Meet Chad

the animation course instructor

Chad Stewart has worked as a professional animator in film and television for over 30 years! He animated with a pencil at Walt Disney Feature Animation on such films as:

  • Tarzan

  • The Emperor’s New Groove

  • Fantasia 2000

Then he made the transition over the great digital divide to Sony Pictures Imageworks and worked as a lead animator on such digital features as: 

  • The Polar Express

  • Stuart Little 2

  • Surf’s Up

Chad has most recently worked as a 3D Visual Development Artist at Sony Pictures Animation and is currently contracting with the same studio to work on sporadic development projects. He has a full home life including his beautiful wife of 26 years, 4 daughters (including one who is married) and 4 sons, adopted from Liberia, West Africa. As a family, they have just completed their 20 year homeschooling journey!

Pictured with us from this 2019 Christmas celebration is 6 of our 8 adult children - 2 sons and 1 son-in-law are absent from the picture.

Pictured with us from this 2019 Christmas celebration is 6 of our 8 adult children - 2 sons and 1 son-in-law are absent from the picture.

 

Since teaching children has been such an integral part of his family life, Chad was inspired to share his knowledge of animation with other kids via the wonders of the world wide web.  Whether you want to pursue animation as a career or would enjoy just learning for the sheer pleasure of the animation art form, this course will work for you!

 
 

Meet Kayla

Administrator

Kayla is the wife of Chad and mother to their 8 children. She has finished her 20 years of homeschooling and has jumped on board with Chad in this venture to bring the art and animation world to the online learning community. She takes care of the business and organizational side of things for The Animation Course, LLC.

Meet Our Graders

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Joe Mandia Grader for Level 1 Animation

Joe Mandia is an Animation Director, Supervisor, Lead, and Senior Animator with a passion for bringing characters and stories to life. With over 25 years of experience in the industry, Joe has honed his skills at renowned studios such as Walt Disney Animation Studios, Sony Pictures Imageworks, and Blue Sky Studios. He has contributed to a wide range of projects, from feature films to video games, commercials, and independent projects.

Joe's expertise extends to a variety of animation software, including 3D Studio Max, Maya, and Toon Boom Storyboard Pro. He is a team leader with a talent for mentoring and inspiring others.

Currently based in New Hartford, New York, Joe is available for freelance and contract work. He is always eager to take on new challenges and collaborate with creative teams to produce high-quality animation.

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Han Hu Grader for Level 1 Animation

Han Hu has been a professional animator for over 17 years. He has worked on many commercials, video games, TV shows, and feature films, such as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows and Transformers: The Last Knight. 

Roman Kobryn Grader for Level 1 or 2 Animation

Roman kicked off his animation adventure in 2008 after graduating from Fairleigh Dickinson University's art program. He honed his skills at Animation Mentor before diving into the world of a small NYC start-up, where he added his creative flair to a short film project. He then lent his talents to Sesame Street’s magical Abby Cadabby show.

When the show wrapped, Roman set off on a freelance journey in NYC, working on TV commercials, video games, and films at a mix of cool studios like Buck, Nathan Love, Look Effects, Hornet, Psyop, The Mill, and Panda Panther. In 2014, his feature film dream came true when Sony Pictures ImageWorks brought him aboard for Hotel Transylvania 2 and The Angry Birds Movie. He later joined Blue Sky, where he contributed to the icy thrills of Ice Age 5: Collision Course and the undercover antics of Spies in Disguise.

Today, Roman calls Little Zoo Studio home, where he is an animator and animation supervisor. His recent projects have spanned various genres—from the speedy action of Sonic 3 and the quirky charm of the Knuckles TV series to leading creative projects for Netflix’s Love, Death & Robots, Amazon’s Secret Level, and even crafting emotes for gaming giants like Apex Legends and Fortnite.

Amanda Tank Grader for Drawing Classes

Amanda is an American artist currently residing in Austria. After graduating from Biola University with a Bachelors of Fine Arts in Painting, she started her freelance career by working in video games, film, board games, illustration, and more. Her biggest passion is character design, and spends her free time playing Nintendo games and finding the best coffee shop in town.

Brooklyn Walker  Grader for Level 2 Drawing

Brooklyn Walker is a character designer in the animation industry currently working on a secret project at Skydance Animation! Her clients include Skydance, Sony Picture Animation, Warner Brothers, Netflix, Nickelodeon, and Bungie Games, where she's worked on several feature film and game projects, including musical comedies such as Lin Manuel-Miranda's "Vivo" and Adam Sandler's "Leo!" When she's not drawing and painting, Brooklyn loves to swim, hike and travel with her husband and two daughters.

