Christian Colleges with Animation Majors

By Calli Wolfenden, Staff Writer
 

Animation is the art of bringing to life what wasn’t alive before. We most commonly think of cartoons when talking about animation, but there is so much more to it than just Saturday mornings on Cartoon Network. An animation degree teaches students to tell a story, create characters, and use their imagination to craft an experience that would otherwise have only been possible in dreams. The limit of an animator is only their imagination.

An animation degree from a Christian college will nurture student’s creativity, teach them to stretch the boundaries of what can be perceived, and thrive in a world that desperately needs creativity and Christ.

Some example careers for students who major in Animation:

• Animator: An animator is a professional artist who brings life and movement to 2D or 3D art, usually through the use of technology and software, in order to tell a story. The result is movies, cartoons, video games, anime, ect. Some of their main roles are storyboarding, creating backgrounds and characters, and drawing frame-by-frame to create movement.
• Character Designer: An animator whose main concern is the development of characters for a story, movie, show, video game, etc. Character designers put together the physical appearance of the characters, the clothing, the facial expressions, the motivation and personality of the character, among other things. They work closely with the director and other animators to ensure that a character fits into the context of the story.
• Storyboard Artist: Storyboard artists typically put a scene together through a series of frames to give an impression of how it will end up playing out.  They help plan out the scenes, camera angles, and sequence of action for an animation. They work closely with the director and production team to help visualize the shots in a scene and ensure that it meets their expectations and aligns with the overall vision and objectives.
• Game Designer: A game designer creates the animation for games, including character development, maps, objectives, storyline, and scenarios. Game designing often involves some math, engineering, coding, and science in addition to animation and art.
• Art Director: An art director oversees all aspects of the visual appearance of a work of animation. They work closely with directors, production, and other animators to make sure all artistic decisions are consistent with the project’s desired look and feel. Art Directors often make decisions about color palettes, character designs, backgrounds, and other visual aspects of an animation.
• UI/UX Designer: UI/UX designers focus on designing and improving the user interfaces and user experiences of apps, websites, or software. This involves working on the interactive and visual aspects of these digital products, making sure they are appealing and easy to use.
• Teaching and Academia: Coming full circle with a major in animation is to then teach the skills, technology, and know-how to the next generation of animators. Typically, this will be at the college level, though there may be some high schools that offer a basic course.  
• Medical Animation: Medical Animation uses the skills of an animator to create visuals for biological or medical concepts or procedures. These animations are primarily used to teach, to inform patients, or to be used as a visual aid in research or presentations. For this field, students will need a strong grasp of both science (biology and anatomy mostly) and animation.

To be successful in a career with animation, what really matters is the portfolio, experience, continued learning, and networking. Animation careers are not so dependent on degree prestige or level as they are on individual talent and prowess. Building up a strong portfolio that showcases dedication, talent, and progression will do far more for those looking to make it in animation than a graduate degree will. An internship during the undergraduate years will most likely go much further for an aspiring animator than a graduate degree will. An internship will also help with networking and gaining connections within the industry.

There is no specific statistic for success rates for graduates with a degree in animation, especially considering there are many factors that go into how well one does as an animator. The expected salary post-graduation is around $51,193; however, the exact amount varies greatly depending on experience, skill, and some other factors. That said, if the passion for animation and storytelling has been placed on your heart, getting a degree in animation from a Christian college is the way to go.

To major in animation is to dedicate oneself to the meticulous work of developing creative ideas, characters, and plots to tell stories that astound, entertain, or teach profound lessons. Becoming an animator means committing to the details, the extensive time it takes to craft each scene, and the continued learning that is required by the constantly changing world of animation. An animation degree cultivates these valuable characteristics and many others in aspiring animators. Such characteristics as patience, attention to detail, commitment, technical proficiency, and good communication make animators a desirable candidate not just for popular media or production, but also for ministry.

Works Cited:

• “Animator Salary in United States - Indeed.” Indeed, 18 Aug. 2024, www.indeed.com/career/animator/salaries.

By Calli Wolfenden, Staff Writer
 

There are plenty of opportunities for those with an animation degree in the Church or ministry.

Exodus 35:31-33
“… and he has filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills—to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, to cut and set stones, to work in wood and to engage in all kinds of artistic crafts."

The skill to create, to craft, to be artistic comes from the Lord. The Lord blesses people with artistic skills in Exodus and uses those gifts to bring Himself glory through entrusting them with the construction of the Tabernacle. Just as the Lord blessed people with the ability to be creative and artistic then to do great things, so He blesses people now, and we see it in gifted people like the animator.

The handiwork of animators is not uncommon in ministry or the Church. Animation provides the church with a creative medium to teach important lessons, share information, or spread promotional content. The use of animation within just the church can go from adding media or visuals to a sermon, to creating promotions or evangelistic projects that can draw people into the church or teach the gospel in a different way. When a sermon series has a cool video prefacing* each service with cartoon characters, bending shapes, and cool transitions, more likely than not that is the work of an animator.

Animators can also add life and organization to a Church or ministry’s website. This can be things like characters on the webpage that users can interact with or small animations for form submissions, page changes, or other actions. Similarly, animators can play a pivotal role on social media platforms, creating content that is engaging and is set apart from the regular. Animators have so much potential to use their craft to the benefit of ministry, the Church, and evangelism so long as they continue to use the creativity they have been gifted by the Lord.

The potential for those that want to major in animation is substantial. If you are creative, detailed, committed, and eager to stretch your imagination (and others’), then a major in animation from a Christian college could be just the path for you!