Everything about QGIS
In this course, you will learn how to use QGIS to create time and map animations for analysis and storytelling. You will work with the built-in Temporal Controller and plugins such as TimeManager, Raster Timeseries Manager, and Animation Workbench. The focus is on animating vector and raster data, including pan and zoom movements. Upon completion, you will be able to export animations as videos or image sequences for professional use.
Want to learn how to visualize changes over time using dynamic maps and animations? In the QGIS Animations course, you’ll learn how to create professional time and map animations with QGIS, without needing external animation software or programming knowledge. You’ll discover how to bring spatial data to life for analysis, communication, and storytelling.
QGIS is a powerful open-source GIS platform for analyzing and visualizing geographic data. In this course, you’ll build on your QGIS fundamentals and learn to work with the built-in Temporal Controller and additional plugins such as TimeManager, Raster Timeseries Manager, and Animation Workbench. You’ll learn how to properly configure time-dependent vector and raster data and convert it into smooth animations.
QGIS animations are more than just “moving maps.” You’ll learn how to visualize changes in land use, infrastructure, the environment, or mobility step by step, how to choose time intervals, and how to use pan, zoom, and map transitions to tell a clear story. This way, you combine analysis and visualization into a single workflow.
In QGIS Animations, you’ll learn how to export animations as videos or image sequences that are immediately usable for reports, presentations, web publications, or education. The course demonstrates how to create compelling visual output using open-source tools, fully integrated into your existing GIS workflow.
Prior knowledge of QGIS is required for this course. If you do not have this, we recommend the QGIS basic training!
In this course, you’ll learn step-by-step how to set up and produce animations within QGIS. You’ll start with the basics: what time data is, how QGIS handles temporal properties, and how to prepare layers for animation.
Next, you’ll get hands-on experience with:
You’ll learn not only how to create animations, but also when and why to use them for analysis and communication.
This course is unique because it approaches animation entirely from a GIS perspective. No standalone tools or complex workflows—everything is integrated into QGIS. You’ll learn how to create dynamic visualizations that are both factually accurate and visually compelling.
You’ll learn, among other things:
The course is practical, open source, and focused on immediately applicable skills.
This course is intended for GIS users who want to make their maps more dynamic and informative. Do you work in urban planning, the environment, infrastructure, mobility, research, cartography, or education? Then this course will help you clearly visualize changes over time. You need a basic knowledge of QGIS, but no experience with animation or video. Do you want to present your GIS results more powerfully and better substantiate them with time dynamics? Then QGIS Animations is a logical next step.
The first day focuses on understanding and correctly setting up time-dependent data in QGIS. You’ll learn how QGIS handles time (temporal properties) and how to prepare vector and raster layers for animation. Using the Temporal Controller and TimeManager, you’ll create your first time animations and learn how time steps, intervals, and symbolization work together to tell the story. The day concludes with exporting simple animations and discussing best practices.
On day two, you’ll delve deeper into creating compelling and professional-looking animations. You’ll work with raster time series using Raster Timeseries Manager and learn how to create pan and zoom animations with Animation Workbench. The focus is on cartographic storytelling: how to structure an animation, how to combine multiple layers, and how to tailor the pace, duration, and resolution to your target audience. By the end of the day, you’ll export a complete animation that’s ready to use for reporting, presentations, or communication. Outcome of Day 2: You’ll be able to apply image segmentation purposefully in your own GIS work, evaluate and refine segmentations, and effectively utilize AI results within QGIS analyses and maps.
Do you have questions about the course content? Or are you unsure whether the course aligns with your learning goals or preferences? Would you prefer an in-house or private course? We’d be happy to help.
No, the course focuses entirely on working within QGIS and its associated plugins. All animations are created using the graphical interface, without any programming.
You need basic experience with QGIS, such as working with vector and raster layers. Experience with time-series data or animations is not required.
You will learn how to create time-lapse animations from vector and raster data, visualize raster time series, and create pan and zoom animations for cartographic storytelling.
Yes, once you're done, you can export animations as videos or image sequences suitable for reports, presentations, web publications, and educational purposes.