Anthony Brewster  Grader for Level 2 Animation

Anthony Brewster has been a professional animator for the past 7 years. He’s worked as an animator on Spies in Disguise, SpongeBob: Sponge on the Run, The Sea Beast, and most recently on Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.

His animation journey started in 4th grade when he learned how to make stop-motion animation and has been hooked ever since. He tinkered with stop-motion as a hobby until he graduated high school and then attended Animation Mentor to learn 3d animation. 

 Meet Our Admin Staff

 
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Samantha Williams
Administrative Assistant

Samantha is wife to Sam, a graphic designer and teacher, and mom of two wild boys and 1 brand new baby boy to boot! She is also a hobby gardener and plant lady. Samantha enjoys working from home to help Chad and Kayla with the administrative side of The Animation Course. Her favorite role at TAC is compiling the feedback from students and parents and hearing what a positive impact the classes have on our students and their families.

 

Official Partners

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The Animation Mentor

Established in 2005, Animation Mentor is the original, online animation school. Students learn directly from working industry professionals – with more instructors from major studios than any other school – and get the one-on-one time they need to prepare for a successful career in the animation industry. Animation Mentor students learn using our proprietary online campus, exclusive feedback tools and real-world production pipeline. We have an alumni community of more than 5,000 students in 105 countries, now working in world-class studios like Pixar, DreamWorks, Industrial Light & Magic, Sony, Blue Sky and more.

Visit Animation Mentor
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SPED Homeschool

We at SPED Homeschool believe every child can succeed when provided individualized instruction and that homeschooling is one of the best options a family has for providing this type of education for a unique learner. SPED Homeschool’s team and board are homeschooling pioneers. We have each experienced the trenches of special education homeschooling while teaching our own unique learners. Relying on different resources, support, and available training, our children have flourished in the adapted environments we’ve created in our homes plus our years of educating have equipped us with valuable hand-on and real-life perspectives.

Visit SPED Homeschool
 
 

Additional Recommended Schools

CalArts

Southern California

The BFA Program in Character Animation is designed for students who seek an understanding of the art of character performance and storytelling in animation. The Program provides comprehensive artistic and technical training to help each student develop as a fully-fledged animation artist within both the traditional and computer graphic (CG) animation environments.

 

Lipscomb University

Tennessee

Learn the foundations and practice of animation, from character design to top-end computer graphics and 3D graphics. At Lipscomb, you'll grow your creative skills under some of the most prominent animators in the U.S., including Tom Bancroft and John Pomeroy. You’ll connect with and learn from experts in Maya software, the industry standard in computer graphics and CGI effects. You’ll even have the option of taking on opportunities in Los Angeles — our department’s Los Angeles internship program as well as a yearly trip to work at an animation studio there.

 

Asuza Pacific University

Southern California

Azusa Pacific University's Bachelor of Arts in Animation and Visual Effects will prepare you to make a difference in a creative and growing industry. Learn to bring characters, creatures, and objects to life in stories you create in this animation degree program with classes covering animation’s many facets, and cultivate your narrative techniques with a comprehensive cinematic arts curriculum. Learn in a small classroom environment under caring faculty-mentors who work in animation and entertainment, and take advantage of strategic internships in the industry.

 

Exceptional Minds

Exceptional Minds is a nonprofit academy and post production studio for people with autism. Our full-time three-year program, private lessons, summer workshops, and small group instruction prepare students for careers in animation and visual effects. Graduates work full-time for studios including Disney/Marvel, Nickelodeon, and Cartoon Network.

 

Ringling College of Arts & Design

Florida

In the Ringling College Computer Animation program, students do it all. In our world-renowned animation program, you will learn to create characters and tell their stories, as well as design, paint, model, texture, animate, light, composite, and edit original films. As a Computer Animation student, you will combine essential technical skills with conceptually original ideas that affect an audience emotionally, visually, and intellectually.

 

Savannah College of Art and Design

Georgia

Named a top animation program in the U.S. year after year by Animation Career Review, SCAD provides every resource to help you develop your signature style in 2D, 3D, and stop-motion animation, digital modeling, rigging, lighting, and look development.

 

Art Center

Southern California

ArtCenter's Entertainment Design department offers three tracks:

  • Concept focuses on the skills and creative ability required of entertainment industry concept designers

  • Animation develops students in the disciplines of character animation, storyboarding, modeling, art direction, and lighting for 3D and 2D animation

  • Game Design prepares students to create and convey game concepts through prototyping and production for multiple platforms