Art Design Animation degrees and careers - where do I start?

[blueshoes]

Dh and I have professional degrees and jobs following an academic path through school and university. Dd 17 seems to follow a different path in that she is into animation, art and design and also decent in physics and math.

I am out of my depth wondering what she should do at university and then her chosen career.

My concern is that a purely graphics design or art foundation degree would not lead to a well paying job and is highly competitive to boot. I have the greatest of respect for people who make a career out of it. Dd is hardworking but not particularly confident or one to put herself out there. We want her to enjoy her work and feel a sense of achievement (related to lack of confidence and getting easily stressed at new things) but also to be able to make a decent living without having to hustle for or at work.

Dd loves animation most and can learn to use software easily. She admitted that she is more of a 'do-er'. Perhaps an apprenticeship degree but what, where?

Wearing my practical hat, if she could have an applied aspect to her degree/job, using her physics, such as in industrial design or product design, perhaps that could lead to more job prospects whilst keeping the design element in there. However, I think a university course that is pure physics or engineering would not be suitable because that is too 'hard', as in hard science/STEM, for her.

Please talk to me as my life experience is narrow of people who do other fields. Any specific examples of universities, degrees, courses, jobs would be gratefully received. Dd will be attending a virtual university fair soon and this can help to focus her questions.

Posting in AIBU for traffic. Thank you for reading.

I'm in the product design area, but for such a long time that I'm not up to date with latest curriculum in these domains.

However, in Product Design / Service Design / UX Design she would be able to combine science and creativity. Animation can also be a part of that.

Personally, my stuff is to combine design and behavioural science / neuroscience / psychology.
Other designers are more focused on data collection and statistics, or on artistry.

I would suggest that she meets some professionals across different design areas to comprehend what these jobs entails.

Mastering a software is nothing, that's something she can learn within few weeks with online courses.
The impactful stuff to learn are about leveraging the many tools available to you to drive creativity in a thoughtful, science-backed way, for the right audience.

But this is not for you to wonder or your decision, it’s your DD who needs to be asking herself these questions if she does indeed want to go to uni.

Computer Science with Product Design.

Animation incredibly overproduces graduates. Game design is the worst paid programming job, so steer clear. But you can do plenty of animation within web development and app development if you go the comp sci route with UX or Product.

I assumed from the title you were asking for yourself.

Stop helicoptering. She can do the research herself. For starters just get on Twitter and ask existing, popular animators/designers about routes into the industry.

But it's really not your job to do all this.

@jojomolo

Computer Science with Product Design.

Animation incredibly overproduces graduates. Game design is the worst paid programming job, so steer clear. But you can do plenty of animation within web development and app development if you go the comp sci route with UX or Product.

Web development and UX-based animation is absolutely minimal, and isn't remotely the same as a professional animator in media such as TV, film, advertising or gaming. Unless you think she's going to have an entire skillset based around CSS transitions?

Do not do a Computer Science degree.

Jesus.

A colleague’s son went to Teeside University to study for a degree in computer games animation. He did very well at his course. He then spent a year applying for computer animation jobs and flipping burgers before applying for teacher training to teach secondary school IT.

Your daughter might stand a better chance of actually getting a job in that field if she did a sandwich course/industrial placement.

Game art at de Montfort uni an option

Erm, I didn't advise anything of the sort. I actually said it was a bad idea to try to become a professional animator...

Nevertheless, I used to write a fair whack of actionscript in the course of my animation (trailers and VFX) work, when I did that sort of thing. There's plenty of programming in animation.

Also just... sorry to come back. Why on earth would you be so CRAZY hostile to me? Don't be such a massive bellend all your life.

I'm an artist and work on museums and galleries too. I did a foundation course then a BA then a few years later an MA. Art and design are vastly different for a start.

I really strongly disagree with the pp who said to but out. In my experience the art world is full of people who's parents have knowledge of the sector and can help them. So I think without any support to understand what's involved in jobs she is at a disadvantage.

I make very little money from my art which I why I've also developed a career as a museum professional. It's mega competitive and you have to do new stuff constantly. It's also really unstable when it comes to income as even my part time museum work is on temporary contracts. But I love it and feel lucky to do what I do.

I think she could do with getting a better idea of careers. There are lots of jobs which use creative skills but also have a more commercial aspect such as Web design, gaming, product design and illustration.

I work with Web designers on what I'm doing at the moment they do have a good amount of creative input. I will be working with some film production companies. I know less about film and TV but I think there's lots of creative but hands on stuff in that sector. I've seen a few adverts lately about ways into this sector in the cinema so there's probably an associated website.

DH is an animation director, he did not study animation, taught himself. Wages are low in animation, too many animators, outsourcing to India etc, budgets haven't gone up in years. He made a good living as he ran his own company but is moving away from animation now, Brexit will stop Euro Co - productions, the life blood of TV animation too.
I know lots of successful creative people who have had good careers by the way, those that are also good at Maths etc. (like DH) have done the best materially.
Product design is a good call, info - graphics, data visualisation stuff. I know someone who studied Sculpture with me who is now a big cheese in service design.

DD2 is doing a degree in illustration and animation. She has been animating for 10 years already, and this has given her a huge advantage over those who are only just starting. She also sells her art online and makes around £200-£300 a month from this. This is all she wants to do, so I am not sure what she will do if she can’t get a job afterwards.

