   • Motion graphics
2. Game Asset Creation (Optional Track)
   • Low-poly modeling for games
   • PBR texturing
   • Import/export pipelines (Unity/Unreal Engine)
3. Film & Project Work
   • Short animated film production
   • Team collaboration & project pipeline
   • Portfolio development

Semester 6 – Industry Preparation

1. Portfolio & Showreel Development
   • Creating demo reels
   • Presentation skills
   • Online portfolio setup
2. Industry Practices
   • Production pipeline in studios
   • Project management basics (Agile/Scrum for creative teams)
   • Intellectual property & copyright
3. Internship / Major Project
   • Industry internship or capstone project
   • Live client projects (optional)

✅ Key Software Covered (varies by institute):

• Autodesk Maya / Blender / 3ds Max
• Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, After Effects, Premiere Pro
• Toon Boom Harmony / Adobe Animate
• Substance Painter, ZBrush
• Nuke, Fusion
• Unity / Unreal Engine (for game track)