Your 12-month 3D animation course looks well-structured and thorough! Here’s a suggested breakdown of how you might organize the course, including the key topics and their coverage:

Course Structure Overview

Month 1-2: Introduction to 3D Design

• Week 1-2: Overview of 3D design principles, software introduction (e.g., Blender, Maya, 3ds Max)
• Week 3-4: Basic 3D shapes and their manipulation, introduction to the interface and tools
• Week 5-6: Simple project: Create basic 3D objects and scenes
• Week 7-8: Fundamentals of camera angles and scene composition

Month 3-4: 3D Modelling

• Week 9-10: Detailed modelling techniques, working with primitives
• Week 11-12: Advanced modelling (e.g., character models, complex objects)
• Week 13-14: Mesh topology and optimization
• Week 15-16: Project: Build a detailed 3D model

Month 5-6: Texturing and Lighting

• Week 17-18: Introduction to texturing, UV mapping, and material creation
• Week 19-20: Applying textures and materials to models
• Week 21-22: Fundamentals of lighting in 3D environments
• Week 23-24: Project: Texture and light your previous 3D model

Month 7-8: Animation

• Week 25-26: Basics of animation principles (e.g., timing, spacing, squash and stretch)
• Week 27-28: Creating simple animations (e.g., bouncing ball, character walks)
• Week 29-30: Advanced animation techniques (e.g., facial expressions, complex movements)
• Week 31-32: Project: Animate a scene with your 3D model

Month 9-10: Rigging

• Week 33-34: Introduction to rigging, creating a basic skeleton
• Week 35-36: Skinning and weight painting
• Week 37-38: Advanced rigging techniques (e.g., facial rigs, mechanical rigs)
• Week 39-40: Project: Rig and animate a character

Month 11: Compositing

• Week 41-42: Introduction to compositing and post-production
• Week 43-44: Techniques for combining rendered images, color correction
• Week 45-46: Final adjustments and polishing
• Week 47-48: Project: Composite a final scene from your previous work

Month 12: Showreel Creation and Job Preparation

• Week 49-50: Showreel preparation – selecting and refining work
• Week 51-52: Resume building, portfolio creation, and job search strategies

Class Schedule

• Weekly: 3 Days per Week
• Daily Duration: 1 Hour per Day

Additional Recommendations

• Supplemental Resources: Encourage students to use online tutorials and forums.
• Feedback Sessions: Regularly schedule time for feedback on projects to help students improve and iterate on their work.

This structure balances theory and practice, ensuring that students not only learn the technical aspects of 3D animation but also have ample opportunity to apply their skills in projects that build their showreel.