The academic dimension of animation and visual art

Updated on: Tuesday, August 03, 2010

Animation, gaming and visual effects were always considered application-based skills, but the director of arts, design and humanities, Gylndwr University, Sion Hughes, says it also has an academic dimension integral to it.

Mr Hughes was in Chennai to assess and evaluate the final-year graduates of Image College Arts, Animation and Technology (ICAT), which is affiliated to the University of Wales.
Innovation

With the advancement in technology, newer gadgets are being developed from time to time. “These innovations will be meaningless without contents that can be adapted. With innovations such as mobile technology, stereoscopic television and other advanced mediums coming in, we need to deliver richer content. This needs a great deal of study and research by students at the M. Phil and Ph.D levels,” he adds.

He stresses the importance of developing skills in critical judgment, and problem-solving to fit into the rapidly-changing industrial demands besides acquiring proficiency in software and programming skills.

The university is planning to have a collaborative programme from next year, under which they will allow students to study a few modules of their course in the U.K. “This will give them a taste of international flavour and encourage them to acquire new perspectives.”

V. Natrajan, Director, ICAT says, “Unlike U.K. students, Indian students are more forthcoming in terms of entrepreneurial venture for their design of products. They do not have qualms about starting a business.”
Skill set

“But Indian students are left behind as they are not taught art and design at the school-level. So their basic skill set lacks the understanding of concepts such as colour theory, tonal value that are an integral part of the school curriculum in the U.K.”

With DreamWorks and other major players entering the Indian animation arena, Mr. Hughes says the students should think beyond the Western styles and framework and instead experiment with ideas from their own culture and traditions.

The academic dimension of animation and visual art

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