by Valeria González Montero

The University of Maryland Animation Club has been the place where students can start or expand their knowledge of animation since 2015.

“Anyone can really join from any experience. We have some people who come in and have been animating for years,” club president Matthew Hawkins said. “Then we got people who have never even animated before or even drawn.”

Hawkins, a senior communications and art double major, has been the club’s president since August. He joined the club during his freshman year and hopes to have a career in animation.   

Students draw images and make them come to life using different techniques like two dimensional, three dimensional and flipbook animation. Hawkins said that creating an animation piece takes lots of frames. Each drawing has to be dynamic in order to end up with a functional animation that presents movement.  

The club consists of two weekly meetings. Students meet in-person on Tuesday, starting with a quick-sketch exercise to draw poses — not details — as perfectly as possible then learn a new skill. 

“If people get caught up on the details from their animating, it’s going to take them forever to do it and they’re frustrated. So, it’s just a way for them to practice,” he said.

On Thursday, they meet virtually. There, students hang out, share what projects they’ve been up to and connect with former club members.

The in-person meetings help those who are just getting started in animation get more of a practical experience in animation, Hawkins said.

“I really encourage them to ask me if they have any concepts that they want to go over, if they have any questions. Usually, they just kind of want to do whatever we’re working on,” Hawkins said.

Students can give suggestions for topics to cover during the meeting, Hawkins said. 

“It’s a laid-back atmosphere,” said Zeeshan Ahmed, a freshman computer science major. “It’s got a nice atmosphere. It’s relaxed compared to what I hear about other clubs, which are a lot more formal, so to speak.”

Ahmed said that the club acts as a motivator for him to remember to work on his art. He said that classes can get busy, but he still wants to have a connection to animation. 

Alexis Feng, a junior computer science major, said that the club is good for anyone who is interested in any type of animation, 

“So, 2D, 3D, whatever you want or like storyboarding, even,” she said.

Hawkins said that members of the club learn about resources and often get critiques about their work. 

“One of the most valuable things you can get as an artist is feedback from other people,” he said.

Feng said that she has had only good experiences in the club.

“I feel accomplished,” she said. “Because we actually, you know, do animation in this club, which was really nice.”

Hawkins said the in-person meetings usually consist of eight to 10 members. 

For next semester, the animation club wants to expand their activities outside of the classroom. Hawkins said that for the first time, they are thinking of doing a collaboration project within the club. It would consist of an animation piece created by various club members. 

“We might enter that into some film contests or something like that,” Hawkins said.

Featured image: Students complete a quick sketch exercise on Nov. 30. Photo by  Valeria González Montero.