ROCKET SKY STUDENT RESOURCES
SOFTWARE
Autodesk Maya is Rocket Sky's choice for 3D Animation software. It is the industry leader for digital art and Autodesk offers a 3 year, free license to students. If you are new to Maya, or 3D software in general, Autodesk also offers an online Foundation course called Getting Started with Maya. Both links are below to download. Use Rocketsky.ca as the URL when prompted. Because Rocket Sky is a specialized school with a focus on Character Animation, our students may omit the sections from the tutorials after the Animation section. However, it might be a good idea to become familar with Maya's capabilities by completing the entire program.
AUTODESK MAYA 2025 DOWNLOAD
GETTING STARTED WITH MAYA
Online course for learning Maya
SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS FOR MAYA 2025
Apple Quicktime
APPLE QUICKTIME - MAC
Download and we'll upgrade it to Pro
APPLE QUICKTIME - WINDOWS
Download and we'll upgrade it to Pro
7Zip File Archiver
Powerful File Manager
Apowersoft
Online Screen Capture
For Windows and Mac
BOOKS
The Animator's Survival Kit
By Richard Williams
Simplified Drawing for
Planning Animation
By Wayne Gilbert
SIMPLIFIED DRAWING FOR PLANNING ANIMATION is packed with information about drawing the human form in a simplified way, for animators, illustrators, character designers and comic artists.
It emphasizes simplified structure, balance and posing with sequential images.
This book is used by animators at ILM, Walt Disney, Blue Sky, EA and many more. It has been required text at animation schools since 1999. This is an updated version with more character design information and animated examples from planning notes. It is a must-have book for animators and artists in all fields, perfect for experienced artists and beginners.
The Illusion of Life
By Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston
(Not Mandatory but highly recommended.)
The most complete book on the subject ever written, this is the fascinating inside story by two long-term Disney animators of the gradual perfecting of a relatively young and particularly American art from, which no other move studio has ever been able to equal. The authors, Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston, worked not only with the legendary Walt Disney himself but also with other leading figures in the half-century of Disney films. They personally animated leading characters in most of the famous films, and have decades of close association with the other men and women who helped perfect this extremely difficult and time-consuming art form (each feature requires some two and half million drawings!). Not to be mistaken for just a "how-to-do-it," this voluminously illustrated volume (like the classic Disney films themselves) is definitely intended for everyone to enjoy.
The Animator's Survival Kit: A Manual of Methods, Principles, and Formulas for Classical, Computer, Games, Stop Motion, and Internet Animators is a book by award-winning animator and director Richard Williams, about various aspects of animation. The book includes techniques, advice, tips, tricks, and general information on the history of animation.
As the title implies, the book is helpful for many types of animation, not just traditional animation. It has been praised by many as being one of the best books ever written on the subject and will act as the main text for the Rocket Sky program.
SUPPLIES
SKETCHBOOK
Observation plays in incredible role in animation. 3D Computer animators don’t have to be the greatest artists to be successful, but we encourage our students to draw on a regular basis, simply because art skills are not God-given, they’re skills that will improve through the process of repetition. And with stronger drawing skills comes stronger animation.
STOP WATCH and DESK MIRROR
For timing action and facial animation. The stop watch is old-school, and can be replaced by an app on your phone, etc., but a timing device is necessary.
VIDEO CAMERA
A video camera or webcam is a valuable resource for any animator. It allows students to take still frame images of their sketchbook drawings, video reference of themselves to study or use as a stop motion or 2D pencil test camera.
HEADSET WITH MICROPHONE
We use Microsoft Office 365, which Includes Skype for Business and Microsoft Teams as some of our Communication Platform. This allows us to IM, have Video Meetings, give and receive Feedback, share screens, etc. A headset and mic will be necessary to communicate with your mentor during your reviews.
THE ROCKET SKY RESOURCE LIBRARY (SHAREPOINT)
SharePoint Resource Library