In September, a group of CalArtians flew across the pond to try out a new mobile animation application—and catch a glimpse of exciting new possibilities for professional and aspiring animators. School of Film/Video Assistant Dean and Character Animation Program Director Maija Burnett, Christina Woo (Film/Video BFA 23), Jennifer Nie (Film/Video BFA 23), Sumin Cho (Film/Video BFA 23), Claire Coleman (Film/Video BFA 23), and current Character Animation student Anya Butler were invited to London to be among the first in the world to try out Procreate’s newest animation app, Procreate Dreams.
Per Procreate, the application is an all-in-one resource to “create rich 2D animations, expressive videos, and breathtaking stories” on a sleek and easy-to-use interface. Procreate Dreams’ launch took place as part of Playgrounds In Motion – London, an animation and motion design festival hosted in the immersive entertainment district Outernet London.
At Playgrounds, CalArtian animators had the opportunity to test out the app on iPads in the Outernet district’s NOW Trending building. The festival also featured artist talks, workshops, panels, and portfolio reviews with animation and illustration luminaries such as Alex Grigg, Michael Relth, Danni Fisher-Shin, Lisa Bardot, and Nikolai Lockertsen in attendance.
“I was so thrilled to have the opportunity to bond with my classmates in another country!” Nie shared in a recent email interview with 24700. “Other than running all over the city to check out restaurants and museums, it was really amazing to be sent to Playgrounds in Motion.”
While competing platforms and software have implemented monthly subscription fees, Procreate Dreams—which officially launches on Nov. 22—retails for $19.99 USD, which Nie believes will be game-changing for newer artists.
“I’m particularly excited to see what innovation comes out of the open accessibility, especially from younger artists who just are messing around on their family’s iPads,” noted Nie. “I think Procreate Dreams will make the medium of animation more accessible than ever before to anyone who is willing to try!”
