Carnival Figures Courses & Training

Learn animation, storytelling, editing, compositing and production workflows from Alex Dawson — Animation Director, Animator, Story Artist, Motion Designer, Editor, Concept Artist and founder of Carnival Figures.

With over 20 years of industry experience and more than 7 years teaching, Alex has worked with leading animation studios, production companies, agencies and global brands including Disney, Passion Pictures, Puma, Nike, Adidas, Pepsi, UEFA Champions League, BBC, Microsoft, Lenovo, Burberry, Graff, Lululemon, Aston Martin and The Open.

Courses are available as bespoke 1-to-1 mentoring, small group sessions, Zoom lessons, workshops and tailored training programmes for students, artists, filmmakers, animators, editors and creative professionals.

Please email info@carnivalfigures.com and include the course you are interested in, your current level, and what you would like to achieve.

2D Animation Fundamentals

  • Learn the principles of animation through practical exercises
  • Timing, spacing, weight, arcs and character performance
  • Walk cycles, lip sync and simple effects animation
  • Ideal for beginners and intermediate artists
  • Software: TVPaint, Adobe Animate, Photoshop Timeline, Procreate Dreams

TVPaint Animation

  • Professional hand-drawn 2D animation workflow
  • Scene setup, rough animation, clean-up and colour
  • Character animation and effects animation
  • Exporting scenes for editing and compositing
  • Ideal for students building a 2D animation portfolio

Adobe Animate / Flash

  • Vector and frame-by-frame animation workflows
  • Symbols, artwork preparation and efficient production methods
  • Character animation for web, broadcast and social content
  • Combining traditional animation with digital production

Photoshop Timeline Animation

  • Simple, direct animation using Photoshop Timeline
  • Using custom brushes for hand-drawn animation
  • Rough animation, line tests and animatic elements
  • Great for artists who already draw in Photoshop

Premiere Pro Editing

  • Professional editing for film, animation, YouTube and social content
  • Editing structure, pacing, rhythm and storytelling
  • Working with dialogue, music and sound effects
  • Basic grading, titles, exports and delivery settings

After Effects Motion Graphics

  • Motion graphics, typography and animated design
  • Keyframing, easing, timing and layout animation
  • Promos, title cards, social graphics and branded content
  • Integrating artwork from Photoshop and Illustrator

After Effects Compositing

  • Compositing animation, live-action and 3D renders
  • Green screen, rotoscoping, tracking and grading looks
  • Matte painting integration and cinematic finishing
  • Using After Effects as the central finishing tool

Character Rigging & Puppet Animation

  • After Effects puppet-style character animation
  • Preparing artwork for animation
  • Rigging, controllers and simple performance animation
  • Ideal for explainers, promos and social animation

Storyboarding

  • Translate scripts and ideas into clear visual sequences
  • Shot design, staging, composition and camera language
  • Storyboarding for animation, film, promos and commercials
  • Software: Photoshop, TVPaint, Adobe Bridge

Animatics

  • Turn storyboards into timed moving story reels
  • Editing with dialogue, temp music and sound effects
  • Pitch-ready animatics and previsualisation
  • Software: Premiere, After Effects and Audition

Concept Art & Illustration

  • Concept art for animation, film and games
  • Character design, environments, props and worldbuilding
  • Composition, colour, atmosphere and cinematic storytelling
  • Software: Photoshop, Procreate, Illustrator

Digital Matte Painting

  • Create cinematic environments and background art
  • Perspective, scale, lighting and atmosphere
  • Combining painting, photographic reference and compositing
  • Useful for film, animation, games and visual development

Sound Design

  • Sound design for animation, film and promos
  • Dialogue editing, SFX, ambience and music integration
  • Working with voice actors and performance tracks
  • Software: Adobe Audition, Premiere and Pro Tools

Screenwriting & Story Development

  • Story structure, character, theme and visual storytelling
  • Writing for animation, film and original IP
  • Script feedback and development sessions
  • Software: Final Draft and Highland

History of Film & Animation

  • Overview of the development of cinema language
  • Animation principles and visual storytelling history
  • Key texts including Bordwell, Thompson, The Illusion of Life and The Animator's Survival Kit
  • Ideal for students wanting deeper context and inspiration

History of Anime

  • Major movements and influences in anime
  • Studio Ghibli, Akira, Ghost in the Shell and Satoshi Kon
  • Sailor Moon, Evangelion, shonen and global anime culture
  • Lectures, screenings and discussion-led sessions

Book a Course or 1-to-1 Session

Courses can be tailored for beginners, intermediate learners, advanced students, studios, schools and creative professionals.

Email info@carnivalfigures.com and include the course you are interested in, your current experience level, and whether you would prefer 1-to-1, small group or workshop training.