Animation is easier than you think — and with so much slick, polished work out there, there’s plenty of space to make a mess and bring fresh energy to what animation can be.
In this thoughtful, ideas-led masterclass, illustrator and animator Con McHugh will help you get started on creating your own unique approach to animation.
Get Instant Access to the Replay! Available till Friday 9th May.
What to expect:
Through sketchbooks, rough drawings, and playful loops, Con will guide you through an accessible, joyful way of working that puts imperfection and the way you draw at the centre.
Part advice, part live demo, this session explores how to capture big ideas simply, embrace your natural style (however messy or unconventional), and bring movement to your illustrations.
You’ll come away with a fresh perspective on animation, practical tools to get started, and a short creative exercise to help you put it into action!
What we will cover:
Finding an approach to illustration you love. Discovering what makes drawing joyful for you, and shaping your career around that.
Idea over polish. Why strong ideas matter more than perfect style—and how to capture them simply.
Messy is good. Your quirks are your strengths. Rough drawings and imperfect animation can be what makes your work unique.
Sketchbooks & loops. How to use sketchbooks to explore your style and develop animated ideas.
Live Drawing. Con will show you his unique approach for creating characters and looping animations, starting from loose sketches.
Con's animation process. Get behind the scenes access to his animation process, from concept, to creation.
Working for brands (without losing your voice!)How to cater your approach to a commercial setting, including working to a specific audience, and working within a brand identity
Short creative exercise Plus the opportunity to try out a simple, personal animation idea—based on your own natural way of thinking (and drawing!)
About our Speaker
At the heart of Con’s work is usually a big idea, simply told, and easily remembered.
In 2023, Con gained recognition for his Bristol Jazz Festival animated poster series, reflecting his love of music, dance, and character illustration. With a background in designing for brands, he’s dedicated to seeking simple, yet clever ideas that make people smile—and linger in the mind long after.
As a neurodivergent artist, Con is always looking for clear, direct ways to communicate. He believes that complex messages are best conveyed with simplicity, emotion, and oftentimes a touch of humour.
Now based in creative and chaotic Bristol, Con studied design at Norwich University of the Arts and illustration at Hochschule Mainz in Germany. His creative process blends thoughtful ideas with a rhythmic, analog approach, using minimal linework, shifting textures, and wobbly imperfections to create a nostalgic, human touch that stands out against today’s increasingly polished digital aesthetic.
We’ll wrap up the session with a live Q&A — your chance to dive deeper and ask Con anything you’re curious about. Whether it’s his creative process, go-to tools and software, animation techniques, or how he brings her illustrations to life with movement, no question is off-limits!
Tickets £24 / £12 for Inkygoodness Collective Members
Purchases include 21 days access to the replay!
Grab our Bootcamp Bundle & Save £45!
For a limited time only you can also purchase our Bootcamp Bundle offering you inclusive access to all six Masterclasses available as part of Make Your Mark Bootcamp this year!
Gain insight, advice and creative inspiration in conversation with illustrators and artists Mark Conlan, Fotini Tikkou, Christopher De Lorenzo, Loreta Isac, Ella Kasperowicz & Con McHugh!
Save £45 if you purchase our bundle (Usual price £24 per masterclass).
Bundle includes access to all recordings until 1st June 2025.
What's Included:
Animating Brand Stories with Character w/ Con McHugh (Instant Access)
How to Survive (and Thrive) as an Illustrator w/ Mark Conlan (Instant Access)
Illustrating Magic! Bring Children's Stories to Life w/ Fotini Tikkou (Instant Access)
Decoding the Brief: Visual Language for Illustrators w/ Christopher De Lorenzo (Instant Access)
GIF Making 101 - Bringing Motion to Illustration w/ Loreta Isac (Instant Access)
Passion Into Profit: How to Make & Sell Your Art w/ Ella Kasperowicz (Instant Access)