Unleash your imagination by producing narratives that inspire and amaze audiences. Immerse yourself in the dynamic realm of animation, where you will learn a range of studio practices that incorporate traditional, digital, and experimental methods.
The 2D Animation program emphasizes experimental storytelling that communicates a spectrum of ideas and emotions, encompassing both personal narratives and broader societal observations. Starting with traditional paper-based techniques, students progress to mastering industry-standard software for 2D animation, editing and compositing. Further explorations may include stop-motion, puppet fabrication, experimental animation, 3D animation and performance. Throughout the program, there is a focus on fostering expression and directorial voice. Group projects play a pivotal role in nurturing collaborative and professional soft skills, ensuring that students excel in the professional world.
Student Work
The Experience
Star Ren, BFA 2D Animation ’22
The 2D Animation pathway introduces an amazing range of tools and techniques taught by internationally renowned faculty. Studio courses factor in every semester, lending ample opportunity to create an impressive graduation showreel. Most courses are located in our award-winning Myrtle Hall facility, which is less than 30 minutes away from hundreds of New York’s world famous cultural institutions, many of which sponsor our students through internships. When not in class, our students are soaking up the limitless screenings, openings, festivals, shows and exhibitions that are occurring throughout the year in New York City.
Digital Arts Facilities
Cintiq Workstation
Studio Crit
Dragon Frame Station
Experimental Studio
Stop Motion Studio
Students in the 2D Animation BFA have excellent studios with access to several digital computing facilities that are outfitted with state of the art Apple computer stations. These computers are loaded with top of the line animation software including Nuke, ToonBoom, TVPaint, Adobe Suite, Ableton, ProTools, and much more.
All 2D Animation students also have access to shared Digital Arts facilities that include a green screen room, an audio editing suite, a variety of 3D printers, laser cutter, ink-jet printers and a world-class spatial computing lab. Further access to Pratt Institute facilities is also possible, including fine art workshops and a large photogrammetry volume.
Internships
The Department of Digital Arts and Animation offers an internship program tailored to digital artists. Throughout the academic year, students partake in internship opportunities at a variety of studios and companies in the metropolitan New York area, gaining skills and experience in areas covering animation, visual effects, motion graphics, game design, interaction design, fine arts, and publishing.
The internship program places students on their career paths, providing experiences that aid in determining their educational and professional goals. Internships may be taken for college credit by both undergraduate and graduate students. While the Department has our own Internship Coordinator, students may also want to visit Pratt’s extensive network and dedicated staff that supports and facilitates Internships and Industry Connections.
Study Abroad
Immersing yourself in another culture is an incredible experience that can extend the boundaries of creativity. Study abroad programs are an integral part of the college experience, and Pratt has deep connections with university partners around the world. See where you can go.
Learning Resources
We develop disciplinary fluency in our program of study and we celebrate the interdisciplinary nature of design critical to address the plurality and complexity of the environments in which we operate. Learning resources.
Our Faculty
Pratt’s distinguished faculty of outstanding creative professionals and scholars share a common desire to develop each student’s potential and creativity to the fullest. Bringing different views, methods, and perspectives they provide a rigorous educational model in which students make and learn. See all Digital Arts faculty and administrators.
2D Animation alumni have risen to the tops of their fields in animation, from self-directing award winning projects to collaborating on award winning blockbuster animations.
Where they Work
Some examples of where our alumni have gone on to work include Disney, Cartoon Network, Nickelodeon and Titmouse.
Join us at Pratt. Learn more about admissions requirements, plan your visit, talk to a counselor, and start your application. Take the next step.
Building your portfolio can be daunting. We’ll answer your questions and help you feel confident about the portfolio you submit with your application. Start building your portfolio, now.
You’ll find yourself at home at Pratt. Learn more about our residence halls, student organizations, athletics, gallery exhibitions, events, the amazing City of New York and our Brooklyn neighborhood communities. Check us out.
Looking for something to do on summer break? Pratt students can get into a variety of local cultural institutions with their student IDs! Visit the link in our bio for the most up to date list.
Video: @kerryrichardsonn
#NYCMusuems #NYC #NewYorkCity #ThingsToDo #ArtAndDesign #Museums
The Hawks have left the nest! In the past three decades, red-tailed hawks have returned to NYC and we love that they make our campus home.
Content warning: Hawks are carnivores and the video captures the hawk having a meal.
Photo and Video Credits: Students @AdemWijewickrema (1, 2 and video) @EYYonts (3) and Staff Photographer Dahlia Dandashi (4).
#BirdsOfNYC #Birders #birdersofinstagram #birdphotography #Hawk #RedTailedHawk
Happy Fourth of July!
Pratt Alumnus Kadir Nelson, BFA Communications Design '96 brings contemporary updates to classic moments of Americana in his illustrations. A regular cover artist for @NewYorkerMag, the painter and illustrator excels at capturing the feeling of summer in NYC. You can almost feel the summer heat in these four covers!
His covers for the magazine capture contemporary events, classic moments, and the pulse of our city.
#PrattInstitute #PrattAlumni
The Black Alumni of Pratt (@PrattBAP) kicked off the season with an incredible Summer Social at the Pratt Foundations Lab! It was the perfect occasion to connect, reconnect, and welcome the newest alumni!
