Cartoon Character Animation
This page provides a basic overview of how I create and teach animation, from beginner to advanced.
Research:
Project Description:
The project was to animate a single character dialogue piece. The project was to be done in three phases. A stepped out phase, a spline phase and polish phase. The stepped or (blocked) phase involves the key character positions of a figure's animation. This allows a rough animation that gives the general idea of what the action is going to be.
Once these poses are finalized, the animator moves on to the splining phase. This phase involves smoothing out the animation and adding initial animated keys or drawings. This is where the action is finalized and timed to match dialogue or Sound Effects. (For examples see videos in computer roughs section)
During the polish phase character acting is the primary focus. Additional key frames are added to better illustrate the mood of the the sound clips or director's direction. Moving holds are also added. This is done where the model does not move on key actions within a piece. For instance, if a character wants to show thought she might stand still while rubbing her chin for an extended period of time.
Adding to the Requirements:
After meeting the original assignment's requirement, I decided to push both my animation and technical skills. I had never animated a two-character dialogue piece. Furthermore, outside of the animation done in the course I had not animated in several years.
Book and Video Research:
The principals of animation where identified and outlined in the book, Disney Animation: The Illusion of Life written by Ollie Johnston and Frank Thomas.
I utilized this book in understanding the fundamental skills I would need to improve on. I did this by taking the foundation skills and applying them to a single character. I would later take what I learned from a single character and I applied them to a two character piece.
The project was to animate a single character dialogue piece. The project was to be done in three phases. A stepped out phase, a spline phase and polish phase. The stepped or (blocked) phase involves the key character positions of a figure's animation. This allows a rough animation that gives the general idea of what the action is going to be.
Once these poses are finalized, the animator moves on to the splining phase. This phase involves smoothing out the animation and adding initial animated keys or drawings. This is where the action is finalized and timed to match dialogue or Sound Effects. (For examples see videos in computer roughs section)
During the polish phase character acting is the primary focus. Additional key frames are added to better illustrate the mood of the the sound clips or director's direction. Moving holds are also added. This is done where the model does not move on key actions within a piece. For instance, if a character wants to show thought she might stand still while rubbing her chin for an extended period of time.
Adding to the Requirements:
After meeting the original assignment's requirement, I decided to push both my animation and technical skills. I had never animated a two-character dialogue piece. Furthermore, outside of the animation done in the course I had not animated in several years.
Book and Video Research:
The principals of animation where identified and outlined in the book, Disney Animation: The Illusion of Life written by Ollie Johnston and Frank Thomas.
I utilized this book in understanding the fundamental skills I would need to improve on. I did this by taking the foundation skills and applying them to a single character. I would later take what I learned from a single character and I applied them to a two character piece.
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The following are the 12 Principles of Animation
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After researching the basic principals of animation, I wanted to further improve my dialogue and acting skills. So I began by reading chapters 14 and 15 of Richard Williams Animator Survival Kit. I was excited to see that book had an accompanying video series. I noted section from both the book and video series with the intention of relating my notes with my final dialogue piece.
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I utilized the following videos and took special note on how they related to acting.
Richard Williams Dialogue 01 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92lGeqewZSk&index=16&list=PL1A1FEDA47ADC18D4 Richard Williams Dialogue 02 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PnYVk-8jpuA&list=PL1A1FEDA47ADC18D4&index=17 Richard Williams Dialogue With Performance 03 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1IPnpFoJdQ&list=PL1A1FEDA47ADC18D4&index=18 |
Planning Phase: Thumbnails
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I was not sure what I wanted the dialogue to be. So I selected two different dialogue tracks from the website 11secondclub.com. 11 Second Club's main purpose is for animators to post animations and receive critiques from industry professionals. Every month they host a dialogue animation competition. After selecting my two audio tracks I began a series of quick thumbnail sketches. The sketches were of a variety of different scenarios. Each scenario sketch involved two people one asking the question from the dialogue track, "What do you look for an ideal woman?" The other character responding with "Me!", followed by a laugh. I envisioned the characters ranging from mythical characters to people.
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Animation Basics (Anim 101)
I began to experiment with the fundamental techniques of animation. The first tool a beginner animator learns is the bouncing ball. This helps the animator better conceptualize all of the principals in one project. So I constructed two video tutorials explaining the principals. They were constructed with help from research and advice from my instructor and friends who work and teach animation. This helped me to not only practice the twelve principals but refine them through re-teaching.
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The next tool animators learn before moving on to character animation is how to further refine arcs, overlapping movements and appeal. In respect I infused a simple story in my bouncing ball with tail piece. The story is of an over-anxious squirrel who leaps landing on his phase. This is important because story drives movement. So I constructed a piece that would incorporate both the bouncing ball exercise and also dealt with arcs. So a rig was used that incorporated both the ball shape for the body and a tail.
Walk Cycle Lesson
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