Did you always wish to learn 3D and produce some incredible animations? If yes, we have the perfect software for you – Blender 2.8. Following its release – there has been a whole revolution in the design industry. It is a powerful and free tool.
As a result, 3D is becoming excessively popular, and its demand in freelance work and production studios is burgeoning. With clarity of the Blender 2.8 fundamentals in your toolbox, you will have the necessary knowledge and skills to produce fantastic artwork.
However, for it all, you must take up some good animation classes online. The internet is full of several courses. So, how do you pick the best animation course online for your requirements? We did the research and found the top 11 best courses to learn animation online. So, let us get started and address these online animation training programs one by one.
Best Animation Courses and Classes Online
- Learn 3D Animation – The Ultimate NEW BLENDER 2.8 Course A-Z – [Udemy]
- Learn Professional Pixel Art & Animation for Games – [Udemy]
- Basic 3D Animation using Blender – Offered by IIT Bombay – [edX]
- After Effects Motion Graphics Beast – [Udemy]
- Maya for Beginners: Complete Guide to 3D Animation in Maya – [Udemy]
- Animation and CGI Motion – Offered by the Columbia University – [edX]
- 2024 Top Animation Courses – [Coursera]
- Learn to Animate: Animation Principles – [Udemy]
- Online Animation Classes – [Skillshare]
- Online Animation & Drawing Classes – [The Animation Course]
- Learn 3D Animation Online – [Animation Mentor]
Top Animation Classes With Animation Certificate Online
1. Learn 3D Animation – The Ultimate NEW BLENDER 2.8 Course A-Z – [Udemy]
It is one of the top-rated animation courses online that is comprehensive and wherein you will learn the A-Z of producing some fantastic animations with Blender 2.8. It comprises more than 110 bite-sized lectures.
Therefore, they are easy to understand, learn, and register, regardless of your prior experience. In this course, you will be working on a project that will help you master the art of 3D and produce some phenomenal work.
Rating | 4.6 based on 1600+ ratings |
Enrolled | 8,339+ students |
Duration | 19 hours on-demand video |
Instructor | Alex Cordebard |
Return or refund policy | 30-Day Money-Back Guarantee |
Certification | Yes |
Paid | Yes |
Cons | There is a greater focus on 3D work, but more focus should be on animation instead. |
Learning Outcomes
A few things that you will learn with this online animation training are:
- Everything that is to be known about the all New Blender 2.8, and its new interface
- Advanced techniques to create animations in 3D with Blender 2.8
- Skills and knowledge to make your animations from start to finish
- Creating your work of art from start to finish
- Creating your character, rigging, texturing, animating, and adding sound.
- Designing models, animations, and projects that you can be proud of.
Prerequisites
A few things that you need to take this best animation training is Blender 2.8. First, you must download this software and have it on your device. Further, time and willingness to learn is also a vital prerequisite.
Who should take this course?
This is a great course to learn animation online for:
- Someone with no past 3D knowledge
- Anyone with knowledge of prior versions of Blender
- Anyone with little knowledge, wanting to build on it.
This course is not the best animation course online for someone who already knows the in and out of Blender.
Review Joshua Janzen:
“I’m at the half way mark, which is the beginning of the last section (Final Featured Animation.) Great course. Really enjoyed it and found it super useful.
2. Learn Professional Pixel Art & Animation for Games – [Udemy]
This course is for someone who wishes to create animations and pixel art. Further, if you aspire to make money as a graphic designer, these animation classes online are the most suitable pick for you.
With this course,you will go from having little Photoshop knowledge to designing professional Pixel animations, characters, maps, and backgrounds in only one week.
In this animation certificate online course, you will be working on five different projects that will take you from beginner to expert level. Overall, the course takes you step-by-step through the whole process of building animation and Pixel art in Photoshop. So, you will have all the knowledge to create attractive animations and designs for Pixel games via the course.
One of the best things about this animation course online is that you get lifetime access to the resources. More so, you get personal contact with the instructor.
Rating | 4.2 based on 2380+ |
Enrolled | 69,492+ students |
Duration | 4.5 hours on-demand video |
Instructor | Jaysen Batchelor |
Return or refund policy | 30-Day Money-Back Guarantee |
Certification | Yes |
Paid | Yes |
Cons | The instructor at times rushes through the concepts, which should have been given more detail, given the course is for beginners. |
Learning Outcomes
There is an array of things to learn in this animation certificate online course. A few of the things include:
- Fundamentals of Photoshop
- Designing and building professional art
- Understanding the color, shape, and value in pixel art
- Animating the art for games
- Setting up the program for Pixel Art Creation.
