VA339 Basic Principles of Animation
VA339 Basic Principles of Animation
Syllabus | International University of Sarajevo - Last Update on Dec 12, 2025
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Visual Arts and Visual Communications Design
Branko Vekić
Course Lecturer
Course Objectives
Introduction to the basic and advanced features of the industry standard program for 2D animation and motion design - Adobe After Effects. Familiarization with principles of animation and and how to apply them while designing motion. Development of a professional workflow while building an animation sequence from start to finish.
Learning Outcomes
After successful completion of the course, the student will be able to:
Course Materials
Required Textbook
After Effects, Classroom in a Book, the official training workbook from Adobe, Peach pit, Berkeley 9780321704498
Additional Literature
Design for Motion: Fundamentals and Techniques of Motion Design, 1st Edition, by Austin Shaw.Teaching Methods
The method of teaching will be based on the individual approach developing specific attributes of the projects that correspond to weekly topics
The method will involve individual work with each student focusing on their projects and individual guidance in order to produce high quality results
The students will work independently of one another focusing on their assignments and projects
Group sessions will be organized every week to conduct peer assessment and constructive criticism of the assignments
Weekly Topics
| Week | Topic | Readings / References |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Course preview. Examining After Effects and motion design. | Lecture |
| 2 | Introduction to After Effects | Lecture |
| 3 | Motion fundamentals / Assignment 01 | Lecture / Assignment review |
| 4 | Artwork animation / Assignment 02 | Lecture / Assignment review |
| 5 | Building a sequence / Assignment 03 | Lecture / Assignment review |
| 6 | Creating a visual style / Assignment 04 | Lecture / Assignment review |
| 7 | Review and introduction to midterm | Lecture / Assignment review |
| 8 | MIDTERM EXAM | |
| 9 | Animation principles in AE I | Lecture |
| 10 | Animation principles in AE II / Assignment 05 | Lecture |
| 11 | Motion flow and transitions | Lecture / Assignment review |
| 12 | Shapes animation and morphing | Lecture |
| 13 | Effects, colors and gradients / Assignment 06 | Lecture |
| 14 | Storyboarding and styleframes | Lecture / Assignment review |
| 15 | Semester overview and introduction to final exam | Lecture |
Course Schedule (All Sections)
| Section | Type | Day 1 | Venue 1 | Day 2 | Venue 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VA339.1 | Course | Monday 09:00 - 11:50 | B F1.24 (MAC Studio) | - | - |
Office Hours & Room
Assessment Methods and Criteria
Assessment Components
Final Exam
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 1 2 3 4
Midterm exam
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 2 3 4
Assignments
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 1 2 3
In-Class Assesment
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 1 2
IUS Grading System
| Grading Scale | IUS Grading System | IUS Coeff. | Letter (B&H) | Numerical (B&H) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 - 44 | F | 0 | F | 5 |
| 45 - 54 | E | 1 | ||
| 55 - 64 | C | 2 | E | 6 |
| 65 - 69 | C+ | 2.3 | D | 7 |
| 70 -74 | B- | 2.7 | ||
| 75 - 79 | B | 3 | C | 8 |
| 80 - 84 | B+ | 3.3 | ||
| 85 - 94 | A- | 3.7 | B | 9 |
| 95 - 100 | A | 4 | A | 10 |
Late Work Policy
Information about late submission policies will be shared during class and posted in this section. Please check back for official guidelines.
ECTS Credit Calculation
📚 Student Workload
This 6 ECTS credit course corresponds to 150 hours of total student workload, distributed as follows:
Lecture hours
45 hours ⏳ (15 week × 3 h)
Assignments
40 hours ⏳ (8 week × 5 h)
In-Class Assesment
11 hours ⏳ (11 week × 1 h)
Midterm exam
20 hours ⏳ (2 week × 10 h)
Final exam
34 hours ⏳ (2 week × 17 h)
150 Total Workload Hours
6 ECTS Credits
Course Policies
Academic Integrity
All work submitted must be your own. Plagiarism, cheating, or any form of academic dishonesty will result in disciplinary action according to university policies. When in doubt about citation practices, consult the instructor.
Attendance Policy
Students are expected to adhere to the attendance requirements as outlined in the International University of Sarajevo Study Rules and Regulations. Excessive absences, whether excused or unexcused, may impact academic performance and eligibility for assessment. Mandatory sessions (e.g., labs, workshops) require attendance unless formally exempted. For detailed policies on absences, documentation, and penalties, please refer to the official university regulations.
Technology & AI Policy
Laptops/tablets may be used for note-taking only during lectures. Phones should be silenced and put away during all class sessions. Audio/video recording requires prior permission from the instructor.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) Usage: The use of AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini) varies by assessment component. Please refer to the AI usage indicator next to each assessment item in the Assessment Methods and Criteria section above. Submitting AI-generated content as your own work, where AI is not explicitly allowed, constitutes an academic integrity violation.
Communication Policy
All course-related communication should occur through official university channels (institutional email or SIS). Emails should include [VA339] in the subject line.
