A month-long GIF-making immersion for beginners, thrill seekers and fun-lovers

Autumn is ripe for learning, dontcha think? Why not learn something purely for fun: the art of GIF-making! Some are cheesy, some are funny, and some are just plain cool. The proliferation of these ever-appealing looped creations via social media has enabled the art of the GIF to blossom in surprising and lovely directions. The internet would just be so boring without them, so throw your hat in the ring and get your GIF on! GIFs are a great way to get into animation, so this session is a perfect place for anyone to start, regardless of experience.

The 30-day immersion kicks off on September 21st, and includes three classes.

First up: “The Beginner's Guide to Animating Custom GIFs,” where LA’s motion design superstar Jake Bartlett will guide you through a quick & easy project in Adobe After Effects.

Next you enter “Electric Letterland: Building Animated Neon Lettering for Blogs & Websites” where you will explore language, expression, and animation in neon, via Adobe Photoshop, with Giphy artist Kate Widdows.

And finally, for the icing on the cake, “Animated Self-Portrait: Bring Your Evil Twin to Life.” This class is taught by the New York based illustrator-animator duo of Joy + Noelle; real life twins who will guide you as you try your hand at animated self-portraiture using Adobe Photoshop.

You’ll have 10 days to complete each class with the support of your instructors and classmates along the way.

TOOLS for the Session:

sketchbook & pencils
Adobe Photoshop
Adobe After Effects
Adobe Illustrator (optional)

At the end of the session, one eligible student will win a prize package of 3 original art prints – one from each instructor. Eligibility is attained by completing all 3 projects by deadline time.

There will also be a live Q&A session with the instructors via Google Hangouts on Saturday, October 3rd at 4:00 PM EST. Post your questions to the discussions page before the hangout, or ask the questions live. Sign up to attend the hangout here. And if you’re unable to tune in live, the Q&A will be recorded and a link will be posted to the discussions page.

How It Works

Enroll in each of the three classes and watch all video lessons from each class to learn the skills you need to complete the project assignment.
You will receive an email outlining upcoming project assignments, so no project due dates sneak up on you!
Post your project progress in the class’s project gallery to get feedback from your instructors and classmates. The best learning experience on Skillshare is collaborative so be sure to offer feedback to your classmates regularly as well.
Get answers to any and all GIF questions in real-time from the instructors during an AMA (Ask Me Anything) on Saturday, October 3rd at 4:00 PM EST.
Students who complete all three projects by Tuesday, October 20th, 11pm PST will be eligible to win an original art print from each of the instructors.

Session Timeline:

September 21st - September 30th:
Watch: The Beginner's Guide to Animating Custom GIFs (36 minutes)
First Project Assignment: Create an Animated GIF to Send to a Friend
Project Due: September 30th, 11pm PST

October 1st - October 10th:
Watch: Electric Letterland: Building Animated Neon Lettering for Blogs & Websites (48 minutes)
Second Project Assignment: Neon GIF of a foreign-language word or phrase
Project Due: October 10th, 11pm PST

October 11th - October 20th:
Watch: Animated Self-Portrait: Bring Your Evil Twin to Life (80 minutes)
Final Project Assignment: Animated Self-Portrait
Project Due: October 20th, 11pm PST

FAQ: For any general questions on how Sessions work, please read the Session FAQs. If you can’t find your answer there, please email help@skillshare.com.

Prizes:

“Lorem Ipsum” by Jamie Bartlett
“Black Widow” by Kate Widdows
“Snuggle Fox” by Joy + Noelle

Ready, Set: GIF!

Sep 21 - Oct 20

Ready, Set: GIF!

Sep 21 - Oct 20