- Making the first two-pixel art assets
- Building game props from scratch and animating them
Prerequisites
A few things that you need to learn animation online with this course are:
- Mouse and computer
- Photoshop
Who should take this course?
This is the top-recommended animation certificate online for:
- Students who want to learn to create Pixel animation and art
- Students who wish to put in some hours to know to do this
- Students who wish to develop projects around Pixel art
- Anyone who wants to add this skill to their arsenal.
Review Michael Julies:
“The course thought me a lot about colors and how to create in photoshop and I learn valuable skills.
3. Basic 3D Animation using Blender – Offered by IIT Bombay – [edX]
Animation is a burgeoning communication method. Today, quite a number of people are aspiring to make a career and learn animation. But, unfortunately, many people do not take up animation learning because the training is expensive due to the excessively high cost of proprietary animation software.
These animation classes online have been designed employing Blender, an open-source 3D animation tool, which aids in the creation of a sustainable solution for animation skill development.
In this online animation training, you will find an array of slow-paced quizzes, video tutorials, hands-on assignments, and activities that will make you well-equipped with animation.
It is a part of the Professional Certificate program ‘Fundamentals of 3D visualization’. There is another course, too, included in this program – Basic 3D Modeling using Blender.
Self-Paced | Yes |
Level | Introductory |
Offered by | IIT Bombay |
Duration | Estimated 4 weeks (4–6 hours per week) |
Instructor | Kaumudi Sahasrabudhe, Sameer Sahasrabudhe, Sneha Sanglikar, and Nitin Ayer |
Return or refund policy | 14-days from the date of payment |
Certification | Optional with upgrade |
Paid | Both options available |
Cons | You do not get graded assignments or certification in the free version |
Learning Outcomes
If you learn animation online with this edX course, a few things that you will learn are:
- Fundamentals of animation principles, timing, and key-framing
- Building simple animation motion with Blender
- Animation of non-organic objects
- Integrating animation principles for achieving realistic timing in the 3D animation
- Getting well-acquainted with the intricacies of the Blender
Please bear in mind; character animations are not covered in these animation classes online. So, if that is your choice of domain, this is not the best animation training for you.
Who should take this animation course online?
This is a great course for individuals who aspire to build 3D skillsets for animation.
Prerequisites
To take this course, there is one prerequisite: the SKANI101x: Basic 3D Modeling using Blender course.
4. After Effects Motion Graphics Beast – [Udemy]
Next on our list for the best animation classes online is this bestseller Udemy course. After you learn animation online with this Udemy course, you will be in a position to add ‘motion designer’ to your CV.
More so, the course will equip you with all the knowledge to put you in a place of being a good animator.
Rating | 4.4 based on 1400+ reviews |
Enrolled | 46,579 students |
Duration | 9 hours on-demand video |
Instructor | Alan Ayoubi |
Return or refund policy | 30-Day Money-Back Guarantee |
Certification | Yes |
Paid | Yes |
Cons | One big problem with the course is that the instructor speaks way too fast. |
Learning Outcomes
A few things covered in this animation certificate online course are:
- Fundamentals of After effects
- Using After effects as a professional motion designer
- Motion in After Effects
- Text animation
- Types of graph editors
- Types of keyframes
- Animation principles
- Lettering animation
- Morphing animation
- Shape modifiers animation
- Making four real client projects
- Modern gradient liquid title animation
- Creating latest infographics and charts
- Advanced motion tracking
- Callout professional titles
- Making Modern Gradient Liquid Title Animation
Prerequisites
To take this animation course online, you must have a computer with Adobe After Effects Software installed.
Who can take this course?
This is the best animation certificate online for beginners and advanced level students who wish to elevate their game in motion graphics and animation in After Effects.
Review Bogdan Kostrub:
“The course is suitable for both beginner and intermediate level motion designers. I already have experience in this area, I liked the course, especially the blocks on liquid animation and tracking.
5. Maya for Beginners: Complete Guide to 3D Animation in Maya – [Udemy]
Next on our list is the bestseller animation course online by Udemy. Autodesk Maya is an industry-standard 3D animation software and a top-notch skill to help you land a job in the gaming, music, and film industry.
These animation classes online will help you learn animation from scratch. A good thing about this course is that you will learn by doing across the course.
