Integrated Foundations of Animation and Visual Effects (Basics of Animation)

• In this course, you will learn to:
• Classify the basic tools and techniques used in animation and VFX production
• Define the roles of animation and VFX in various industries
• Identify the selection, drawing, and scaling tools in Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator
• Organize workflows for working with layers, blend modes, and masks
• Reorganize different tools and techniques for creating and modifying digital art
• Summarize the steps involved in photo restoration projects
• Compare the features and applications of raster and vector graphics
• Report on the ethical considerations in character design and copyright protection
• Categorize different types of animation and VFX styles used in creative industries
• Diagnose issues in digital compositions and suggest solutions for improvement
• Operate advanced tools like the Perspective Grid Tool and the Mesh Tool
• Find innovative ways to create compelling characters and visual storytelling elements
• Predict future trends in animation, VFX, and digital compositing techniques
• Enable students to internalize and apply the twelve classical principles—such as squash & stretch, anticipation, timing, arcs, and appeal—to create believable 2-D motion.
• Guide learners through the full pre-production pipeline—scriptwriting, storyboarding, character and background design, and animatics—so they can turn narrative ideas into clear visual plans.
• Train students to set up, manage, and optimize projects in Toon Boom Harmony, Animate CC, and related 2-D tools, including layers, symbols, keyframes, cameras, and export settings.
• Equip learners to rig bipeds, quadrupeds, and mechanical objects with deformers and IK, and to animate nuanced body mechanics, facial lip-sync, and secondary actions.
• Develop skills in particle and fluid systems to add smoke, fire, rain, magic trails, and other environmental effects that enrich storytelling.
• Lead students in producing a polished short animation—managing assets, sound, and deadlines—and in critiquing work against artistic and industry standards for continuous improvement.

• At the end of this course, learners will be able to:
• Estimate the time and resources required for animation and VFX projects
• Appraise the quality of animations and digital art based on industry standards
• Combine multiple images and elements to create advanced compositions and artworks
• Solve challenges in photo restoration and digital compositing
• Predict industry trends in animation, VFX, and digital design
• Survey diverse illustration styles and their relevance to various creative industries
• Compare different animation and VFX techniques for their effectiveness in storytelling
• Examine the ethical implications of character design and copyright in the creative process
• Assess the functionality and efficiency of tools like Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator for specific tasks
• Arrange design elements, layers, and tools to optimize workflows in digital art projects
• Create engaging characters and visual stories using innovative tools and techniques
• Design effective workflows for animation and VFX production pipelines
• Develop unique digital art projects by combining techniques like matte painting, surreal compositing, and digital painting
• Explain and demonstrate the 12 fundamental principles of animation and critique their use in professional work.
• Write and analyze scripts, story ideas, and storyboards that translate narrative concepts into clear visual plans.
• Design and iterate original characters, props, and backgrounds using research, mood-boards, and solid drawing fundamentals.
• Construct efficient digital production pipelines in Toon Boom Harmony/Animate CC, managing layers, keyframes, symbols, and camera moves.
• Rig biped, quadruped, and mechanical characters with deformers and inverse kinematics for believable motion and secondary actions.
• Animate convincing body mechanics and nuanced performance—walks, runs, jumps, facial lip-sync, hand and cloth secondary motion—applying ease-in/out, overlap, and follow-through.
• Create and integrate particle and fluid effects (smoke, fire, rain, magic, speed-lines) that enhance scene atmosphere.
• Produce a short polished animated sequence that demonstrates cohesive storytelling, sound integration, atmospheric effects, and professional export settings.
• Evaluate personal and peer work against aesthetic, technical, and production criteria, providing constructive feedback and iterating accordingly.
• Document and manage the complete production workflow—naming conventions, exposure/model sheets, version control, and asset delivery—to meet deadlines and industry standards.

The academic approach of the courses focuses on the “work-centric” education i.e. begin with work (and not from a book!), derive knowledge from work and apply that knowledge to make the work more wholesome, useful and delightful. The ultimate objective is to empower the Learner to engage in socially useful and productive work. It aims at leading the learner to his/her rewarding career as an employee or entrepreneur as well as development of the community to which s/he belongs. Learning methodology:

• Step -1: Learners are given an overview of the course and its connection to life and work.
• Step -2: Learners are exposed to the specific tool(s) used in the course through the various real-life applications of the tool(s).
• Step -3: Learners are acquainted with the careers and the hierarchy of roles they can perform at workplaces after attaining increasing levels of mastery over the tool(s).
• Step -4: Learners are acquainted with the architecture of the tool or tool map so as to appreciate various parts of the tool, their functions, utility and inter-relations.
• Step -5: Learners are exposed to simple application development methodology by using the tool at the beginner’s level.
• Step -6: Learners perform the differential skills related to the use of the tool to improve the given ready-made industry-standard outputs.
• Step -7: Learners are engaged in appreciation of real-life case studies developed by the experts.
• Step -8: Learners are encouraged to proceed from appreciation to imitation of the experts.
• Step -9: After the imitation experience, they are required to improve the expert’s outputs so that they proceed from mere imitation to emulation.
• Step-10: Emulation is taken a level further from working with differential skills towards the visualization and creation of a complete output according to the requirements provided. (Long Assignments)
• Step-11: Understanding the requirements, communicating one’s own thoughts and presenting are important skills required in facing an interview for securing a work order/job. For instilling these skills, learners are presented with various subject-specific technical as well as HR-oriented questions and encouraged to answer them.
• Step-12: Finally, they develop the integral skills involving optimal methods and best practices to produce useful outputs right from scratch, publish them in their ePortfolio and thereby proceed from emulation to self-expression, from self-expression to self-confidence and from self-confidence to self-reliance and self-esteem!

Evaluation Pattern of KLiC Courses consists of 4 Sections as per below table:

YCMOU Mark Sheet

Printed Mark Sheet will be issued by YCMOU on successful completion of Section 1, Section 2 and Section 3 and will be delivered to the learner by MKCL.
YCMOU Mark Sheet will be available only for Maharashtra jurisdiction learners

MKCL's KLiC Certificate

The certificate will be provided to the learner who will satisfy the below criteria:

1. Learners who have successfully completed above mentioned 3 Sections i.e. Section 1, Section 2 and Section 3
2. Additionally, learner should have completed Section 4 (i.e. Section 4 will comprise of SUPWs i.e. Socially Useful and Productive Work in form of Assignments)
   • Learner has to complete and upload minimum 2 out of 5 Assignments