CSSSA ANIMATION REQUIRED ASSIGNMENTS – 2023
Students do not need prior formal training in animation to apply to the Animation Program. Students currently enrolled in grades 8 through 12 are eligible to apply.
Applicants must submit a completed online application, teacher recommendation forms, and upload the following required assignments. If you don’t include the required assignments by the application deadline, your application will be incomplete and won’t be reviewed.
A. One drawing or painting of a portrait of your favorite artist. You could choose a fine artist, a singer, a writer, an actor, illustrator, animator, or director. Choose someone you really admire and follow because to make this assignment meaningful you must know the subject well. Use an original style and technique to express who they are. Find a drawing tool that helps to demonstrate their personality or the message they give to their audience. Any media is welcome, from traditional analogue to digital materials.
B. One drawing or painting based on the lyrics of Lorde’s song: “Team”. You might consider the emotion, lyrics, pacing, and impact of the song. Push your imagination to create an original illustration. The essence of the assignment is to think outside the box. Please don’t draw in somebody else’s style and don’t use other artist’s work as your inspiration. You can use life references but don’t copy a photograph.
C. A series of 5 life drawing “Cafe Sketches” that demonstrate your observational and life drawing skills. Note the time and place of each location on your drawings (For Example: Roots Cafe, January 10th). Use a variety of techniques, such as pencil, pen, charcoal, watercolor, marker, color pencil etc. Draw people, animals, plants, objects, and the space around you.
D. Upload a video of an animation you have created that demonstrates your understanding of motion. Please DO NOT send rotoscoped work because it won’t be considered. Your video should not exceed 2 minutes.
E. Upload two typed statements of no more than 150 words each addressing the following topics:
1. The CSSSA Animation program requires each student to complete 5 difficult projects in only four weeks. Give us an example of something you have done before in school or in your life that required you to work very hard and tell us how you did on that task, or group of tasks.
2. Tell us why you chose the artist for assignment A? How do they inspire you and what do they contribute to your life? Explain your artistic direction with this illustration. Why did you choose the particular technique to create their portrait? What inspired your color choices or the lack of?
Please save your assignments with your first initial and last name followed by the appropriate letter for each of the submissions. For example, John Smith would save his work as follows:
jsmith_A
jsmith_B
jsmith_C
jsmith_D
jsmith_E
RETURNING STUDENTS ONLY:
Applicants who attended the Animation Program previously must include a typed statement of no more than 150 words explaining what you hope to achieve during your second summer at CSSSA. This statement will be accepted instead of Assignment E, Topic 1 above.
Also note: Assignments A through D must be new submissions that show your development and growth as an artist since you attended the program. Do not submit work you created during a previous session, or your application will be disqualified. If you previously attended CSSSA in an artistic discipline other than Animation, you must submit a recommendation from a CSSSA instructor in that department.
NOTE TO ALL ANIMATION PROGRAM APPLICANTS:
The artwork / animation you submit should be original and from your own experience and imagination. The committee wants to see YOU reflected in the content and distinctive style of your artwork. Be yourself! There should be no copying of existing cartoon characters or previous CSSSA students’ work. Plagiarism (the copying of other artists work as your own) is not tolerated at CSSSA. If you submit plagiarized work in your application, it will be rejected.
We also discourage the submission of standard animation exercises such as a bouncing ball or flour sack assignment. Each applicant is highly encouraged to include submissions that explore a wide range of fine arts styles and ideas other than cartoon art.