Animate Your Character

Fall 2026 · Four-week studio

Create an original character and make it move in a short animation — no previous animation experience required. Also get a 30-minute 1:1 call with a professional artist mentor to discuss your goals and how to get the most out of the studio.

• Dates: October 17, 24, 31 and November 14 (no class November 7)
• Day and time: Saturdays, 10:00 am to 11:00 am
• Location: Adventures in Ink, 15201 Ronald Reagan Blvd, Suite 210, Leander, TX 78641
• Instructors: Jason Keyser & Abelle Hayford
• Ages: 8–12
• Class size: up to 10 students
• Bring: iPad + Procreate Dreams App + Apple Pencil (iPad is required for this workshop)

Tuition covers all four sessions. Classes are non-refundable.

Draw it. Move it. Bring it to life. 

Seeing your own drawing move is one of the most exciting moments a young artist can have. In this four-week workshop, students create a simple original character and discover the fundamentals of 2D animation by putting that character into motion. We’ll explore strong poses, timing, squash and stretch, anticipation, and expression through short, playful exercises before building a finished animated moment. The goal is not technical perfection. It is to give young artists an exciting first animation win that makes them want to keep drawing, experimenting, and creating.

What Students will Learn:

Simple character construction; clear poses; frames and playback; timing; squash and stretch; anticipation; expression; basic cleanup; exporting and sharing an animation.

4-Week Project Arc:

Week 1: Invent a simple character built from clear, animation-friendly shapes, then explore a few expressive poses.
Week 2: Make the character perform a simple action using key poses, timing, and squash & stretch.
Week 3: Add anticipation, expression, and personality to make the movement more entertaining.
Week 4: Clean up, color, and export a finished short animation.

Final Project:

A short finished animation featuring the student’s own original character.

Recommended Student / Fit:

Ages 8–12 who love drawing, characters, cartoons, games, or animation. No previous animation experience is required; students should be comfortable drawing on the device used in class.

Outcome:

Students leave with the thrill of seeing their own artwork move and a finished animation they can share — while building confidence that carries naturally into future Ember drawing and animation courses.