Hey! I wanted to ask a bit about Sheridan college. I want to do my post-grad in animation and I know that it’s only 3D animation. Do you know anything about what kind of a program it is and how classes are conducted? I also wanna know if there’s a lot of speaking and presentation that students have to do. I’d just like to know what id be getting into before making a decision. Thanks!
Hey! So I graduated from the animation program at Sheridan College. There are actually a few programs at the school for animation, an exclusively 3D program, which is probably what your research turned up, and a 2D and 3D bachelor of applied arts, which is what I did. I can’t speak to the 3D program because I didn’t do it and I don’t know anyone who did, but for you and anyone else curious about the Sheridan animation program I can speak a little to that.
The program covers a lot of territory, from fundamental drawing skills like anatomy and perspective, to history of animation, animation basics that apply to all mediums, 2D and 3D technology and even stop motion. There’s also a big emphasis on life drawing. It’s a 4-year program that is very applied, the focus is to teach real skills that will get you a job in the animation industry. The program is divided up into classes of about 25 - 30 students, and all your lab classes will be with that same group so in some ways it feels a bit like highschool. Most of the classes are labs in small classrooms, actually drawing or animating and getting critiques.
There is some presentation involved, especially in storyboarding class where you’ll be expected to pitch your storyboards in front of the class several times. There’s also a normal amount of presentations and public speaking in the elective classes.
The program was exactly what I needed as an artist to build my technical drawing and animating skills. If you’re looking to actually learn how to draw or paint or animate this program is one of the best. Without it, I wouldn’t even know how or what I should be studying to improve my drawing skills and there’s no way I’d be where I am now, and I did get a good job in the industry right out of school, as did the majority of my classmates. Of course the program isn’t perfect - it’s skewed a bit towards the Toronto 2D industry because that’s where most the graduates get jobs. Also the college itself, not the program, is kind of stupid and not very aware of what people are looking for at Sheridan, and every step the admin takes towards becoming a university is a step against the practical and applied nature of the program. The program is becoming broader, more theoretical, watered down and out of touch with what the students need and want. That being said, it’s still head and shoulders above basically all other animation or even drawing and painting programs in North America, unless you can afford to go to school in California.
