Founded in 2014 by Pixar veteran Anthony Christov and renowned concept artist Andrea De Dominicis, IDEA Academy is a premier international center for Visual Arts.
Based in Rome, IDEA offers specialized on-site and online training in Concept Art, 2D Animation, 3D Art, and Illustration to prepare students for the global entertainment industry.
Our curriculum bridges education and the professional world, simulating a real studio environment guided by experts from top studios like Disney, Pixar, and Netflix. We go beyond technical mastery, empowering artists in a supportive community to hone their unique voices and become industry-ready.

Beyond the classroom, IDEA is a thriving international hub for connection and growth.
From live drawing sessions and industry lectures to global art fairs and community events, we build an environment where students and professionals network, collaborate, and grow together.
Because we believe that extraordinary art is born from a strong, supportive community.

What to expect:

At IDEA Academy, we believe that becoming a successful artist in today’s evolving industry requires much more than just mastering your craft; it demands enterprise, adaptability, and a strong community.
Through new lectures and talks, we'll dive straight into the dynamics of the creative market, we'll explore how to navigate major industry shifts with resilience, leveraging new technologies rather than fearing them.
We’ll talk candidly about self-publishing and self-production showing you how to take control of your intellectual property, bring personal projects to life, and find your own audience.
We'll also focus on the power of community, sharing how collaborative and independent projects can drive long-term career growth.
Ultimately, it’s about moving beyond "just being good at drawing". We’re here to help you cultivate the entrepreneurial mindset, initiative, and visibility that both studios and modern audiences are actively looking for.

Our programs:

In addition to our presence on the THU platform, IDEA Academy is a renowned Visual Arts center located in the heart of Rome, with all of our programs also available live-online with the exact same hours, access, and interactive experience as on-campus.

Here is an overview of our specialized educational paths, available on our website: https://www.idea-academy.eu/courses/

Visual Development

• Fundamentals of Visual Development: Strongly focused on building solid foundations in anatomy, perspective, values, shapes and composition, this course is a comprehensive introduction to concept art. Students will familiarize themselves with character design, storyboarding and illustration, clearing the way for more advanced studies.
• Visual Development Master Level 1: An intensive deep dive into the full pre-production pipeline, students will deal with every aspect of Visual Development, with a workflow that emulates real professional settings.
• Visual Development Master Level 2: A mentorship-style year dedicated to defining your personal style, refining a top-notch specialized portfolio, and launching your career.

Animation

• Traditional 2D Animation (Toon Boom Harmony): 3 progressive modules focusing on how to convey weight, movement and personality to characters with the most advanced techniques used in the industry.
• Cut-Out & 2D Rigging (Toon Boom Harmony): An advanced program split into two independent modules to specialize in 2D Rigging and Cut-Out animation techniques for TV series and 2D games.
• Moho Pro - Animation Masterclass: An intensive 6-weeks short course developed in collaboration with Moho Animation Software and led by industry-leading Moho Supervisor (Cartoon Saloon, Studio AKA) to master production-ready rigging and fast-paced workflows.

3D

• 3D Game Artisan: A comprehensive 2-year path covering modeling, texturing, lighting, and cinematics for AAA and indie games, alongside essential industry business skills like freelancing and self-marketing.

Fast-Track Courses

We also offer various intensive, short-term courses designed for working artists and advanced students looking to level up specific technical or creative skills.

What are you waiting for? Join IDEA Academy and unleash your creative potential!