Animation and Graphics
Do you want to visualize your ideas through animation and graphics?
Have you seen some cool animated films, commercials, or video games and dream of being able to create something like this? In this program, you’ll learn to breathe life into lifeless objects and characters on screen, and create and communicate energy, humor, and emotions through movement.
Course content
You’ll learn to visualize your ideas through animation and graphics. You’ll learn to observe what you see, sketch ideas, draw, develop and create storyboards, and animate in both 2D (drawing), 3D (computer), and stop motion (physical objects and puppets).
- Animation in 2D, 3D, and stop motion
- Character animation
- Drawing
- Visual storytelling
- Storyboards and animatics
- Editing
- Project presentations
Study trip: Japan
In spring, the program takes a trip to Japan, with special focus on Tokyo – the world’s largest city! The city is packed with exciting and memorable experiences and is known for its unique combination of the ultra-modern and traditional. Skyscrapers bathed in neon light stand side by side with ancient Shinto and Buddhist temples and gardens. In these streets, we get close to the culture, trends, food, and not least the anime universes that the country is so famous for.
Among the highlights are the Ghibli Museum, karaoke, temple walks, food markets, arcades, and the countless anime centers. The program varies from year to year, so a visit to an animation studio or an animation festival might be on the agenda. Since we travel in the spring, we might also be lucky enough to experience sakura (cherry blossom season).
Suggested day-by-day program:
- Day 1: Fly from Bergen to Osaka
- Day 2: Visit Tokyo Skytree and Senso-ji Temple
- Day 3: Excursion to Akihabara and group dinner
- Day 4: Visit Ghibli Museum and drawing in Inokashira Park
- Day 5: Teamlab Planets (interactive art installation) + Small Worlds Tokyo (miniature gallery with animatronics)
- Day 6: Tokyo National Museum and Ueno Zoo (sketching/croquis), karaoke in the evening
- Day 7: Excursion to Kamakura; Hokokuji Temple and Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine
- Day 8: Suginami Animation Museum, Takeshita Street and Shibuya Crossing
- Day 9: Free exploration of the city, group dinner
- Day 10: Tokyo Anime Awards (Animation Festival)
- Day 11: Hokusai Museum and Edo-Tokyo (recreated district from the Edo period)
- Day 12: Return from Tokyo to Bergen
The teaching
The year begins with basic training in animation and animation principles, where we animate simple objects like a bouncing ball, before gradually moving on to more advanced animations. Throughout the year, you’ll work in 2D, 3D, and stop motion. Film production consists of several phases, and in this program we go through all these phases from idea to finished product. In the pre-production phase, you’ll have the opportunity to develop stories, create storyboards and animatics. In the production phase, we produce the actual film, and in the post-production phase we add sound and edit the material we’ve worked with, then export it to a finished film. You’ll have the opportunity to work both individually and in groups. The year will give you a collection of self-produced animations and graphics. This can be valuable if you want to apply for further studies in animation.
You’ll receive solid instruction and guidance from teachers with diverse and relevant expertise and experience. We also like to visit relevant companies or educational institutions that work with animation and similar fields.
Equipment and software
As 2D animation tools, we mainly use Adobe Animate and Premiere. You’ll also get access to a range of other Adobe programs, such as Photoshop, Illustrator, and After Effects. For 3D animation, we use Autodesk Maya. When you start school, you’ll be able to borrow a drawing tablet that you can use all year to make digital drawing easier.
You must bring your own PC with minimum the following system requirements:
- Windows 10/11, MacOS 13.x, 12.x, 11.x
- Intel® 6th Gen or newer CPU – or AMD Ryzen™ 1000 Series or newer CPU
- 16 GB RAM
- 4 GB GPU dedicated memory (VRAM)
- 100 GB free disk space
Line teacher Simon Furdal
Is an animator who has specialized in combining digital animation techniques and stop motion. Has worked on the feature films The Animals of Farthing Wood and The Solan & Ludwig trilogy. Worked in the props department at Qvisten Animation before becoming part of the animation team. Has produced the short film Warp which has been shown in many countries. Has also animated on several short films, commercials, and infographics.
Teacher Margunn Hindenes
Margunn is an animator with a master’s in digital character animation from Noroff Institute and Teesside University in England. She has worked as a 3D animator on major video games like Driver: San Francisco and Watch Dogs at the game company Ubisoft Reflections, and has several years of experience as a graphic designer and animator at TV 2. Margunn is also a certified climbing instructor and offers climbing as an elective subject.
This is what the students say
My year here at Bergen folk high school has been one of the best in my entire life! Here I really got to explore what’s outside my comfort zone, in a way that helped me grow as an animator and artist.
