We just completed a successful Spring 2016 class of dedicated animation students! The quality of the work was inspiring. The students learned professional drawing techniques and pro software: Digicel Flipbook, which is a favorite in the animation industry, and used in almost all colleges!
The Summer Workshop is JUNE 30, Thursday, 9 am to 3pm. It is a one-day "Animation Blast!" where you can learn TIMING, SPACING & the 12 Disney principles. Unleash your inner creativity!
You can sign up NOW for the FALL course, which will start Saturday, August 22. Don't miss it.

"Amy's Pencil" Amy speaks softly, but wields a potent pencil!

NEW Beginning 2D Animation classes at Laney College. REGISTER NOW for January 30, 2016

This is my Laney College animation class poster for Spring 2016.  Any questions can be emailed directly to me, Tony Claar.                                               claartoons@comcast.net. 
This is a beginning class, so you do not need to be skilled at drawing; I will teach you simple drawing techniques from the first day, with simple lines & forms, such as straight & curved line, spheres, cubes, & cylinders. We will progress to human characters & their designs, and animals, birds, fish, weights & objects, plus visual effects, such as wind, fire, water, & smoke! You can also make a short film. We will also view & study great short films from world cinema, such as France, UK, Canada, Japan, Holland, Yugoslavia, USA, etc.

I have taught animation & filmmaking now for 18 years in the Bay Area. I saw what works with students and my students get results. The exercises are simple, but you will learn essential timing & spacing skills, plus the 12 principles of animation from The Illusion of Life by Frank & Ollie, Disney masters (the wave principle alone will amaze you).  I will also teach Digicel Flipbook animation software, which is professional AND  easy to learn. All the top colleges use it, as well as all the top animation studios.The class will be well worth the time & effort, so sign up now & join us!

Graphics in Motion-beginning 2D animation

"Graphics In Motion"---beginning 2D animation poster for Spring 2016.   The course is 3 units.
Teacher: Tony Claar   
         
 Saturdays     9 am to 1 pm     January 30 - May 28,  2016.   
                                         

                              
Register soon at Laney's website:  passport2.peralta.edu

You can be an animator! Why don't you try? Improve your drawing skills. Watch great films.You can learn all the fundamentals of classic, hand drawn animation for sure. It will be fun & worth it.

This is a traditional drawing animation class for beginners. The exercises do NOT require advanced drawing abilities. Instead, they will be simple and you can be at a beginning level. The class starts at the beginning of drawing, with animating straight & curved lines, then the 3 basic forms of art: the sphere, cube, & cylinder. 
We will animate objects, simple characters, animals, birds, fish, & visual effects, such as fire, water, & smoke. 
Students will learn Disney's 12 principles of animation, laws of physics like gravity & principles of movie making. Students will also learn stop-motion and make their own short animated movies.
Students will also learn by viewing award-winning films from world cinema, such as Yugoslavia, Canada, Japan, USA, etc.

 The animation software is Digicel Flipbook, used by all the top animation studios & colleges. I have used it professionally for 22 years. Go to:  digicelinc.com to check it out. We have the professional version installed on the computers at Laney already.

I have over 30 years of professional animation experience that I want to share with you. It includes DisneyTV in L.A., Fox TV, & M TV: Liquid Television, feature films: "Cool World", directed by Ralph Bakshi, "Ferngully", & "The Chipmunk Adventure", all in L.A,  plus Sesame Street in London, "Professor Balthazar" & "Satiemania" in Zagreb Film Studios, Croatia. Bay area animation work: Colossal Pictures, SF Production Group, The Learning Co., Broderbund, and many commercials.
 I was fortunate to attend Richard William's 3 day master class in Vancouver, Canada, in the 90's. My own films are on You Tube under Tony Claar. Welcome to the class, let's start animating!

Lab Test---Bubbles Float & Morph Into 8-Ball Which Crashes

Lab Test---Bubbles Float & Morph Into 8-Ball Which Crashes.

Cannon Ball Fall and crash-teacher's example

Cannon Ball Fall and crash (special effect) -heavy weight exercise--teacher's example

Cannon Ball Fall-heavy weight-student exercise

Cannon Ball Fall-heavy weight-student exercise at AAU.