Art classes in Ennis, Co Clare at Ennis Art School

Children today are immersed in media, and in particular, animation, as it is found on television, in movies and in video and computer games. Yet few children think about how animation is created until they are given an opportunity to do so themselves. New technologies available for home and school use are making animation an accessible form of self-expression for children.

Depending upon the amount of time and the number of children I have to work with, I adapt my instruction to provide the best experience for the situation. I have developed various curricula to fit different situations and grade levels.

In all of my workshops, I always start by asking the students about their favorite animated television shows and movies. As can be expected, the most to-the-moment properties are cited, mainstream, commercial stuff. But talking about these properties in a school setting is very exciting for the children, and engages them in a way that allows me to focus their attention on the concepts being presented. The idea is that they will watch those shows differently after having experienced creating animation themselves. One of my goals is to show that animation is an art form as well as a career path.

How Animation helps the development of students.

• Math: Comprehension of multiplication, division and fractions help children understand that 24 frames are combined to create one second of animation.
• The Arts: Aesthetic principles of design, composition, contrast and visual symbols; Motor skills, hand-eye coordination and the ability to repeat a drawing are helpful in creating animation.
• Reading and Writing: Principles of storytelling, story structure, characters and settings help children express themselves beyond the realm of experimentation.