Introduction to 2D Animation with TVPaint
A course by KultnationArtist and director of animated projects
A course by Kultnation, Artist and director of animated projects
Learn traditional animation secrets to create fresh, 100% digital animated clips
Despite the emergence of new technologies in the animation scene, the classics are as relevant as ever. Traditional animation, which is done frame by frame, has gone from paper to computers, thanks to new software that takes the best from the manual process and marries it with the horsepower that the digital world has to offer. This way artists can create animations in an easy, fast, and versatile way.
In this Domestika course, you’ll learn how to do traditional animation using TVPaint, a French software based on bitmap technology, with the help of director of animated projects Vinny Morales, more commonly known as Kultnation. You’ll animate a boxing scene from the storyboard, working on the layout, the rough animation, and the cleanup, and then finishing up with the colorization and postprocessing of your piece.
What will you learn in this online course?
18 lessons & 26 downloads
What will we do in the course
2 minutes, 36 seconds
Drawing, drawing, drawing: Outside and inside P1
19 minutes, 26 seconds
Drawing, drawing, drawing: Outside and inside P2
2 minutes, 39 seconds
The interface and work system in TvPaint P1
20 minutes, 5 seconds
The interface and work system in TVPaint P2
8 minutes, 57 seconds
Drawing Systems in TvPaint P1
20 minutes, 18 seconds
What's included in this course?
You’ll start by getting to know Kultnation, his career path, and the kinds of projects that he usually embarks on. He’ll also talk to you about how he works on his drawings daily, and you’ll see how cinema, photography, comics, design, and animation are strong influences in his professional and personal life.
In the next unit, you’ll find out what you need to know in order to produce solid and consistent animations. You’ll understand the importance of model-based drawing, gestural drawings, and always working with real references. You’ll go through concepts that will help you improve the quality of your animated drawings. Then you’ll take a first look at TVPaint’s interface and workflow.
Next, you’ll start to animate in TVPaint. Vinny will explain the different tools that this software has to offer to help you make storyboards and 2D animation. You’ll draw your first character sheet and you’ll see what separates TVPaints from other 2D and 2.5D software. You’ll also learn new concepts like rough animation, clean up lines, overshoot and point to point.
In the last unit, you’ll focus on finishing your animation and going through the cleanup process, colorization, and shadowing. Vinny will give you several tips on how to add color, texture, and different papers to your animation in order to achieve a more interesting finish. He’ll also show you how to export your animation in different formats, and how to open your TVPaint file in Adobe After Effects to apply some final touches.
Recommended software & tools for this course
What is this course's project?
You’ll create a ten-second animation, which you’ll be able to add to your portfolio or upload to your favorite social network.
Who is this online course for?
Designers, illustrators, animators, and motion graphics artists interested in learning the process of creating traditional animations in a digital environment, using TVPaint.
Requirements and materials
You’ll need basic drawing skills, as well as some experience in creating 3D and 2D animations and using Adobe After Effects.
During this course, the teacher will use a computer with TVPaint and a Wacom tablet. Despite this course being focused on learning how to use TVPaint, the lessons in each unit can be easily completed using a different 2D animation software like Toon Boom Harmony or even Adobe Photoshop.
Reviews
- 2 years ago
El maestro es super, cuenta con experiencia y ganas de enseñar.
- 3 years ago
awesome course!
- 3 years ago
Very helpful and inspiring! Thanks
- 4 years ago
para poder empezar en el mundo de la animación, si es muy buen curso para ir aprendiendo
- 4 years ago
Great one
Kultnation works with clients all around the globe and has given talks at festivals, such as Offf Mexico and Offf Barcelona. His work has been published and showcased at Pictoplasma Festival, the Carrillo Gil Art Museum, the Musée d’Art Contemporain du Vale de Marne, IdN Magazine and the Type Director’s Club in New York, among others.
Content
- U1
Introduction
- Presentation
- Influences
- What will we do in the course
- U2
Study and Preproduction
- Drawing, drawing, drawing: Outside and inside P1
- Drawing, drawing, drawing: Outside and inside P2
- The interface and work system in TvPaint P1
- The interface and work system in TVPaint P2
- Drawing Systems in TvPaint P1
- Drawing Systems in TvPaint P2
- U3
Animation
- Character Sheet: Meet your character P1
- Character Sheet: Meet your P2 character
- Making your storyboard and animatics P1
- Making your storyboard and animatics P2
- First animation sketch
- Second animation sketch
- U4
Wrap Up!
- Line Clean Up and Shadows
- Colorization and shading
- TvPaint, After Effects and other formats
- FP
Final project
- Introduction to 2D animation with TVPaint
What to expect from a Domestika course
Learn at your own pace
Enjoy learning from home without a set schedule and with an easy-to-follow method. You set your own pace.
Learn from the best professionals
Learn valuable methods and techniques explained by top experts in the creative sector.
Meet expert teachers
Each expert teaches what they do best, with clear guidelines, true passion, and professional insight in every lesson.
Certificates
PLUSIf you're a Plus member, get a custom certificate signed by your teacher for every course. Share it on your portfolio, social media, or wherever you like.
Get front-row seats
Videos of the highest quality, so you don't miss a single detail. With unlimited access, you can watch them as many times as you need to perfect your technique.
Share knowledge and ideas
Ask questions, request feedback, or offer solutions. Share your learning experience with other students in the community who are as passionate about creativity as you are.
Connect with a global creative community
The community is home to millions of people from around the world who are curious and passionate about exploring and expressing their creativity.
Watch professionally produced courses
Domestika curates its teacher roster and produces every course in-house to ensure a high-quality online learning experience.
FAQs
TVPaint is a professional software specialized in digital 2D animation. It lets you replicate traditional frame-by-frame animation techniques, making drawing, storyboard creation, and advanced animation editing easy with intuitive tools.
This course is aimed at people with intermediate skills in drawing and 2D animation. It’s perfect if you already have a drawing foundation and want to improve your technique and digital workflow in TVPaint.
You’ll need a computer with TVPaint installed and a graphics tablet. Basic knowledge of drawing and 2D animation is recommended to get the most out of the course content.
You’ll learn how to create frame-by-frame animations, design characters, compose animated storyboards, apply cleaning, shading, and coloring techniques, and export your projects in various professional formats.
TVPaint focuses on frame-by-frame animation and simulates traditional processes, while Photoshop is more for illustration and After Effects for compositing and effects. TVPaint offers specialized tools tailored for 2D animators.
Yes, the course includes techniques to create, organize, and export animated storyboards and animatics in TVPaint, ready for professional review and presentation.
Yes, you’ll learn line cleanup, shadow application, and digital coloring techniques to give your animations a polished, professional finish in TVPaint.