When I came here, I was quite directionless and unmotivated in my art. But thanks to my skilled, experienced, and highly engaged teachers, as well as a creative community unlike anything I had been part of before, I have grown significantly both professionally and socially. I’m actually working on a large animation project right now, something I never could have imagined managing a year ago! We’ve received solid training in the fundamental principles of animation art, as well as the creative freedom and space to create what we ourselves feel is right for us.
If you want to explore or develop your creative passion, folk high school is absolutely perfect for you, since you can do this together with others and without the pressure of grades and assessments. Going to folk high school was a completely perfect choice for me, and I’m absolutely certain it will be for you too!
Attending folk high school so far has been absolutely amazing. It was a bit scary at first because everything was so new, but as time went on it just got more and more fun.
I was actually in the middle of a degree program that had nothing to do with animation, but I felt a desire to develop myself and try something completely new. I have always been a creative person, and wanted to explore more of this side of myself. On the animation line I have gotten to try out different animation techniques, and it has been incredibly fun. It has worked well both for me who had no experience beforehand and for those who have been doing it for a long time.
Getting the opportunity to study this program has been absolutely fantastic. I had some background from before and I’m a huge fan of animation. Seeing what happens behind the scenes of animations is extremely fascinating. Being able to work with this for a year and gain insight into different types of animation has been a highlight of my life so far. I’ve learned something in all styles and I now know the basics. I wish to continue working with animation. For me, it has always been a dream to travel to Japan – and that dream came true! It was one of the coolest experiences I’ve ever had!
I’ve learned a lot about animation and how to work on projects and processes. How you can reach a finished result by working step by step. I think 2D animation is fun and I’m going to continue with this. Stop Motion and 3D animation were nice to try out. A good subject teacher and a very calm atmosphere in the classroom – there’s no stress here.
Studying Animation and Graphics at Bergen Folk High School has been incredibly valuable and educational for me. Throughout the year, I’ve had the opportunity to try out many different media and techniques. We’ve worked on storyboarding, 3D modeling, and stop-motion. We’ve developed our drawing skills, both on paper and using the digital drawing tablet that all students receive at the start of the school year. It was incredibly fun and rewarding to be able to use all our creative and technical skills in a larger project towards the end of the year! The study trip to Japan was a once-in-a-lifetime experience! Japan is a unique country to visit, especially with a fantastic class. The academic content was exciting, and we had many great cultural encounters and experiences.
An unforgettable journey – and an unforgettable year – that I’ll be longing to return to for a long time!
If Animation and Graphics is a program you are considering, I highly recommend it. This is a program that is open to everyone at different skill levels; whether you can already create art or have barely touched a pencil – the only thing expected of you is interest!
What I have personally loved about these studies is that you can shape them however you want – the assignments are quite open, along with guidance from passionate teachers who have professional experience in their fields. Not least, the social aspect is some of the best I have experienced – you will build a safe and fun network both within the class and beyond!
I started this without having done much animation before, but I got to try my hand at 2D and 3D as well as stop-motion. Trying such different techniques means you never get bored and can always look forward to the next assignment!
And finally, you will have the opportunity to travel to Japan on a class trip and experience all the sights and sounds of Tokyo. It’s both a social and educational trip where you’ll get to experience so many amazing and fun things!
Here, you’ll really develop your drawing skills, and you’re guaranteed to learn something new whether you’ve done this before or not! Don’t worry – apply for an amazing year with fantastic people!
Apply for a place at school now
Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis and processed in the order they are received. It is always a good idea to be early.
Animation and graphics - prices
Food and lodging
NOK 96 000,-Joint costs
NOK 12 000,-Group trip
NOK 5 500,-Line price incl. study trip
NOK 44 000,-
Total:
NOK 157 500,-
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the program for?
The program is suitable for you if you have an interest in drawing, animation, graphics, animated films, and visual storytelling.
What is animation and graphics
Do I need experience?
No, you don’t need any prior knowledge. The most important thing is that you are curious, creative, and eager to learn. The teaching is structured so that everyone can develop, regardless of starting point.
What do we work on in the program?
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Among other things, you will work with:
- Drawing
- Animation principles
- Storytelling
- Character design
- Storyboard and animatic
The teaching is practical and project-based.
Do we work individually or in groups?
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Do I receive individual guidance?
Yes. You receive follow-up and guidance from the teacher throughout the year.
Do I need my own equipment?
Yes, you need a PC with good capacity for somewhat heavier software such as the Adobe suite and Blender or Maya. You’ll also borrow a drawing tablet to make it easier to draw digitally.
What can I use the year for going forward?
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This year will give you:
- basic understanding of animation and graphics
- increased visualization skills and creative self-confidence
- a good preparatory foundation for further studies in animation or other creative subjects