Explore UAL Short Courses in London or online

Animation Short Courses

Advance your animation skills with UAL

UAL Short Courses offer practical, hands-on training to master animation fundamentals using the latest software. Learn at world-renowned Central Saint Martins and London College of Communication. Courses are available on evenings, weekends, weekdays and online.

You will gain:

Practical skills in specialist, creative software
A strong body of work for your portfolio
Expert tutor critiques and supportive group sessions
A UAL Short Courses digital badge/certificate

Featured short courses

Animation, interactive, film and sound

iPad Animation Short Course

£460

Learn to create simple, hand-drawn animation sequences on iPad using Procreate and Procreate Dreams in this 5-week evening course at London College of Communication.

Dates - 15 April 2026 to 13 May 2026
Schedule - Wednesdays

Animation, interactive, film and sound

Drawn Animation For Beginners Short Course

£760

Discover the fundamentals of traditional animation and bring your drawings to life.

Dates - 23 March 2026 to 27 March 2026
Schedule - Monday to Friday

Animation, interactive, film and sound

Storyboarding For Film Video And Animation Short Course

£700

Discover the filmmaker's key tool - storyboarding! Bridge script to production, essential for directors and designers. Plan your film's visual narrative.

Dates - 30 March 2026 to 2 April 2026
Schedule - Monday to Thursday

Animation, interactive, film and sound

Adobe After Effects and Animation Beginners Short Course

£640

Learn Adobe After Effects, a principal platform used in motion graphics and animation. Create motion graphics and visual effects.

Dates - 30 March 2026 to 1 April 2026
Schedule - Monday to Wednesday

Illustration

Character Design for Beginners Online Short Course

£550

Learn to create compelling characters for books, games, and film. Develop distinctive personalities and looks for static or animated illustrations.

Dates - 18 April 2026 to 6 June 2026
Schedule - Saturdays (No class on 2 & 23 May)

Animation, interactive, film and sound

Zbrush for Designers Short Course

£790

Master ZBrush, the industry-standard digital sculpting tool. This course covers 3D and 2D modelling, texturing, and painting, with a focus on sculpting techniques.

Dates - 14 April 2026 to 23 June 2026
Schedule - Tuesdays (No class 16 June)

Animation, interactive, film and sound

Blender for Animation Short Course

£550

Learn the fundamentals of animation using Blender 3D software. Explore animation theory and discover how to bring your creative ideas to life through hands-on exercises.

Dates - 21 May 2026 to 18 June 2026
Schedule - Thursdays

Animation, interactive, film and sound

Animation And Visual Effects Using Maya Short Course

£1040

Learn 3D animation with Maya. This beginner's course introduces industry-standard software for film, TV and games. Build a solid foundation and create an animated sequence.

Dates - 6 July 2026 to 10 July 2026
Schedule - Monday to Friday

Image: left: Megan Metcalf painting, right: artwork by Megan Metcalf | Megan Metcalf

Discover the importance of storyboarding for film, video and animation

Professional artist and former short course student Megan Metcalf tells us about her experience on our Storyboarding For Film Video And Animation Short Course.
Image: Animation for 16 to 18 Year Olds Short Course, Kate Sullivan | UAL

Course feature: Animation for 16 to 18 Year Olds

We discuss why our Animation for 16 to 18 Year Olds Short Course is the perfect way for teenagers to get inspired, learn about the industry and start building a creative portfolio.
Top 5 types of animation styles

We discuss 5 popular animation styles and share some useful advice for anyone interested in a career in the industry from animator and UAL short course tutor, Francesco de Manincor.
How to become an animator

Are you considering a career in animator? We put together this guide covering the steps you will need to take to become an animator and how to kickstart your career in this exciting field.