DESIGNING PROPS FOR ANIMATION
Designing Props For Animation at The Art Club will guide students through what it takes to create effective, production-ready prop designs for animated shows. The course explores core concepts such as understanding basic structure, matching established design styles, and developing new visual styles for your own concept art.
Students will also learn how to design directly from storyboard panels. Where students will translating rough visual cues into clear, functional, and appealing props that support the needs of the scene. Through demos, breakdowns, and practical assignments, the class will provide a solid overview of the prop designer’s role within an animated production.
By the end of the course, students will have the tools to confidently design props that enhance storytelling, reinforce worldbuilding, and align with a show’s visual language.
Dates
COMING SOON
Time
COMING SOON
Location
Creative Lab Workshops - Discord: <https://discord.gg/TZb8wK292j> Green Classroom
FORMAT
Class meets once a week on Discord
Recorded Access: Class recordings are provided after the course, viewable for one year.
Homework must be uploaded to Google Drive folder before the next class begins
The class enrollment is limited to a maximum of 10 students.
THE FACULTY
Erik Elizarrez is a Prop Designer, Cleanup Artist, and Comic Book Cover Artist with 23yrs of experience in the Animation Industry. He has been extremely fortunate to work for some amazing show runners and studios, including Disney, Warner Bros, Nickelodeon, Dreamworks, Netflix, Bento Box, and Titmouse. Some of his most recent shows have been the Animaniacs, Proud Family, Tiny Toons Looniversity, and Krapopolis. In his spare time he has started doing variant comic covers for Image, TopshelfComic, and Skybound.
Erik has done lectures for the Nickelodeon outreach school programs both at Nickelodeon and in the classroom.
Prerequisites
This is an Intermediate to Advanced-level class. In order to have a productive learning experience for all, prospective students need to fulfill the following requirements:
Adobe Photoshop
Adobe Illustrator (reccomended but not necessary)
Computer with microphone (camera optional)
Access to Google Drive
Access to Discord
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Students will gain a clear understanding of what prop design is and how it functions within an animated production. They will explore how props support storytelling, character needs, and worldbuilding, while also learning how to gather and organize effective reference to guide their designs.
Assignment: Create a small reference board for 3–4 props that fit a specific style.
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Students will examine how prop design changes across different visual styles and learn to analyze the stylistic language of a show. Such as shape choices, line quality, materials, and varying levels of simplification or exaggeration. They will practice identifying the defining traits of a style and applying that knowledge consistently in their own work.
Assignment: From the reference gathered, design 3–4 props that clearly fit within that visual world. -
Students will develop a stronger understanding of structure, form, and the purpose of turnarounds in the animation pipeline. They will focus on clarity, consistency, and communicating all necessary angles of a prop for production use, ensuring their designs can be interpreted accurately by other departments.
Assignment: Select one prop from Day 2 and create a basic 4-point turnaround.
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Students will learn how to read storyboard panels for essential information and translate rough cues into clear and functional prop designs. They will build skills in solving visual problems, interpreting incomplete details, and keeping their work aligned with the show’s style even when starting from loose drawings.
Assignment: Using storyboard panels provided, design one prop that appears in the scene and produce a clean, style-appropriate prop design. -
Students will explore a visual aesthetic outside their usual style. Exploring the essential skills for working across multiple productions. They will learn how to design props that follow a theme while still staying faithful to the chosen stylistic rules, broadening their creative and technical range.
Assignment: Choose a visual style outside your comfort zone and design 2–3 themed props that belong clearly to that world. -
Students will participate in a constructive critique session, learning how to discuss their work clearly, receive feedback effectively, and evaluate their own decision-making process. They will also learn what makes a strong prop design portfolio, including how to present work clearly, how to show process and exploration, and how to tailor a portfolio for different studio styles and production needs. By the end of the day, students will gain clarity on how to curate their work for maximum impact.
Who is this Workshop for?
The Designing Props For Animation workshop is designed for anyone interested in strengthening their prop design skills for animation, whether they’re aiming to enter the industry, expand their existing visual development toolkit, or simply deepen their understanding of how props support story and style. The workshop welcomes artists at various stages in their creative journey and provides guidance that is adaptable to different skill levels and artistic backgrounds.
Current College Students – looking to build a stronger portfolio and gain a clearer understanding of production-focused prop design.
Professionals – who want to refine their design versatility, expand into prop or vis-dev roles, or strengthen their storytelling through props.
Hobbyists – who want structured guidance, practical assignments, and a deeper insight into how animated shows develop and use props.
Outcomes
Learn how to gather and organize effective visual reference for prop design.
Develop the ability to break down storyboard roughs and extract key design information.
Gain insight into the full workflow of designing props for an animated show, from concept to final turnarounds.
