Studio Arts has announced it will be offering a full suite of training classes using Toon Boom Animation's Digital Pro and Storyboard Pro software. The intent of the beginning-to-advanced training courses is to provide 2D animators and other artists a thorough grounding in Toon Boom's "paperless" animation system. Toon Boom courses are due to start Oct. 6, 2007 and, along with CSATTF and ETP funding, there will be "scholarship seats" for each class that are fully-funded by Studio Arts.
According to Eric Huelsman, President of Studio Arts, "We are thrilled to get started with this program. We have, for many years, been trying to find a digital 2D animation product that we can be confident gives 2D animators a viable opportunity for sustained work in the animation industry. With the successes of features like THE SIMPSONS MOVIE, (Starz/Film Roman) and the gearing up for productions like THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG (Walt Disney Feature Animation,) we see Toon Boom as the way to go to for those who want to stay employed in the 2D animation industry."
"We are honored to have Studio Arts on board. The quality of their training combined with their proximity to the largest Hollywood animation studios offer animators a unique opportunity to get hands-on training on the industry standard animation technology," shared Joan Vogelesang, President/CEO at Toon Boom Animation Inc.
Toon Boom's Digital Pro users can draw original art, import digital pictures or reuse predefined assets from a library, set-up scenes in a 3D environment and move a camera in realtime.
Huelsman continues, "We have seen a lot of trends come our way over the last 5 to 10 years. Right now digital 2D is hot. We've been doing a lot of Flash, Mirage and After Effects training lately... and I can tell you that our school is currently training more 2D artists in 2D apps (like Storyboard and Digital Pro) than we are in Maya or any other 3D software application... seems to me that 2D is back and in a big way. With that in mind, we are offering several full scholarships in Toon Boom to those affected by the layoffs in the last few years."
Studio Arts are offering grants and scholarships to both working and out-of-work 2D animation artists. Scholarships will be determined on a case-by-case basis. Contact Studio Arts at (323) 227-8776 or e-mail them at admin@studioarts.tv(link sends e-mail) for more information.
Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
Creator of Rick's Flicks Picks