Would steer her away from degrees entirely and get her to try to set up internships at animation companies. It's portfolio rather than qualification that matters in animation. The field is v wide (and v sexist in places). Important to get a sense before taking a degree.

I really appreciate all of you taking the time to respond. This is an eyeopener.

What is Service Design? What sort of jobs does this entail?

Fastfood You said your job combines design with behavioural science / neuroscience / psychology. Did you get into your job with the latter rather than through design. In other words, dd should do a more physics-related degree rather than design?

Any ideas how dd can meet professionals across design areas. Dh and I don't come across such professionals in our bubble.

Masking industrial placement is a good idea. Would that be something the university arranges?

jojo it is sobering to learn that animation is so overcrowded and competitive. That is my fear. When you said there is a lot of programming in animation, are there uni courses that cover the programming needed for animation without it being a CompSc degree? Hope I am making sense.

Dd did computer science at GCSE and for a while, she was considering that but then I realised what she was talking about was probably more CAD (using the software) rather than the programming side of things. She is decent at coding and decent at maths but it is not really her thing.

Wbeezer Would your dh recommend a career in animation today?

I would also like to know more about Product design. Is infographics
and data visualisation basically Graphic Design?

MumbleJunction How does dd go about setting up internships at animation companies. Dd would kill to do one. We are in London. Any names of companies - sorry I know so little.

Plussizejumpsuit I believe what you say about museum professionals. You are so highly talented, committed and almost over qualified but earn a fraction of people far less so. I am glad you enjoy what you do. Dh works with closely with museums - cannot say as too outing. I have the greatest respect for what you do.

MrsSchadenfreude I am in awe of your dd. My dd has nowhere the passion of your dd2 which is part of why the field looks so wide open for her. I am sure your dd2'w work must be spectacular that people are prepared to pay for it. I have always thought that having a burning obsession must be a prerequisite for doing well in animation. Your dd2 will go far.

I do take in the comments about helicoptering. My dd had a bit of rough start to her life and takes a longer time to get there than her peers including maturity. I would love for her to grasp the nettle on research but whilst she is still under my roof, I don't feel that I could let her drift or sink quite so soon. I am from a different culture so perhaps there is some of that at work.

Universities will offer ether a 3-year BA or a 4-year BA with an industrial placement. I suppose a placement year is a bit like doing an internship, but she should (I think) get student loans for it.

IIRC she might also need to do an Art Foundation course too, pre-degree.

@MrsSchadenfreude

DD2 is doing a degree in illustration and animation. She has been animating for 10 years already, and this has given her a huge advantage over those who are only just starting. She also sells her art online and makes around £200-£300 a month from this. This is all she wants to do, so I am not sure what she will do if she can’t get a job afterwards.

Maybe She can look into specialising in motion design (although not cheap school of motion is one of the best training schools, another one is created ) . A portfolio is more important than an University degree really but self learning in motion to the point of having a really good portfolio requires proper training that is often expensive so is not that accesible to be fair .

Take a look at some of the Unis that offer specific courses that may be of interest like Arts Uni Bournemouth, there are some helpful videos on YouTube that explain design jobs that I have never heard of. My daughter is interest in design and I am an accountant so I am trying to understand more about it so I can support her later (she is doing GCSEs next year, so plenty of time to think about it all)

She’s only 17, there’s no need for big life decisions right now. Nothing wrong with some work and life experience before going back to education knowing it’s something you want to pursue rather than wasting tuition fees on something useless or not what you want to do and then you have to find 9k per year up front to do a second degree in your mid 20’s.
not going to uni at 18 and having a whole career mapped out at 17 is not sinking ffs.

Thanks for all the extra tips. Bournemouth Uni looks interesting as does School of Motion.

Blueshoes it's a career that takes a lot of self-directed learning. Software and tech systems change constantly as do the styles of animation that are fashionable eg in marketing. As an animation professional CPD is super important.

It's great you're in London as there's a huge no of studios. It's difficult to get even unpaid internships though. She should look on Twitter and the web to find those that she likes then call up and offer to do their admin in exchange for getting an insight into the company. Can she do these kinds of tasks well? Think of what she could realistically offer a company. Unless she's already skilled in animation people won't take her on for creative work as it will cost more time to give her the required training.

Small companies are usually better. It might be a tricky time as people are working from home atm due to covid.

There's also a lot of talented producers in the sector, which is also a fun job. The gender split seems to be a depressing male-creative tech, female-production.

Without wanting to put you off, I think you do need a lot of talent and dedication to succeed in this area. It's important to be a "self-starter" even if shy.

Understand that any designer media role has a shelf life. You are past it when you hit 40 and you won't find many designers working in media companies when they are 50 plus. It is an extremely ageist environment so ensure there are opportunities for career progression once your face no longer fits.

As a freelancer who does a bit of everything and scrabbles around some months for income...

I wish I had learned how to run a business, and also learned how to use all the various art/animation programs (and yes they change but once you can use a few you can teach yourself the new ones as they come along fairly easily).

I get by, I support two of us and some dogs but if I knew then what I know now...mm!

SleepOhHow that is an interesting perspective when you say designer media roles are a young person's game. Can you give examples of the types of companies and roles. Media is not my sector and I find it hard to imagine. Do you mean advertising agencies, publishing, TV, film, social media, gaming, animation companies. What if the job does not involve coming up with the ideas and concepts but just doing the design work that someone else conceptualised? Or maybe there is no such distinction.

Mumblejunction that is so insightful. Really appreciate it.