The Master’s degree in 2D Animation Cinema trains specialists in 2D animation and pre-production. Storyboarding, staging, character research and definition of their attitudes and movements, creation of sets and character animation. At the end of this program, students master traditional animation techniques and their creative use in digital tools. They learn how to use these techniques within the artistic universe they have developed through workshops supervised by professionals, which them leads to the production of a final film team project, in real production conditions.
ARTFX is a founding member of RECA, an association that currently includes 28 French animation film schools clearly recognized by the professional world, both in France and abroad.
ARTFX is a certified TOON BOOM academic partner for the 2025-2026 school year. See more
1 class of 25 students is created yearly on each site
🇫🇷 Course in French only
More information
Awards the title of “digital producer”
The 2D Animation Master’s degree is a 5-year course that allows students to practice drawing (morphology, character research, mounting, set creation, etc.), enrich their visual acuity, experiment with different styles and assert their artistic sensitivity using traditional and digital techniques employed in animation studios. 2D animation students trained at ARTFX can effectively work as soon as they leave the school, and are comfortable with studio working culture. They also stand out for their ability to adapt and their knowledge of all the positions along the production chain of an animated film. During their studies, students complete at least one internship lasting at least six weeks and benefit from masterclasses with partner studios. In the 5th year, they make an animated short film which is screened before a professional panel, giving them an understanding of the different production stages of an animated film from storyboarding to post-production.
The 1st year at ARTFX offers a common core for all courses. This system allows students to acquire a common base, but also to experiment, to discover and practice the different stages of filmmaking or game creation. The strength of this pedagogical choice is that through experience, the student better understand the production chain, learn to collaborate with colleagues and discover the trade.
→ Artistic foundation course: observational drawing, figure drawing & anatomy, sculpture, perspective, color & light, digital painting
→ Cultural development: creativity, storytelling, image grammar, photography, screenplay, culture and language of cinema and video games
→ Workshops to discover the professions: film practice, introduction to 3D (modeling and animation), matte painting, programming, storyboarding, traditional and digital 2D animation, character design, video games
→ Collaborative projects: preparation of an exhibition
Individual project: portfolio
→ English
Acquisition of animation techniques and storyboard
Character and set animation, puppet rigging, compositing
Staging and storytelling: script, storyboard, layout
Visual development: concept art, character design
Animation culture, anatomical drawing, blocking drawing
Personal and collaborative project
Acquisition of animation techniques and storyboard
Character and set animation, puppet rigging, compositing
Staging and storytelling: script, storyboard, layout
Visual development: concept art, character design
Animation culture, anatomical drawing, blocking drawing
Personal and collaborative project
Project: production of a professional demo tape
Project and team management
Masterclasses with partner studios
6-week min studio internship
Specialized workshops: character animation, acting
Graduation project: creation & direction of a 2D animation short film
Professional coaching in English
Presentation to a professional jury
Professional meetings
Job dating
Learn about different occupations in 2D animation, including concept art, character creation, set design, storyboarding, animatics, layout, color, rigging and more. Learn the traditional drawing techniques and the digital tools used by studios. At ARTFX, you get to work alongside 3D animation students with matching skills. While the latest French 2D animated feature films are spared any “hybrid 2D” such as 2D-styled 3D animation*, many current productions demonstrate the complementarity of 2D and 3D, each of which has its own sense of meaning, depending on artistic choices and budgets. ‘Klaus’, witch was produced by Netflix and nominated for best animated film in the 2020 Oscars, thus exploits recent technological developments (character animation via 3D models, computer-generated light, following the action in real time, etc.) and beautifully illustrates this convergence cultivated at ARTFX.
*‘Calamity, a childhood of Martha Jane Cannary’, ‘The Summit of the Gods’ or ‘Chien Pourri, la vie à Paris!’
Years 1 to 5 :
FeesARTFX has given me a lot, both in terms of technique and in terms of preparing me to real work conditions. There is also a very good atmosphere in the school. After I graduated, I worked for almost a year as a Storyboard Artist at Cube Creative, on the series Where's Chicky season 2 by William Hoareau, and Athleticus season 3 by Nicolas Deveaux.
