Character Design For Animation

An 8-week course designing characters with an industry-experienced character designer; develop a strong understanding of the elements that make strong, compelling characters

Character Design for Animation
COURSE OVERVIEW

Bring your characters to life


COURSE OVERVIEW
COURSE OVERVIEW
Instructor Feedback
Instructor Feedback
WHAT YOU'LL LEARN

The more you know, the better.


Instructor

Taking your skills to the next level

Nate Wragg was born and raised in the small town of Davis, California. He took an interest in drawing and painting at an early age. After graduating high school, he studied animation and design at The California Institute of the Arts in Southern California. Nate got his start at Pixar working as a vis dev artist on Ratatouille. He also served as one of the primary character designers on Toy Story 3.  As well as designing characters, Nate was also the Production Designer of Pixar’s short film Your Friend the Rat and has been involved in designing several main title sequences, most notably the animated end titles for Ratatouille. After Toy Story 3, Nate made the move to DreamWorks and has Production Designed several films including : Captain Underpants : The First Epic Movie, The Croods : A New Age, and Puss in Boots : The Last Wish.  Nate is currently working as the Production Designer on the upcoming DreamWorks film Dog Man.

STUDENT INTERVIEWS
  • Letting the Character Shine Through
    Interview with
    Laura Gómez
    Letting the Character Shine Through
    Interview with
    Laura Gómez
  • Using Contrast and Pose to Tell a Story
    Interview with
    Kyle Sarafolean
    Using Contrast and Pose to Tell a Story
    Interview with
    Kyle Sarafolean
  • Back on Track: Mindful Habits of Character Design
    Interview with
    Eddie Betancourt
    Back on Track: Mindful Habits of Character Design
    Interview with
    Eddie Betancourt
  • Starting With a Strong Shape
    Interview with
    Seiji Lim
    Starting With a Strong Shape
    Interview with
    Seiji Lim
  • Starting With the Shape
    Interview with
    Alex Untoria
    Starting With the Shape
    Interview with
    Alex Untoria
    spring term registration
    Feb 6, 2023 - Apr 24, 2023
    Only
    $699
    Course Begins
    April 16th

    PRICING SCHEDULE

    Even though our courses are the most affordable for the quality of education.

    These FINANCE OPTIONS allow you to focus on your goals instead of the barriers that keep you from reaching them.

    EMPLOYER
    REIMBURSEMENT

    ANIMATION GUILD
    CSATTF

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    • Mary Highstreet

      Fantastic class! Nate is a great teacher and an incredible resource, I’m so thankful for his dedication to teaching!!

    • Devere Wint

      The course content is broken down structurally so that it allowed for nice linear progression and growth. I am leaving with a better understanding of character design.

    • John Steventon

      Nate Wragg continued to impress me with his knowledge of the material, and the skills he displayed in demos and in the Q&As! He really knows his stuff, and the fact that he is willing to share that knowledge with us is really great. He is also open and honest about the industry, and what we will face when we get there. Honestly, I feel honored to have studied with him, and hope to work with him in the future.

    • Melis Malatani

      Really enjoy Nate Wragg’s approach to teaching online. It felt authentic and really helpful. This was my second course with him instructing, both times were equally great.

    • James Couture

      This course really brought me back to the basics of good character design. It has helped me break bad habits when it comes to drawing and designing characters and has replaced those habits with the fundamentals of good visual design. I’ve learned a lot about the industry as well, and have a clearer vision of what it may be like to work at an animation studio one day.

    COMPANIES THAT HIRE OUR STUDENTS

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    BENEFITS

    What makes this learning experience unique?

    Personal Feedback
    Personal Feedback

    Receive personal individual feedback on all submitted assignments from the industry’s best artist.

    1+ Year Access
    1+ Year Access

    Enjoy over 365 days of full course access. This includes all lectures, feedback, and Live Q&A recordings.

    Certificate of Completion
    Certificate of Completion

    Earn a Certificate of Completion when you complete and turn in 80% of course assignments.

    Flexible Learning
    Flexible Learning

    Learn anywhere, anytime, and at your own pace with our online courses.

    spring term registration
    Feb 6, 2023 - Apr 24, 2023
    Only
    $699
    Course Begins
    April 16th