BFA Character Animation: Admission Requirements

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The Program in Character Animation supports animation focused on character development and narrative storytelling. The faculty admissions committee seeks portfolios that show evidence of strong, observational figure/life drawing skills, artistic originality, and the potential to tell stories and develop characters using sequential imagery. The committee values artwork that reveals a unique and imaginative voice, showcasing the applicant’s artistic interests and conceptual abilities. We welcome a range of traditional creative work, including drawings and paintings, as well as 2D digital art, and computer graphics (CG).

Part 1: Observational artwork (minimum of 15 total)

Observational artwork consists of drawings done from the direct study of life with your subject(s) present in your environment, not from photo or screen reference. Subject(s) can include humans and animals alike.

You must include examples of the following categories of observational drawing in any number you chose.

A. Observational life drawings of human models 

• These observational drawings should range from short pose lengths (gesture drawings) to longer pose lengths, and should indicate the models’ faces, hands, and feet. Drawings of nude models are preferred, but costume drawings may also be included. Applicants to the Character Animation program should have at least one year’s worth of experience studying figure/life drawing with a live model.

B. Observational drawings from real life 

• Drawings and sketches of people (in this case, not models) and animals from real life.
• Drawings of interior and exterior environments.
• Urban sketching, location drawings, caf? drawings, plein-air paintings, etc.

Keep in mind:

• Drawings should be from observing real life, exploring elements such as shape, form, contour, contrast, ambiance, and mood.
• Do not erase all of your construction lines while drawing from life - they are especially helpful to the faculty in understanding your approach to observational drawings.
• Do not submit traced pictures.
• Do not submit copies of work by others.

Part 2: Other creative work

Images should be uploaded into the online portfolio and can include any combination of the following:

• Sequential image storytelling: Work that showcases your ability to tell a story and develop a character. For example: storyboards, comics, graphic novels, flipbooks, short animations, or short stories with thumbnails.
• Digital creative work (animated or still): Creative work that you produce, or manipulate, in one or more computer programs. This might take the form of 2D digital art, illustrations, concept art, character designs, prop designs, cartoons, photography, or computer graphics (CG).
• Other work (nondigital): Paintings, drawings, illustrations, concept art, character designs, prop designs, cartoons.
• Other examples of art-making, including sculpture, ceramics, installations, photography, etc.

Online presence: provide a URL to your website, Instagram, Tumblr, Behance, etc.

Portfolio-related questions can be addressed to the CalArts Office of Admissions; we also encourage applicants to find solutions to questions through their own creative exploration and introspection.

Online portfolio submission

The online portfolio should be uploaded in the application.

For your portfolio, please submit one image per slide. Do not combine multiple images into a PDF document. Do not share your personal website or a Google drive in place of a digital portfolio. Do not include captions on images. If appropriate, captions should be added to the designated captions section in the application.

The application accepts MP3s, documents, images, and video. You will be scanning or photographing your drawings to submit them digitally, and filming your sketchbook.

Once your portfolio is uploaded, it can be viewed and rearranged until the final submission is made. Make sure to double-check that each image appears as it is intended to be viewed. No changes can be made following the final submission of your portfolio.

If you experience technical difficulties while uploading your portfolio, please email admissions@calarts.edu.

Please answer the following questions: 

• What inspires you to make your art?
• Why are you applying to the Character Animation program at CalArts?
• What are your artistic goals?

Answers may be uploaded to the written materials section of the CalArts online application.

We would like to meet you, but since this is impossible in practical terms, we ask that you record a short video of you introducing yourself.

• Duration: minimum of 30 seconds, maximum of 90 seconds.
• Speak directly to the camera.
• Do not read from a prepared statement.
• No edits.
• No special effects or on-screen overlays.
• File should be uploaded or linked directly to the portfolio section of the CalArts application.
• Does not require professional-level equipment; cell phone cameras are fine.

Two letters of recommendation are required.

All letters of recommendation should be received by the application deadline, so it’s important that you contact your recommenders months before. We ask that you submit the requests for your letters of recommendation through the online application, as it will allow you to track when we receive your requested letters.

Only if this is not possible, you may download the Letter of Recommendation Form (pdf) and have your recommender send their letters by mail to the Office of Admissions. Please choose only one method - either through the online application (preferred) or by mail - per recommender. Letters of recommendation will not be accepted via credentialing services such as Parchment or Naviance.

Mailed letters of recommendation should be sent to:

CalArts Office of Admissions
24700 McBean Pkwy.
Valencia, CA 91355
United States of America

Letters of recommendation must be written in English or accompanied by a certified English translated document.

Sketchbook should be documented via video and included in the online portfolio.

• A complete sketchbook filled with your drawings, film ideas and scenes, film research, observations, stories, thumbnails, character designs, etc.
• We want to see what you are uniquely inspired to draw. We recommend you do not refer to any sketchbooks you see online for reference.
• Please draw directly in a sketchbook, rather than assembling pages together.
• We suggest that drawings from your online portfolio be different from those in your sketchbook(s).
• Sketchbooks come in many different shapes and sizes. Please feel free to work in the type of sketchbook that you like best.

Video requirements

• A filmed video page-through of your completed sketchbook, starting with the front cover and ending with the back cover.
• Should be well-lit and shot from above the sketchbook.
• Pause each page turn for a clear shot of each page.
• No more than 10 minutes in length.
• Do not include any edits or overlays.
• Do not include an audio track, audio commentary, or music.

We will not open or return physical sketchbooks that are mailed to us or dropped off at our offices.

Note for prospective transfer students: Character Animation is a four-year program. All students begin at the BFA1 (first-year undergraduate) level because of the highly sequential nature of the curriculum. Transfer students must review our transfer credit policy. Transfer courses may lighten a student’s academic course load but will not shorten the program. Character Animation students must take all required metier classes.