Rating | 4.6 based on 5300+ ratings |
Enrolled | 25,417 students |
Duration | 26.5 hours on-demand video |
Instructor | Lucas Ridley and Video School |
Return or refund policy | 30-Day Money-Back Guarantee |
Certification | Yes |
Paid | Yes |
Cons | The instructor rushes through some vital parts, which is not right in a course directed towards beginners. |
Learning Outcomes
Some things to learn in this animation course online are:
- Familiarity with Autodesk Maya to texture, model, animate, rig, light, dynamics, and render
- Working on your 3D objects
- Animating your 3D objects with keyframes
- Modeling, texturing, shading, and lighting beautiful designs
- Rigging a 3D character for animation
- Putting together the whole 3D animation scene
- Simulating dynamic effects, such as smoke, cloth, and water
- Rendering the projects for top-notch playback
- Understanding of the Motion graphics animation (MASH) toolkit
Prerequisites
To take this course, you must have:
- Autodesk Maya
- 3-button mouse
You can get a free one-year educational version of Autodesk, along with a free 30-day Maya trial from their official website.
Who should take these animation classes online?
This is the best animation course online meant for:
- Beginners who wish to get started with Autodesk Maya
- Anyone who aspires to learn 3D animation or the tools employed by professional animators in the film industry
- Beginners in Autodesk Maya who desire to take their skills to an advanced level
Review Hamzeh Al-Jafari:
“Great course, teaching everything in a simple way that makes it easy for the beginner to understand. And whenever u don’t get something or get issues you can ask the instructor about it and he replies really fast. I totally recommend it!
6. Animation and CGI Motion – Offered by the Columbia University – [edX]
In this online animation training, you will learn to build lifelike animations based on the CGI technical aspects, which give you a glimpse into how the studios approach physically-based animation.
Self-Paced | No, it is an instructor-paced course |
Level | Advanced |
Offered by | The Columbia University |
Duration | Estimated 12 weeks (8–10 hours per week) |
Instructor | Eitan Grinspun |
Return or refund policy | 14-days from the date of payment |
Certification | Optional |
Paid | Both options available |
Cons | You do not get graded assignments or certification in the free version |
Learning Outcomes
The course will familiarize you with the following:
- Treatment of discontinuities, such as collisions and fractures
- Simulations of solids and liquids in both Eulerian and Lagrangian coordinates
- Integrations of ordinary differential equations like the ones required to predict the motion of a dress in the wind
- Discretizing and integrating Newton’s equations of motion
- Artistic control of physically-based animations
- Formulation of models for physical phenomena like flowing water and crumpling sheet metal
- Understanding of Elastic rod, fluid, and hair simulation
- Rigid body simulation
- Continuum mechanics
- Thin shell and cloth simulation
Prerequisites
As this is an advanced-level animation course online, you need some background before you take this course. Some mandatory prerequisites include:
- Programming knowledge in C++ or C
- Understanding of multivariable calculus (partial derivatives)
- Knowledge of linear algebra
- Enthusiasm and time to learn
Knowledge of computer graphics and physics is not needed for the course.
Who should take this course?
Anyone who has a background in introductory classical mechanics will find this course helpful. However, this course is not available for learners residing in Iran, Cuba, and the Crimea region of Ukraine. Other than that, this course to learn animation online is accessible for all.
7. 2024 Top Animation Courses – [Coursera]
Next on our list is not one but a cluster of some of the best animation classes online by Coursera. The courses have been classified under different heads on Coursera, such as duration, level, language, skills, subject, learning project, and partner. Thus, you can filter the courses and select the course that best matches your needs.
The good thing is Coursera has animation certificate online courses for all skill levels, efficiency, and experience. So, go ahead, and browse through the available courses, and you will indeed find the most suitable pick for you.
Some of the courses that you can choose from are:
- Introduction to Programming and Animation with Alice – Duke University
- Game Design: Art and Concepts – California Institute of the Arts
- Interactive Computer Graphics – The University of Tokyo
- Biomedical Visualisation – University of Glasgow
- Transmedia Storytelling: Narrative worlds, emerging technologies, and global audiences – UNSW Sydney (The University of New South Wales)
- Pixel Art for Video Games – Michigan State University
- Character Design for Video Games – California Institute of the Arts
- Create a Promotional Video using Canva – Coursera Project Network
- Create a Storyboard using Canva – Coursera Project Network
- Create Training Videos with Powtoon – Coursera Project Network
Here are some of the best Canva courses for learners looking to train themselves in Canva.
8. Learn to Animate: Animation Principles – [Udemy]
This is the best animation course online for anyone who aspires to create and learn animation from the base up.
From the learnings acquired in this course, you will be working on two final projects. These are vital animation projects in every university or school curriculum. So, you will progress from keyframes to dynamic and fluid character animation. The course ensures that you feel confident in animating even the most challenging animated character with moving parts.
An excellent feature of this course is that you will have access to the downloads and student packs for every project once you have enrolled. More so, you will have personalized access to the host, who will instantly respond to your feedback and queries.