Academic Quality Assurance Policy
Course Academic Quality Assurance is achieved through Semester Student Survey. At the end of each academic year, the institution of higher education is obliged to evaluate work of the academic staff, or the success of realization of the curricula.
Learning Tips
Be prepared to contribute thoughtfully during class discussions, labs, or collaborative work. Active participation deepens understanding and encourages critical thinking.
Complete assigned readings or prep materials before class. Take notes, highlight key ideas, and jot down questions. Aim to grasp core concepts and their applications—not just facts.
Use course frameworks or methodologies to analyze problems, case studies, or projects. Begin early to allow time for reflection and refinement. Seek feedback to improve your work.
Don’t hesitate to reach out when something is unclear. Use office hours, discussion boards, or peer networks to clarify concepts and stay on track.
Syllabus Last Updated on Dec 12, 2025 | International University of Sarajevo
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Referencing Curricula Print this page
| Course Code | Course Title | Weekly Hours* | ECTS | Weekly Class Schedule | ||||||
| T | P | |||||||||
| VA339 | Basic Principles of Animation | 1 | 2 | 6 | Monday 09:00 - 11:50, B F1.24 (MAC Studio) | |||||
| Prerequisite | None | It is a prerequisite to | - | |||||||
| Lecturer | Branko Vekić | Office Hours / Room / Phone | ||||||||
| bvekic@ius.edu.ba | ||||||||||
| Assistant | Assistant E-mail | |||||||||
| Course Objectives | Introduction to the basic and advanced features of the industry standard program for 2D animation and motion design - Adobe After Effects. Familiarization with principles of animation and and how to apply them while designing motion. Development of a professional workflow while building an animation sequence from start to finish. | |||||||||
| Textbook | After Effects, Classroom in a Book, the official training workbook from Adobe, Peach pit, Berkeley 9780321704498 | |||||||||
| Additional Literature |
|
|||||||||
| Learning Outcomes | After successful completion of the course, the student will be able to: | |||||||||
|
||||||||||
| Teaching Methods | The method of teaching will be based on the individual approach developing specific attributes of the projects that correspond to weekly topics. The method will involve individual work with each student focusing on their projects and individual guidance in order to produce high quality results. The students will work independently of one another focusing on their assignments and projects. Group sessions will be organized every week to conduct peer assessment and constructive criticism of the assignments. | |||||||||
| Teaching Method Delivery | Face-to-face | Teaching Method Delivery Notes | ||||||||
| WEEK | TOPIC | REFERENCE | ||||||||
| Week 1 | Course preview. Examining After Effects and motion design. | Lecture | ||||||||
| Week 2 | Introduction to After Effects | Lecture | ||||||||
| Week 3 | Motion fundamentals / Assignment 01 | Lecture / Assignment review | ||||||||
| Week 4 | Artwork animation / Assignment 02 | Lecture / Assignment review | ||||||||
| Week 5 | Building a sequence / Assignment 03 | Lecture / Assignment review | ||||||||
| Week 6 | Creating a visual style / Assignment 04 | Lecture / Assignment review | ||||||||
| Week 7 | Review and introduction to midterm | Lecture / Assignment review | ||||||||
| Week 8 | MIDTERM EXAM | |||||||||
| Week 9 | Animation principles in AE I | Lecture | ||||||||
| Week 10 | Animation principles in AE II / Assignment 05 | Lecture | ||||||||
| Week 11 | Motion flow and transitions | Lecture / Assignment review | ||||||||
| Week 12 | Shapes animation and morphing | Lecture | ||||||||
| Week 13 | Effects, colors and gradients / Assignment 06 | Lecture | ||||||||
| Week 14 | Storyboarding and styleframes | Lecture / Assignment review | ||||||||
| Week 15 | Semester overview and introduction to final exam | Lecture | ||||||||
| Assessment Methods and Criteria | Evaluation Tool | Quantity | Weight | Alignment with LOs | AI Usage |
| Final Exam | 1 | 30 | 1,2,3,4 | Not Allowed | |
| Semester Evaluation Components | |||||
| Midterm exam | 1 | 20 | 2,3,4 | Not Allowed | |
| Assignments | 6 | 40 | 1,2,3 | Not Allowed | |
| In-Class Assesment | 1 | 10 | 1,2 | Not Allowed | |
| *** ECTS Credit Calculation *** | |||||
| Activity | Hours | Weeks | Student Workload Hours | Activity | Hours | Weeks | Student Workload Hours | |||
| Lecture hours | 3 | 15 | 45 | Assignments | 5 | 8 | 40 | |||
| In-Class Assesment | 1 | 11 | 11 | Midterm exam | 10 | 2 | 20 | |||
| Final exam | 17 | 2 | 34 | 0 | ||||||
| Total Workload Hours = | 150 | |||||||||
| *T= Teaching, P= Practice | ECTS Credit = | 6 | ||||||||
| Course Academic Quality Assurance: Semester Student Survey | Last Update Date: 19/12/2025 | |||||||||