Minor in Animation

The Animation Minor is open to all majors. The program is a production emphasis in creative storytelling, social issue documentary, and artistic experimentation.

Using techniques like drawing, stop-motion, 2D/3D digital and mixed media, students apply their skills to short animated projects. Students gain a foundation in animation principles and methods applicable to creative, entertainment, industrial, scientific, fine art and humanities fields. The Animation Society welcomes all students to the club meetings.

Discover Animation in Different Styles
Documentary Animation Collage Animation
Experimental Animation Digital Drawing-Painting
Narrative Animation Rotoscope
Drawing 2D Stop-Motion
Sand Painting 3D Stop-Motion
Claymation 3D & Visual FX
Grid of 12 images each conveying a different art style
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Enrollment in the Animation Minor requires a portfolio review. Any major can apply. Five animation courses totaling 15 units are required.

Animation Advisors

Animation Portfolio Review – Deadline April 20

The portfolio review is in the spring semester. Accepted students will receive permits to register for CINE 444 Animation I (3 units). Others with strong portfolios will be wait-listed.

Transfer Students Admitted After May

Transfer students admitted late to the university should upload their portfolio by August 15th. Upon successful portfolio review, transfer students will get permits to enroll in CINE 444 Animation I (3 units); students on the spring waitlist will receive permits in August if there are available seats.

Portfolio Guidelines

  • Portfolio Application (pdf)
  • Sample Portfolio (pdf)
  • 5-10 pages of drawings. This can include human, animal, and imagined characters, environments, and sequential action drawings.
    • Optional: 2-4 pages of color, design, painting, photography, sculpture or other art samples
    • Optional: Up to 2 animation or film samples (2-minute max each, include URL on the application for online streaming submissions

How To Upload Your Portfolio Using Your SF State Box Account

  • Download the application and sample portfolio above.
  • Sign up for an SF State Box account
    • A Box at SF State individual account is created for all current faculty, staff, students, and community members the first time they access the service via the Web using their SF State ID and password.
    • SF State Box Website
  • Make a folder for submission materials and submit the following:
    • A portfolio
    • An animation application
    • SF State unofficial transcript or DPR report
    • Unofficial transcripts from other transfer schools (if applicable)
  • Share the folder with animation advisers Martha Gorzycki and Ben Ridgway
    • Locate the folder/file you wish to share and click once to see more options
    • Click the Share button
    • Select sharing type: Link
    • Set the link permission using the People in this folder drop-down
    • Copy the link and share, or enter the email address(es) in the Email Address field to share immediately
  • Send Box links to:

Recommended Drawing Books

  • Figure Drawing for All It’s Worth. Andrew Loomis. Titan Pub. 2011
  • The Art of Animal Drawing. Ken Hultgren. Dover, NY 1993
A sample of works from the Animation Minor

The Minor in Animation's learning objectives strives to enable students to:

  1. Acquire basic skills in the formal and critical analysis of animation (including representations of race, class, gender and sexuality), focused by the analysis of representative works from a range of periods and cultures.
  2. Gain basic understanding of the relation of animation to other arts, to the development of new technologies, and to the industrial-social basis of domestic and international cultural production.
  3. Acquire the basic technical skills necessary for cinematic expression with animation.
  4. Develop basic skills in the organization and creation of meaningful form and content in animated works.