Video Game Design and Development

Encouragement, advice, and support for aspiring game designers.

  • Schools
    • Online Schools
    • Game Design School Rankings
    • Game Design Majors
    • Graphic Design Schools
    • Canada Game Design Schools
    • Art Schools in The USA
  • Development
    • Game Programming Languages
    • Game Development Software
    • Texture Packager
    • Roblox Coding 101
    • Gaming in C ++
    • Video Game Engines Guide
    • How to Build a Game Engine
    • Unreal Game Engine
    • Unity vs Unreal
    • Unity vs Godot
    • Java
    • Gaming Technology
  • Careers
    • Become a Game Designer
    • Education Requirements
    • Geme Design Document
    • Video Game Ideas
    • 3D Modeler
    • Game Artist
    • Expert Interviews
  • Animation
    • Animation School Rankings
    • 2D Animation Software
    • New York Animation
    • California Animation
    • Animation in Canada

Aspiring Animators Start Here!

animation articles and guides
Wait, if this is a website about video game design, why do you have animation articles on here as well?

It's simple, we love animation. Game design, development, art, and animation are all under the same umbrella we call digital design. These industries overlap so much that it would be silly for us to ignore animation when it plays such an important part in all digital design. Plus, we think animation is pretty cool.

Although we write far more articles on gaming, we'll keep producing new and helpful animation guides, so check back for more.

Some of our more popular animation articles include:

  • 100 Must-Watch Animated Movies | Ranked & Rated Instant Classics
  • The World's 70 Greatest Animation Schools, Colleges, and Training Programs!
  • The Worlds Greatest 50 Animation Companies (Choose Your Next Adventure)
  • Ranked and Reviewed! The 20 Most popular 2D Animation Software Options

Synfig Studio: Perfect for Indie Animators & Versatile Enough For Career Pros

Synfig Studio

Whether you’re making a hilarious cartoon for Youtube, the opening cutscene of a video game, or an artistic training video for a professional business, 2D animation can be a laborious process. Everything from tweening to layering can take up a frustrating amount of time. On top of that, animation software can be expensive, and it’s […]

Written by Jesse Jones-Read - Updated on June 27, 2021

Inbetweening: Smooth Transitions in Animation and How to Create A Perfect Tween

Inbetweening

We’re pretty spoiled when it comes to great animation. For over one hundred years, we have been exposed to some of the most talented artists and most impressive works of animation in our history. What makes them so great? Some may say it’s the drawing skills of the artists. Others say things like the top-notch […]

Written by Bryan Wirtz - Updated on June 22, 2021

Pro and Newbie Animators Love Pencil2d Animation Software (Why Simple Is Powerful)

Pencil2D

There has never been a better time to be an animator. Don’t believe me? First of all, how dare you. Second, there are tons of programs that help you out immensely. One of those programs is Pencil2D. Here we’ll introduce you to some background info, features, and Pencil2D tutorials to get your 2D animator career […]

Written by Bryan Wirtz - Updated on June 24, 2021

How to Animate in Krita: The Steps and Tools You Need to Bring Your Ideas to Life

Krita: Tools and Techniques

Animation and 2D painting are fantastic ways to express creativity and pull viewers in. Let’s see how to start an education in animation, and most importantly, how to animate in Krita. How to Get Started With Animation How do I animate? You use tools like Krita! Other than that, animation is the process of taking […]

Written by Bryan Wirtz - Updated on June 25, 2021

Becoming A 3D Animator: The Ultimate Guide For A Future Creative Career

3D Animator

The Job of a 3D Animator The job of a 3D animator and designer isn’t all glamour and creating Pixar movies. Well, some of it definitely is, but not without hard work. Let’s take a deep dive into 3D animator as a career choice, what you need to succeed, and how to land a job. […]

Written by Bryan Wirtz - Updated on June 23, 2021

Quick, Easy Steps To Animate A Character in the Unity Engine (Tutorials & Sample Animations)

Animating Characters in Unity

Unity is one of the premier game engines of the modern age. While perhaps not as powerful as the celebrated Unreal Engine, Unity has been the toolset for thousands of talented game developers and is officially the most popular third-party game development software. Games like Hollow Knight, Cuphead, Rick and Morty: Virtual Rick-ality, Escape from […]

