Patricia Waterman
// Animation instructor

Being an Animation instructor what questions are you asked the most??

How much can you make?
Are there jobs out there?
How can I get hired at DreamWorks / Blizzard?

You started a top rated 3D Animation Certificate program at Santa Ana College, Could you tell us about that program and what aspiring animators can look forward to when they sign up??

I created the new 3D Animation Certificate Program shortly after my start at Santa Ana College. In order to have a new program approved, an advisory committee has to be formed. My advisory committee members were comprised of 3d artists from DreamWorks, Pixar, Lucas Films, Blizzard, and more! (12 members in all.) These individuals were the ones who approved my new program, so you know it's got to be pertinent to industry needs. I'm a professional artist, first, and a teacher, second, so I know my craft as good as the best of them, and believe that good things come to those who share, so I don't hold back my knowledge. Also, my success as a teacher is measured by the level of success my students achieve; therefore I see it as my job to do everything I can to make this happen for them.

The program is a total of 33.5 units. It last about 2 years. Since the program is at a community college, it's only $18 a unit for CA residences. Once you complete the prerequisites, you are required to take 16 weeks of modeling, 16 weeks or animation, 16 weeks of texturing and lighting, and the 3D Commercial Applications class (which is what my book is based on.) You then have electives, like character animation using character studio, painting, life drawing, AutoCAD, video editing, and many, many more.

The college has an excellent traditional arts program, and I am always advising my students to load up on these courses. Drawing courses help to improve a person's ability to replicate what they see; this strengthens a 3D artist's ability to model from reference, or from their mind's eye. It's also important to be able to sketch out your ideas on paper to a degree of clarity that someone else can understand your thought processes. Painting and drawing courses teach about composition, spatial relationships and good proportion. Painting also teaches a person about how to choose pleasing color schemes, and how color and lighting affects the mood and perception of the viewer. A 3D artist must be able to communicate with form, color, and light. All these things are learned in the fundamental art courses. 3D animators communicate with motion, as well. I do my best to teach how to communicate with motion in the animation classes, but if a person's goal is to be an animator, they should take acting classes. Santa Ana College offers a course titled, "Acting Fundamentals" which teaches how to formulate characterizations of different types of people. As an animator you must be able to vividly imagine how different people think and respond, so that you can transfer this knowledge into your 3d characters. Dance can also be very beneficial to understand. The college offers a course class called "World Dance and Cultures". The course covers how different cultures have used dance to express ideas about religion, cultural identity, myths, and social ideals.

Depending on the student's personal efforts, and goals, he or she may find a job working as a 3d artist immediately upon graduation. Regardless, I still advise my students, if at all possible, to continue on to a carefully selected four year state college or university, or an accredited private art college. Jobs in 3D will still be there several years down the line, and the student's choices will be much greater, if they can continue their art studies. Having a degree in art can help a person land those interviews, but what really helps to assure a person's success in this field is an awesome portfolio, which can only be achieved after years of concentrated effort to learn all they can about their craft, along with practice, practice, practice.