Rating | 4.6 based on 725+ ratings |
Enrolled | 3,800+ students |
Duration | 2.5 hours on-demand video |
Instructor | Siobhan Twomey |
Return or refund policy | 30-Day Money-Back Guarantee |
Certification | Yes |
Paid | Yes |
Cons | The course should have been simplified further for the beginners. |
Learning Outcomes
There is an array of things you will learn in these animation classes online. Some of them are:
- Animation principles
- Tools needed to be a successful animator
- Bringing simple shapes and objects to life
- Making realistic motions
- Vital animation principles, which are the foundation of everything
- Step-by-step animations to launch a finished character
- Animation tips and techniques employed by professional animators
- Creating an ease
- Skills such as spacing, timing, stretching, and squash
- Understanding of arcs
- Working with timing charts
- Animating with anticipation, settle, and overshoot
Prerequisites
A good thing with this course is that it is a beginner-friendly course. Hence, there are no prerequisites to this course. However, even for someone who has never animated before, this course will be helpful.
Who should take this course?
This is an excellent course to learn animation online for:
- Anyone wanting to learn animation from scratch
- Animators
- Beginners
- Filmmakers
- Storytellers
- Artists
- Motion Graphics Designer
- Anyone who wishes to learn the fundamentals of animation for motion design
Review Abigail Mendez:
“I attended an art university a few years back so I already knew all the lessons taught in this course, but it was nice to have a refresher as I haven’t animated anything in quite some time. I also really like the instructor and her soothing voice.
Bonus Classes To Learn Animation Online
1. Online Animation Classes – [Skillshare]
Skillshare has a plethora of animation classes online. You can find courses for a multitude of animation-related skills, such as 2D animation, 3D animation, 3D design, 3D modeling, 3D rendering, Adobe After Effects, After Effects, Creative, Character Animation, and Motion Graphics.
You can also find courses for all experiences and skill levels. So, you can check out the different available courses and select the best animation training you like.
2. Online Animation & Drawing Classes – [The Animation Course]
Next on our list are these two animation courses online by The Animation Course. It is not just a school, but a community that has been launched, primarily to target the school-aged kids between the age group of 11-18 years.
With them, you can find both live, recorded with graded, and only recorded sessions. Depending on your requirements, you can make your pick. Your instructor for both the animation classes online will be Chad, and after you take this course, you will be able to interact with Chad Stewart directly.
More so, if you choose the specified option, you can also get regularized feedback from the instructors on your weekly assignments. Students will be interacting with real kids, just like them, who are learning the same skills as them, backed with constant motivation, encouragement, and guidance.
Regardless of the course you pick, you will be trained to work in the real animation feed, thereby giving you a good foundation for your career.
Course 1 – The Animation Course
It is a primary course with animation classes online. It has four levels that train you with the necessary skills to make the most of the animation process, create stories, and animate the same to produce your short films.
There are four levels to this course.
- Level 1 – Introduction to animation via 12 animation principles
- Level 2 – Fundamentals of Physics and their application in animated motion, body mechanics, acting, and emotion.
- Level 3 – Narrating a story, which goes from basic story structure to cinematography and staging.
- Level 4 – All concepts learned from level 1 to 3 to help you create your short film.
Once you are through with all four levels, you will work on a joint film project like a real animation crew and create a short film.
Course 2 – The Drawing Course
The second course by this platform is the Drawing Course. This animation course online comprises two levels, which equip you with classical drawing skills. You will learn the design and characters and bridge the gap between putting the character in your imagination on the page.
Two levels of the course
- Level 1: You will learn the fundamentals of drawing, including the concepts of classical drawing, using these fundamentals to build a life-like image.
- Level 2: Design and character of animals and humans and bring life to the drawing via the concepts of expression and gesture.
3. Learn 3D Animation Online – [Animation Mentor]
Now, we have arrived at the last course on our list of best animation courses online. Again, this is not a single online animation training but rather a set of courses covering various animation aspects. You can take all or one particular class as per your requirement to learn animation online.
Regardless of the selection you make, you will be taught by skilled animators who have several years of experience behind them to train you with the necessary skills.
Conclusion
So, these are the 11 best animation classes online. We have tried to include every detail about these best animation training programs in this article.
However, as some information is subject to change, such as enrollment fee, in-depth instructor experience, and the enrolment date, we have not discussed the same in this guide.
But when you select an animation course online, you must surely know about these aspects. So, take a moment, browse through the links attached, and dig this information. This information will help you make a more informed decision.
However, be rest assured that you will not regret the choice regardless of your selection, as these are all the top animation classes online. So, go ahead, take your pick, and enjoy learning animation online. You can also read our comparison of 2D vs 3D animation here.