Animal & Creature Animation Reel

We're delighted to share the latest edit of Animal & Creature Animation from Escape Studios. This animation reel includes a selection of shots from Module AN5002 - a second year undergraduate module in which students tackle animal and creature animation. The module is supervised by Escape Studios' tutor Kevin Richards. To see more about what happens in the Second Year of Animation at Escape Studios, follow this link. 

Animal & Creature Animation Showreel 2026

Congratulations to our all our talented students on the new 2026 Animals and Creatures Demo Reel from Escape Studios. The video above is a compilation of the best work done by students studying on our short courses, evening classes, and postgraduate classes.  Many thanks to Escape Studios' videographer Ahmed Aden for cutting the reel. 

AN5002 - Animal & Creature Animation Module 2024

Chameleon animated by Dave Novis

Our 2nd Year Undergraduate Animators are working on their latest animation module AN5002, in which students learn to animate animals and creatures.  

The AN5002 Assignment is due on Thursday 19 December 2024.  The Assignment Brief is to create 10-15 seconds animal or creature animation, combining a motion cycle with a performance.  

The Retrospective Assignment is due on Monday 23rd December 2024.  To find out more about how to write a great Retrospective, read this blog post. 

How a Bear Walks - Quadruped Locomotion

Bear Walk by Amanda Costa

How does a bear walk? All animators need to learn how to animate a quadruped walk cycle.  All quadrupeds walk in more or less the same way, allowing for anatomy (herbivores have less flexible spines than carnivores). 

To the left is a bear walk cycle animated by Amanda Costa, showing the live action reference used to create the animation.  

Crab Scuttle Animation Tutorial

Animate a crab scuttle underwater

In this new animation tutorial we demonstrate how to create a locomotion cycle in Maya with a crab rig, showing how to take a complex motion, break it down - and make it simple.

A crab's sideways scuttle looks complex, but is in fact very easy to animate, by following this basic tutorial.  We start by animating a single animation curve, and then copy it across the crab rig. 

Fish Animation Tutorial from Marc Stevenson

Escape Studios' UG Animation Programme Leader Marc Stevenson has recorded a new animal and creature animation tutorial - showing how to animate fish in motion.  This latest tutorial joins Marc's Animation YouTube Channel and is based on the concept of offset curves - animating a single motion curve and then copying and pasting it along the spine of the fish, to create the characteristic swaying motion of the fins and tail. 

Horse Run Tutorial at Our Vimeo Channel

In this latest animation tutorial at our Vimeo Tutorial Channel we demonstrate how to animate a quadruped running. The tutorial is based on a horse, but all quadrupeds run the same way (allowing for anatomy).  Every animator should know how to animate quadrupeds in motion; these are the basic "scales" of animal and creature animation.  This tutorial can be applied to any four-legged creature, but the easiest way to follow the tutorial is to use the free horse rig - available for download from the Mothman TD website. 

Horse Trot Tutorial at Our Vimeo Channel

We've added a new tutorial to our expanding Vimeo Channel showing how to animate a horse trotting. A trot is an intermediate gait between a walk and a run; all quadrupeds trot in the same way (allowing for anatomy).  The Escape Studios Vimeo Tutorial Channel is our main hub for our animation and VFX video tutorials, making it easy for our students to find tutorials to support their classroom studies.

Animal & Creature Tutorials at Our Vimeo Channel

Dragon animation cycle by Tim Golton

Our Vimeo Tutorial Channel is our main hub for our animation and VFX video tutorials, making it easier than ever for our students to find tutorials to support their classroom studies.   Tutorials include quadruped locomotion - walks, trot and runs, and also how to combine clips.  

Other tutorials show how to animate spiders, birds, dinosaurs and dragons - everything you need to master the art and craft of animal and creature animation. 

"Mechamorphosis": Alberto Scotti and Ilaria Colavito

Mechamorphosis - 2022 from Alberto Scotti on Vimeo.

Meet "Mechamorphosis" - the graduation project of Escape Studios student Alberto Scotti, who has been completed his Master's Degree in the Art of Visual Effects (3D VFX) at Escape Studios.  Mechamorphosis was written and produced by Alberto Scotti and directed by Ilaria Colavito, both of who are now working as Studio Assistants at Escape Studios.  Animation was completed by Steven Lall,  and Hélios Lyons did the sound design and composed the original music.  The project was overseen by Head of Animation Michael Davies.  Mechamorphosis is currently being entered into film festivals. 

