IMO what you should do is to read the program in TOA for all the course and look for the career opportunities part.
Once you know exactly what you want to do start to develop your skills, watch tuts,search ,start to learn, don't wait to be on TOA cuz your might be overload with the work there.

Btw Xiven :
I kike your work, are you using Mudbox or Zbrush in TOA ?

I use Zbrush, but mostly self learn. For the juniors now, there are lessons for Zbrush. =(

And yes, what Mikeshake said, search for tuts now, watch em, and etc, that's basically how I picked up Zbrush. There are no shortcuts.

Aye okay will do I only know photoshop for now so yeah :l

Thanks Mike and Xiven

No problem, you can pm me if you have any specific questions in mind.

Oh Saphira4597 If I'm lucky enought I will go to TOA nxt year for the DA course as well, we may be in the same class

I'm still in form 4 lol might be seeing you only after 2 years.. xD

That's also mean more time to learn by yourself before going there

Yup yup =D 'pirating' maya now to test it out =x

I'm looking forward to hear your "WTF is that interface !" when launching Maya for the 1st time

LOL -googles for tuts =x-

Woah, you're only form 4 and already trying out Maya?

I just started touching Photoshop this year! x.x

lol I tend to poke my finger into cakes ehehehe

I started photoshop when I was in Form 1 actually xD

Lol haha!

Wow, you're probably all that experienced after those years of using photoshop. Still, you're thinking of pursuing an animation career right?

And....what tips can you give to a beginner like me in using photoshop?

Learning the technical stuff of softwares is one thing, the most important thing about being an artist is having that eye for details.

Watch movies like Toy Story 3 for example, look hard at the lighting & mood, the animation, the modeling and so on. Train your observation, do life drawing and etc.

That's the only tips I can think of right now. XD

Hey, that's a good one.

I notice about all this when I started loving animation... but I guess it will take time for me to do all that, and right now to focus on my studies...

Tutorials help but yeah I usually mess around with stuff =x
I mainly use photoshop for siggys so.. yeah >.>

Yup Xiven has a point there.. I can only draw chibis but not life size humans :l
Details.. the more intense the more +_+ but never overdo it with too much of one thing and too less of another imo >.>

Jyjy same boat here too

I used to take classes for softwares in form 1 to form 2, classes like flash, photoshop and dreamweaver.

I also used to make alot of graphics with photoshop around then, here's a link I loved visiting back then when making siggies and such. =D

http://www.good-tutorials.com/tutorials/photoshop

On the details, it really depends what you wanna show, there is no right or wrong in art afterall. =)

Yeah true, but I wonder... have you tried other form of arts, like typography or something crafty?
I heard that you need to get a little artistic in the foundation years in TOA.

Wow, so back then those classes you took are probably free? I didn't know schools offer those kind of classes...

I guess I'm not that kind of technical person as I didn't really know about photoshop & things like that until form 4.

Mostly what I did was drawing or doing art the way it's done traditionally, but I seriously didn't think about the good stuff about doing it digitally, Layers...hmmm

In TOA they will basically train your artistic ability from start till end.

Nop, it wasn't free. It was like a tuition course.
Softwares just makes life easier and gets the job done faster, for example using photoshop to paint will already cut down the time you need to clean your brushes & palette, preparing a canvas, and so on. I guess you could also include the cost of purchasing acrylic or oil.

But regardless of convenience, the traditional way has its solid foundation, so if you know your classic paint and brushes, going into digital will be one or two steps easier.

Don't worry about technical stuffs, those can easily be tackled. Of course, if you're a technical guy, it is a pretty demanding job in the industry. Search up technical director for instance. xD

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Technical_director#Film

When making a 3D short film, they are your BESTEST BEST friend. Really. o.o

Agreed I recently start to use Mudbox witch is a 3D sculpture software getting started was easy but I stop half way and start to study more human anatomy before going to far.
I was also considering of taking traditional sculpture course, foundations are more important than you think ^^