Written by Bryan Wirtz - Updated on June 25, 2021

Simple Tools to Make Animation Sprites

Sprites Animation

What is Sprite Animation in Multimedia? Sprite images are 2D bitmap graphics found in several games and other media. If you have ever played 2D games like Final Fantasy VI, Chrono Trigger, and the more recent title, Octopath Traveler, you are already familiar with sprites in games. Creating and animating sprites allows game artists and […]

Written by Bryan Wirtz - Updated on December 9, 2021

Visual Effects (VFX): Past, Present, Future (Transforming The Ordinary To Extraordinary)

Visual Effects

We see the magic of visual effects everywhere. The chances are good that some of your favorite movies or TV shows have some impressive visual effects added in. Before we get into the nitty-gritty, let’s take a step back and see just how visual effects, or VFX, have transformed storytelling in some of our favorite […]

Written by Bryan Wirtz - Updated on June 24, 2021

Learn How to Draw the 4 Basic Anime Poses: Running, Ballet, Punching, Throwing

Anime Drawing Techniques

I was perusing the Internet as I often do, and I found a video of the talented team of animators who were in charge of creating environments and stills for the 1988 movie, Akira. If you haven’t seen Akira, it takes place in an unfriendly and foreboding urban, post-apocalyptic Tokyo, (named ‘Neo-Tokyo’), populated by biker […]

Written by Bryan Wirtz - Updated on June 23, 2021

What You Can Do With A Master’s In Animation: Education, Career Path, Schools To Attend

Master's in Animation

There is a lot to consider when setting out to achieve a degree in any field. Everyone knows it’s somewhat of a Herculean task to get a law degree or medical degree. Maybe you’d be surprised to find out that getting a master’s in a field like animation is also nothing to turn your nose […]

Written by Bryan Wirtz - Updated on June 24, 2021

Use Character Creator Games To Improve Your Character Design Skills

How to develop your character creator skills

What Is A Character Creator Game? A character creator game is not like a role-playing game that emphasizes character creation before you start playing. Instead, character creation games emphasize the actual creation and art of characters. This is something I am definitely into, as I am known to really spend hours tweaking and perfecting the […]

Written by Bryan Wirtz - Updated on November 15, 2021

Pixel Art Is Here To Stay: Here’s How To Get Started In This Classic Form of Animation

3D Pixel Art

Anyone familiar with any classic games like Final Fantasy Tactics and Earthbound understands the overall look and feel of pixel art. Pixel art uses the aesthetic and properties of 8-bit and 16-bit graphics to create worlds, characters, and ultimately, full games. Artists and developers often use the process of ‘spriting’, which involves forming your creation […]

Written by Bryan Wirtz - Updated on June 25, 2021

3D Animation ‘Power Tools’ for Beginner Animators

best free animation software for video games

It has never been easier to breakthrough into creating your animations. Whether these be games, humorous little animations like those of populating the internet over the past 20 years, or just playing around with the software and its capabilities, 3D development is right at your fingertips. If you are like me, you are always on […]

Written by Bryan Wirtz - Updated on December 24, 2021

Explore the Best 2D Animation Software: Including Free and Paid Options

Top 2D Animation Software

Animation is a wild thing. From Toy Story to Flash cartoons, animation has captivated the world for years. Specifically, 2D animation has roots in history going back to the advent of movies. This also ties into gaming as well. We all love games like Braid, Metroid, and Castlevania. However, it is one thing to sit […]

Written by Bryan Wirtz - Updated on January 5, 2022

Animation Books Every Aspiring Animator Should Read (Tips, Tricks, & Techniques Revealed)

The Animators Survival Kit

GameDesigning.org is reader support. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn More. Ever since watching Spirited Away in 2001 by Studio Ghibli, I was enchanted by animation. And I’m sure I’m not the only one. You may ask yourself, how do I begin to even match that […]

Written by Bryan Wirtz - Updated on August 23, 2021

The Animation Pipeline, From Start to Finish: Concept, Design, Pre and Post-Production

animation pipeline introduction

What are the steps to completing a successful animation? Obviously, it takes a lot of time, skill, planning, and plain expertise. The animation pipeline is a detailed game plan for your project. When considering the ‘animation pipeline’, you should have a good idea as to what step of your project you’re on. The main steps […]