For over 30 years, @PrattBAP has proudly supported our students and alumni of Black and Latinx heritage. BAP’s mission is inspired by Pratt Institute’s founder Charles Pratt, who said in 1887, “I want to found a school that shall give everybody a chance.”
#PrattInstitute #PrattBAP #PrattAlumni
Amira Chowyuk, MS Packaging, Identities, and Systems Design ’26, and Donavon Falls, MLA ’27, have been selected for the third and final year of the Diamonstein-Spielvogel Fellowship program, which creates opportunities for climate change scholarship in design and architecture at Pratt.
Made possible by the Diamonstein-Spielvogel Foundation, chaired by Barbaralee Diamonstein-Spielvogel, the annual Fellowship was awarded to two first-year incoming graduate students, one in the School of Architecture and one in the School of Design, based on the strength of their portfolios of work addressing the impacts and challenges of climate change.
With a background in sustainability and ecodesign, Chowyuk aims to apply her interest in biomaterials, CMF, biobased production systems, and product sustainability to create circular, regenerative designs that are inspired by nature, spark curiosity, and contribute to a flourishing bioeconomy. She has earned degrees in industrial engineering and bioresource science from North Carolina State University and University of Washington.
Through systems-based thinking and research-driven design, Falls has explored the environmental social sciences, urban ecology, horticulture, and woodworking. He aims to investigate the application of nature-based solutions in combating climate change, biodiversity loss, and social injustice, and to cultivate and document stories of empowerment through the practice of landscape architecture. Falls has earned degrees in environmental studies and wood-oriented furniture design from the Ramapo College of New Jersey and the University of Gothenburg in Sweden, respectively.
Previous Diamonstein-Spielvogel Fellows include Race Calderin, MFA Interior Design ’24; Tarin Jones, MS Historic Preservation ’24; Madelyn Townsend, MArch ’26; and Leslie Trotter, MFA Communications Design ’25.
“I have three words of advice for up-and-coming creatives: Find a mentor.”
Sarah Sokol, BFA Interior Design ’11, lists Beyonce, Rihanna, and Janelle Monae among many of the famous faces that have been framed by her custom headwear.
For our latest issue of Prattfolio, Sokol shared how mentorship helped her carve out a niche in her industry.
Read more from Prattfolio at the link in our bio.
Images: Sarah Sokol; @InterviewMag Issue 554, featuring Rihanna (@BadGalRiri) wearing a hat made by Sarah Sokol ’11. Courtesy of the artist (@sarahsokolmillinery).
#PrattInstitute #PrattAlumni #Millinery
💡✨Here’s a bright idea: a rechargeable reading lamp that doubles as an hourglass!
This design, the Hourglass Reading Lamp, was developed and executed by Iris Guo, MID ’24, (@1risgu0) as part of an industrial design course sponsored by @Kikkerland, a New York-based industry leader in product design, and @BarnesAndNoble, the largest bookseller in the US.
The class, Prototypes I: Kikkerland Design Challenge, taught by Professor of Industrial Design Constantin Boym, had undergraduate and graduate industrial design students conceive products for book lovers.
Student designers, including Guo, incorporated expert feedback throughout the semester into their product designs. Their efforts culminated in a public showcase of their prototypes at Barnes & Noble Union Square, where Guo presented her Hourglass Reading Lamp. The design was recognized with the People’s Choice award, tallying the most votes from a two-week period where the public picked their favorite design. 🏆
As part of Prattfolio’s coverage of the Prototypes course, Guo shared a few words about the importance of designing with an eye toward atmosphere and self-care.
Carlos Motta, associate professor of interdisciplinary practice in fine arts, is featured on Artsy as an LGBTQ+ artist to celebrate this Pride Month. Léuli Eshrāghi, curator of Indigenous practices at Musée des Beaux-Arts de Montréal, says that Motta’s practice “situates a profoundly queer intersectional critique of imperialism and binarism in relation to futurities of queer wellness and fulfillment, which we all need more of!”
Image : Carlos Motta (b. 1978)
The Fall of the Damned (Serpents), 2021
P.P.O.W
#LGBTQArtists @PrattFaculty #Pride #PrattInstitute
In Pratt’s Department of Digital Arts, undergraduates will develop aesthetic finesse, technological skill, conceptual sophistication related to digital media, and thorough comprehension of the potential of art and technology. Graduates demonstrate an expertise in their discipline, a unique voice in their medium and a knowledge of historical works in art and technology. Students then learn to create professional documentation and presentation skills to launch their careers in the Digital Arts.
After graduation, Pratt Alumni can be found exhibiting in galleries and working in major creative industries:
Cartoon Network
Augenblick
Titmouse
The Mill
Curious Pictures
CHRLX Studios
Digital Domain
Psyop
Dreamworks Studios
Sony Imageworks
Disney Animation Studios
Dusty Studio
Rhythm and Hues Studios
Students create whimsical, sometimes gritty, worlds in which distinctive characters tell fanciful stories. While focusing on storytelling, 2-D Animation courses are constructed to afford a wide range of techniques from traditional and digital drawing to stop-motion, special effects, and experimental techniques. Courses include animation, character development, storyboarding, and storytelling, animation history and post-production courses. Recommended electives include contemporary issues in film and video, 3-D modeling, special effects, 3-D printing, and film making.
