Concept Art Returns on 24 March 2026

Concept Art by Sohaib Mehar

Our Concept Art Evening Class returns to Escape Studios on 24 March 2026.  Concept Art  is a part-time evening class, taught one night a week, running for ten weeks from 7 until 10pm. 

Concept Art introduces students to the skills that make a well-rounded concept artist, including 3D & 2D software and - of course - the growing power of AI.

Young Cartoonist of the Year Awards 2025

The Young Cartoonist of the Year Awards are back. Hosted by the Cartoon Museum in London, the annual Young Cartoonist of the Year competition seeks to reward rising cartoon talent.

Judges include Martin Rowson (The Guardian), Christian Adams (Evening Standard), Banx (FT), Peter Brookes (The Times), Nick Newman (Private Eye), and Matt Pritchett from the Daily Telegraph.  

Hard copy entries can be mailed to the Cartoon Museum,  at 63 Wells St, London W1T 3PT, or emailed to hello@cartoonmuseum.org.  Entry to the contest is free. 

As always, we encourage all our students to enter competitions such as this one.  The deadline for entries is 31 January 2026.

Compositing Evening Class Returns 26 March 2026

Compositing Evening Class returns on 24 September 2024

Our next Compositing Evening Class starts on 26 March 2026.  Taught by our industry experts, this course teaches the art and craft of 2D VFX compositing for the visual effects industry. 

Compositing is the art of combining different images to create a single cohesive image.  Compositors are always in demand in the VFX industry, with high levels of employment among our Escapees.

Happy New Year From Escape Studios

Happy New Year to all our students and staff at Escape Studios. 2026 will bring new challenges - but also new opportunities.  Like last year, AI continues to be the big talking point in our industry.  Will AI replace human jobs, or will it sit alongside our workflow as part of the digital artists' toolkit?

Only time will tell, but in the meantime the wise artist should be experimenting with the new tools, such as ChatGPT, OpenAI and MidJourney.  Test them out, experiment with them, and see what AI can do - and what it can't. 

Undergraduate Open Day Thursday 8 Jan 2026

Online undergraduate open day on Thursday 8 January 2026

Escape Studios is hosting an online undergraduate open day on Thursday 8 January 2026 with Deputy Principal Simon Fenton from 5-6pm GMT.

Escape Studios' Open Days are a chance to find out about our undergraduate degrees in Animation, The Art of Games and Visual Effects.

An Open Day is an opportunity for potential students to find out how they can follow in the footsteps of our award-winning alumni and to find out more about our courses.

Undergraduate Portfolio Advice

If you're applying for our BA/MArt in The Art of 3D Computer Animation, or The Art of 2D Computer Animation, you might be wondering what should go in your portfolio.  The short answer is - a bit of everything: drawings, painting, life drawing, sketches, scribbles, 3D digital artwork - whatever you have to hand - ideally uploaded to your own website or blog.  In particular, it helps if you have tried some animation: 2D, 3D or Stop Motion.  

BA/MArt 3D Computer Animation Returns Sept 2026

Spiderman animation by Escapee Giorgos Konstantinou

Escape Studios is accepting applications for our BA/MArt in The Art of 3D Computer Animation; teaching starts in September 2026.

Applications are through UCAS, and you can find out more about our undergraduate 2D & 3D Computer Animation courses at the official site.

Our  BA/MArt in The Art of Computer Animation was first launched in 2015, and our first group of animation students graduated in 2019, going on to find jobs and success in the industry.  

3D Animation Evening Class Returns 30 March 2026

Chameleon by Dave Novis 

Our 3D Animation Evening Class runs for 20 weeks on Tuesday and Thursday evenings, from 7-10pm, and is taught online by veteran animator Matteo Sanna.

Students start with basic exercises and build towards an industry-ready demo reel.

The 3D Animation Evening Class returns on 30 March 2026. 

"Night Terrors" Wins "Best VFX" at EEFF

"Night Terrors" wins Best VFX at Eastern Europe Film Fest  

Congratulations to the makers of the VFX short film "Night Terrors", which has won "Best VFX" at the Eastern Europe Film Festival.  

Directed by Erminas Surgautas and produced by Xhoana Tola, "Night Terrors" was a collaboration between undergraduate animation students and VFX students at Escape Studios, working together to create an original story.  The Art Director was Ruby Ebbs, Yusuf Saddique was the 2D VFX Lead, and Samuel Greer was the 3D VFX Lead.  This is its first festival award. 

Merry Christmas from Escape Studios

"God Bless Us Every One"

A Very Merry Christmas from all of us at Escape Studios - and God Bless Us Every One.  