Written by Bryan Wirtz - Updated on August 23, 2021

Let’s Review the Most Popular Anime Films Ever: Grab the Popcorn!

best anime movies of all time

Anime movies are some of the most breathtaking spectacles in film. The painstaking attention to detail and the mix of drama, action, romance, and other genres really sets them apart as a tour de force when it comes to the art form. Directors like Hayao Miyazaki have enchanted audiences for decades with his work. You […]

Written by Bryan Wirtz - Updated on January 5, 2022

Animation Schools in Louisiana (Begin The Path Down Your Animation Career)

top louisiana animation colleges

Louisiana may not be the first state that comes to mind when considering the best places to earn respectable degrees in Animation. However, there are plenty of well-established college institutions and universities that are offering Animation courses in the state of Louisiana, allowing students in the area to branch out and begin their paths down […]

Written by Bryan Wirtz - Updated on June 23, 2021

Study in Connecticut Animation Colleges (Set Yourself Up For Success in Digital Media)

best animation schools in connecticut

If you are looking to study in Connecticut with a major in Animation, there are plenty of options available. Animation is one of the fastest growing industries, and Connecticut can provide you with the schools and universities to help you achieve your dream in the animation industry. Here are the best schools with animation related […]

Written by Bryan Wirtz - Updated on November 13, 2021

7 Maryland Animation College Programs

animation schools in maryland

As any art patron would notice, traditional forms of visual art have been completely transformed by modern-day technology. Anyone who’s seen a special effects movie from this century would probably marvel at the amazing graphics and animation work of these projects. As more artists realize the potential of the animation industry, it’s no wonder why […]

Written by Bryan Wirtz - Updated on January 7, 2022

7 Animation Schools in Massachusetts (Which One Is Right For You?)

massachusetts top animation colleges

With the advent of modern technology, more and more young minds are pursuing alternative versions of art. What was once paint on canvas is now digital art to be imported into a fictional world. With the steady rise of video games and animated movies in popularity, there’s no doubt that the animation industry will continue […]

Written by Bryan Wirtz - Updated on June 22, 2021

The Top Animation Schools in Canada

Animation Colleges - Canada

When going through all the universities and colleges Canada has to offer, there are a ton of viable options to attain a respectable and fulfilling degree in Animation, or related to Animation. Choosing the right university for you is essential in making sure that you get the most out of the next few years of […]

Written by Bryan Wirtz - Updated on January 7, 2022

Michigan Animation Schools: Start Your Career Right (Earn Your Education Here!)

top michigan animation colleges

Seeing the kind of graphics animators produce nowadays, it’s easy to see why so many people have fallen in love with digital art. With more artists hoping to become animators for big companies like Disney, Nintendo, and Ubisoft, to name a few, it seems as though the animation industry has nowhere else to go but […]

Written by Bryan Wirtz - Updated on June 23, 2021

Explore Colorado Animation College Programs

top colorado animation colleges

Whether you are an animation-enthusiast living in Colorado or admiring Colorado from afar, we have an up-to-date list of the best schools to attend in order to live out your animation dreams. It doesn’t matter if you’re more interested in the fine art, digital art, communication, or game design aspect of animation, in Colorado there […]

Written by Bryan Wirtz - Updated on January 7, 2022

Take Your Pick: 3 Nevada Animation Schools (Compete In The Professional Art Industry)

best nevada animation colleges

Now may be the best time for students who are looking to break into the animation industry. Many large companies, as well as smaller studios, are on the lookout for fresh and talented animators with an eye for innovation. Though there are not many schools in Nevada offering programs related to animation, the few that are […]

Written by Bryan Wirtz - Updated on January 7, 2022

  • 1
  • 2
  • Next Page »

Categories

  • Animation
  • Career
  • Engines
  • Experts
  • Gaming
  • Graphic Design
  • Learn
  • Technology
  • Video Game Design Education Hub

GameDesigning.org is reader-supported. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn More.

Recent Posts

  • How to Make Gaming Videos for Youtube
  • Comic Illustrator Profile: Job Description and Salary Details

Site Info

  • About Us
  • Cite this Website
  • California Consumer Privacy Act
  • Editorial Guidelines


DMCA.com Protection Status

Connect

  • Contact Us
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest

Copyright © 2022 · Privacy Policy · Terms · Earnings Disclaimer