Spider Locomotion Tutorial with Marc Stevenson

We're delighted to announce a new free animation tutorial from Escape Studios' animation tutor Marc Stevenson, who has added an "arachnid animation" tutorial to our Vimeo Channel - you can see the introduction above.  Marc's tutorial demonstrates how to animate spiders using Autodesk Maya - showing how to break down complex motion into simple parts to get a sophisticated result.  

AN5002 "Animals & Creatures" Starts 19 Sept 2022

animation by Zoe Walker

On Monday 19 September 2022 our 2nd year undergraduate animators return to Escape Studios to start their next module: AN5002: Advanced Computer Animation, in which students learn to animate animals and creatures.  

AN5002 starts on Monday 19 September 2022 and finishes on Friday 21 October 2022.  The Portfolio assignment, a 7-11 second animal or creature animation, is due on Wednesday 19 October 2022. The Retrospective assignment is due on Monday 24th October 2022 at 11.59pm.

Escape Studios Animal & Creature Reel 2022

 

Welcome to the latest Escape Studios animation demo reel - a new edit dedicated to the animal and creature work done by our students at Escape Studios.  Escape Studios began life as a VFX training centre, so realistic animal and creature work is very much at the heart of what we do.  Congratulations to all our students on their excellent work, and thanks to Escapee Miguel Teixeira for cutting the reel. 

Bird in Flight Tutorial with Marc Stevenson

We've added a new tutorial to our list of animal and creature tutorials at our Vimeo channel - how to animate a bird in flight. The tutorial shows students how first to animate one wing in motion - and then cut and paste the rest. The video was recorded by veteran animator and Escape Studios' tutor Marc Stevenson, and you can find it here. 

Putting Animals on a Path with Marc Stevenson

We've uploaded a new path animation locomotion tutorial to our Vimeo channel.  The tutorial shows how to put animals and creatures on a path, and was recorded by veteran animator and Escape Studios' tutor Marc Stevenson.  Path animation is a great way to add believability and appeal to your creature animations.  Animals, unless trained, tend not to walk in straight lines. So, by learning to animate using paths, your creature locomotion will feel more fluid, natural and organic. You can find the tutorial here.

How to Plan Animal & Creature Animation

Bear animation by Amanda Costa with live-action reference

Our undergraduate animators are working on their second animation module, AN5002, which involves the creation of a piece of animal or creature animation.

Animal and creature animation involves creating believable animation - usually based on live-action reference.

How should students plan animal and creature animation?  Start by watching the 10 minute video below.

Horse Run Tutorial with Marc Stevenson

We've uploaded a new horse locomotion run cycle tutorial by Marc Stevenson to our Vimeo Channel. 

Learning to animation quadrupeds is one of the key skills animators must master. Much of the animation done in the UK is animal and creature work; such as the stunning animation of Disney's re-make of The Lion King, completed at MPC in Soho.

Marc's new run tutorial adds to our growing number of animation tutorials at our Vimeo Channel. 

Animal & Creature Animation at YouTube

Leopard by Daniel Amor

For all our students currently studying Module AN5002 (the art and craft of animal and creature animation), don't forget to check our students' excellent work at our YouTube channel, the best place to see recent animal and creature work done by our student animators.

Escape Studios has a dedicated YouTube channel especially for animation content - the channel showcases some of the best work done by our students here at Escape. 

Amedeo Beretta Teaches Animals & Creatures

Amedeo Beretta teaches at Escape Studios

We're delighted to welcome back veteran animator and animation tutor Amedeo Beretta who is returning to teach our second year animation students the art of animal and creature animation. 

Amedeo has worked on many major animation and VFX projects including Paul, John Carter and Planet 51.

Amedeo is also our in-house expert on Motion Capture, having led classes in MoCap and supervised the award-winning MoCap short "Alma", which has won multiple festival awards. 

AN5002 Animals & Creatures Starts 20 Sept

Dragon in flight by Jamie Floodgate

On Monday 20 September 2021 our 2nd year undergraduate animators return to Escape Studios to start a new module: AN5002: Advanced Computer Animation.

In this module, worth 30 credits, students learn to animate animals and creatures. The module starts on Monday 20 September 2021 and lasts five weeks. It finishes on Friday 22nd October with students submitting a short piece of animal or creature animation for final assessment.