Free Online Course vs. Paid Offline Course in Animation

Does bringing animated characters to life excite you? It is obvious that creating your next viral cartoon or even working for a reputable animation studio requires skills and learning. This can make you wonder if you should consider a free online animation course or a paid offline course.

Through this blog, we will make it easier for you to make the right career decision in scaling your learning in your animation journey.

What are these free online animation courses?

An online free animation training provides access to learning resources which are absolutely free of cost. Some of these online free animation training channels include Khan Academy, YouTube, Coursera and so on. There are a few softwares that also offer free online courses for learning the in-demand advanced 3D modelling, drawing techniques and so on.

Pros of choosing free online animation courses:

• Students get a safety net for trying out various animation styles before committing to a specific specialisation at minimal to zero cost.
• These free online courses are flexible, as you set the pace for learning.
• It offers diverse options covering a broad range of animation styles.
• It is highly cost-effective if you are running low on financial budget.

Likewise, there are some of the cons that emerge amongst students, including a lack of direct feedback since the learning is done individually.

These online courses can hamper your growth scope and limit your industry networking with other professionals. A few of these courses lacks credibility which are required standards in the industry.

What are these paid offline animation courses?

The paid offline courses are the traditional classroom learning where individuals attend classes at a college, university or any other relevant facility. They are usually expected to pay the tuition fees and have to enrol themselves for face-to-face training in a collective environment amongst the other students.

The pros of selecting a paid animation course benefits:

• Students get to learn directly from the professional instructors who have industry experience
• In-depth learning exposure of concepts from the basics to advanced learning.
• Better networking opportunities for developing their career network.
• Individuals are mentored with real-time feedback and adequate guidance for improving their work.
• Opting for a paid offline course provides maximum value through their job placement opportunities.

As much as there are advantages of offline animation course, there are also some of the cons that emerge usually. These offline paid courses are not cost-effective and can be expensive. These courses are not flexible as students are expected to show up on the given time for taking up their classes.

Online vs. Offline Animation Course: How can you decide which to select?

Here are some of the parameters that can help you make the right choice as per your professional goal:

Consider free online animation courses, only if:

• You are starting out your learning journey, willing to self learn at your own pace
• You are looking forward to learning various animation styles before selecting their specialisation.
• If your budget is tight and raises concerns of affordability.

Consider paid offline animation courses in Kolkata, only if:

• You as a student are focused on making a career in the animation industry.
• Individuals are keen to develop their industry network and seek job placement opportunities.
• You can make the most of corrections in your works through real-time feedback from the faculty.
• You aim to obtain recognised credentials as per the industry standards.

In Summary

You can make the best final call, with a dual approach of opting for paid and offline animation courses in Kolkata based on your learning technique, skills and financial resources. You can learn the basics through paid courses online and then specialise in a specific domain within the animation industry to accomplish your career goals.