Many years ago, aged three or four,  I was the voice of Tiny Tim in my father's 1971 animated version of A Christmas Carol, a TV Special produced by animation legend Chuck Jones, of Bugs Bunny and Road Runner fame.  

BA/MArt 2D Animation Returns Sept 2026

2D Animation by Clarence Tamakloe

Our BA/MArt in 2D Animation is now recruiting for September 2026.  

In recent years 2D Animation has experienced a significant revival, both in the UK and overseas, as Studios such as Blue Zoo, Aardman Animation, and Brown Bag Films adopt new software such as ToonBoom Harmony.

Taught by seasoned industry professionals, this degree prepares students for work in the 2D animation industry. 

"Good Soup" Wins Best Director at Onyko Festival

Good Soup wins "Best Film Director" at Onyko Awards

Congratulations to the makers of "Good Soup", an animated short created by our graduating class of animation students at Escape Studios, which has won "Best Film Director" at the Onyko Film Festival. 

Directed by Jessa Timog-Santiago and produced by Iulineia Filip,  Good Soup was made with Maya, Substance Painter, and Unreal Engine.  The editor was Rohnak Sharma.   This is Good Soup's sixth festival award. 

BA/MArt Motion Graphics Launches Sept 2026

Our new BA/MArt in Motion Graphics launches at Escape Studios in September 2026.

Motion Graphics is a key part of the animation industry, an expanding area of jobs and creativity.

We have been teaching Motion Graphics  at Escape Studios for many years - now for the first time we can offer a fully accredited undergraduate course.

Harmony Evening Class Returns 26 March 2026

Evening class in Toonboom Harmony returns 26 March 2026

Our 2D Animation Online Evening class in Toonboom Harmony returns to Escape Studios on 26 March 2026.

Learn the fundamentals of 2D animation over 10 weeks, one evening a week using Toonboom Harmony, one of the leading software packages for the creation of 2D animation.

The class is taught by experienced industry professionals.

MA in 2D & 3D VFX Returns 23 February 2026

VFX created at Escape Studios

Our Short Course and Masters' Degree in VFX is back - returning to Escape Studios on 23 February 2026.  

Taught by VFX veteran Dan Shutt and Klaudija Cermak,  the MA and Short Course in VFX teaches the art and craft of 2D and 3D visual effects. 

VFX sits at the heart of Escape Studios, it's what we started doing 25 years ago when we first began to train talent for the growing visual effects industry.  VFX remains our core mission, with thousands of VFX Escapees having joined VFX houses in the UK and overseas. 

Sköll Aurora Wins Best Animation in Florence

Sköll Aurora wins "Best Super Short Film" in Florence

Congratulations to the makers of Sköll Aurora, the animated short film created by our third year graduating class of 2D animation students at Escape Studios, which has won "Best Super Short Film" at the Florence Film Awards. 

Sköll Aurora tells the story of light re-entering a dark and desolate world; it was written and directed by Mahamat Souleymane and produced by Amos Mathias.  This is its third festival award. 

Film Soc Presents: "The Snow Queen" 18 December

Watch The Snow Queen on Thursday 18 December at 5pm

Escape Studios’ Film Society will screen the 1957 Russian animated film The Snow Queen on Thursday 18 December at 5pm. 

Based on the classic fairy tale by Hans Christian Anderson, The Snow Queen was directed by Lev Atamanov and produced at the Soyuzmultfilm animation studios. 

Dreamy and fantastical, The Snow Queen was a key influence on the works of Japanese animation master Hayao Miyazaki.

MoGraph MA Returns 23 February 2026

Master's Degree in Motion Graphics Returns 23 Feb 2026

Our new Short Course and Master's Degree in Motion Graphics returns on 23 February 2026.

Motion Graphics is a key part of the animation industry, an expanding area of jobs and creativity.

We have been teaching Motion Graphics  at Escape Studios for many years - now for the first time we can offer a fully accredited masters-level post-graduate course.

Life Drawing for Escape Animation Students at DNEG

Our 2D Animation undergraduate students will soon be attending life drawing classes at DNEG, one of the UK's leading animation & VFX houses, courtesy of DNEG's Andrew Schlussel and Dara McGarry.  

Character Design is Back on 10 Feb 2026

Character Design by Luzia Soares

Our 2D Character Design evening class returns to Escape Studios on 10 February 2026. 

Character Design is an eight week evening class taught by industry veterans.

Steve guides students through the principles of character design, building up to an industry brief.