Monday, December 7, 2015

Week 13-Finishing up work for final project

Hi class,
We will be spending this finalizing and polishing up your assignments. Make sure if you have any questions to let me know today. I want to make sure everyone is on the same page. Challenge yourself to really make unique and unforgettable character.

Links:

http://www.colormatters.com/color-and-design/basic-color-theory





Monday, November 30, 2015

Week 14 Final Project Character Specification Sheets

Final Project:
Character Specification Sheets:
Hero
Villain

Character Development Model Sheets:
Hero
Villain

Head Turns:
Hero
Villain

Emotional Expressions(5 to 10 samples):
Hero
Villain

Character Props:
Hero
Villain

Walk Cycles:
Hero
Villain

Action Poses(3 samples each):
Hero
Villain

Samples you can use:








Please include homework from the semester which includes:

Gesture Drawings:
At least 30 gesture drawings of figure in motion(please show line of action in your gesture drawings)

4 long posses of over 15 minutes.

Circular warm up drawings.

Hand and foot drawings:

#15-1 Minute Gesture Drawings in Motion.
#3-10 Minute Poses.
#3-15 Minute Poses.

Coloring of line art using Photoshop(2 in total)

Skeletal drawings: Front, back and side.

Musculature drawings: Front, back and side.

2 characters from your favorite cartoon series. 

Character drawing exercise using illustrator(2 in total)

Facial expressions using both of your characters(at least five of each):
Sad
Happy
Angry
Depressed
Surprised
Scared
Confused
Sneaky
Disgust
Laughing
Crying

Please include all of the assignments that are posted for homework in this blog as well. 




Use this naming convention when placing assignments in Dropbox.

SANTALO_DIG1111_YOURLASTNAME_W1

UPPERCASE
 
 
Please use wetransfer.com and send me the files no later than Wednesday night
(compress your folder before sending)
You can call me at 305-788-7305 If you have any further questions.
 
 






Week 12 Character Props

Character Props and Final Project Specifications:
Props live in the world of the visual design created by the scenic designer used to establish the stage setting for the play. They are the details fleshing out the architecture to define the characters in the play, set the time period, complete the action needed within the structure of the play, and complete the “bridge” between the characters on stage and the reality of life objects. A good analogy to define “what is a prop?” has been likened to the real life situation of when a person moves from one home to another. A moving van pulls up and all the contents of the home are loaded in the van and it drives off to be unloaded into the new house. The house is the scenery. The scenery includes the actual walls, floors, ceilings, doors- the architecture of the house. This does not move. It is stationary and permanent. The items boxed up, covered in pads, and carried out to the moving van when a person is changing residences would all be considered the props. Adding the furniture props and stage dressing is what brings the space to life. Props bridge the space between the actor and the setting, making it human and bringing it alive, giving it dimension, color, character and clues to the world of the play. The props are all the non-permanent items. Think of what would be put in that moving van – dishes, lamps, chairs, books, pictures, furniture, blankets, drapes, rugs, letters, office supplies, appliances, lawn tools – all the “stuff” people need in their everyday living and utilize to furnish their homes. It can be either personal (a book on Egypt) or non-specific (a pillow) but every item says something about who owns that item. Even the non-specific pillow tells us something. Is it a bed or sofa pillow? Feather or foam? In a pillowcase or ticking cover? Clean or stained? Each item is a small clue into who the owner is, giving insight into the character of the owner. Making the choices about what it all looks like and finding or building those items is what a prop person does.

Samples:

http://stevencrewniverse.tumblr.com/post/68268257663/a-selection-of-character-prop-and-effect-designs














Height Hand Size Weight Foot Size Hair Color Cleanliness Hair Texture Jewelry Hair Style Habits Eye Color General Appearance Shape of Eyes Personality Shape of Nose Intelligence Shape of Mouth Birthmarks/Freckles Shape of Face Fingernails (Appearance) Age Speech Patterns Teeth Complexion Mood Walk Posture Mannerisms Voice Dress (Wardrobe, Costume, Fit) Distinguishing

Features Personality: Background, Parents, Nationality, Education Thought Processes Beliefs Emotional Aspects, Feelings Love, Affection, Concern Considerate, Understanding, Friendly, Forgiving, Generous, Mellow, Good-humored, Humane, Sensitive, Comforting Fear, Anxiety Agitated, Jittery, Terrified, Apprehensive, On Edge, Uncomfortable, Shaky, Tense, Jealous Inabilities,

Inadequacy: Fragile, Harmless, Powerless, Vulnerable, Inept, Meek, Defective, Useless, Insufficient, Weak Anger, Hostility, Cruelty Antagonistic, Spiteful, Insensitive, Heartless, Cranky, Arrogant, Nasty, Ruthless, Rude Distress: Impatient, Anguished, Confused, Skeptical, Tormented, Pained, Touchy, Awkward, Grief, Dissatisfied Elation, Joy: Cheerful, At Ease, Turned On, Happy, Serene, Enthusiastic, Witty, Comical, Contented, Amused Influence: Effective, Intense, Powerful, Self-confident, Determined, Bold, Strong, Dynamic, Courageous, Authoritative Depression: Downtrodden, Lonesome, Defeated, Rejected, Sad, Crushed, In the Dumps, Despondent, Unloved What makes him/her tick Relationship to others in story - protagonist, villain, hero Setting

Descriptions: General Shape Temperature Height Material Used Width Arrangement of Things Outside Appearance Where the place is Colors What it is near Function of the Place What it is next to Things in the Place What it is across from Climate Scenery surrounding it Sounds in the place Mood of the place Smells in the place People in the place Script Components: Situations Wanted Obstacles, Materials to overcome Conflicts, Problems Location Setting Place Goals, Achievements Villains, Bad People, Evil Heroes, Characters Emotions Involved Audio/Visual, Special Effects, Sound, Lights Additional Characters, Parts, Ideas to Add Object/Prop Characteristics Color Shape Size Function Weight Texture Cost Temperature Smell Taste Sound it Makes State of Motion How it Works How many parts it has.

Sunday, November 22, 2015

Week 11 Character Design and movement-Walk cycle

The following 12 basic principles of animation were developed by the pioneers of Walt Disney Studios, amongst them Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston, during the 1930s. They were young men who were at the forefront of exciting discoveries that were contributing to the development of a new art form. These principles came as a result of reflection about their practice and through Disney's desire to devise a way of animating that seemed more 'real' in terms of how things moved, and how that movement might be used to express character and personality. It needs to be said that many brilliant moments of animation have been created without reference to, or knowledge of, these principles. However they are appropriate for a particular style of cartoon animation and provide the means to discuss and critique the craft in a language that animators have come to understand - "you need to anticipate that action to give it more punch" - "why don't you put more follow through on the coat tail?"

The following has been paraphrased from the "Illusion Of Life" by Frank Thomas & Ollie Johnston (pp.47-69). For a more extensive explanation of these principles, refer to this seminal text.


 1. SQUASH AND STRETCH This action gives the illusion of weight and volume to a character as it moves. Also squash and stretch is useful in animating dialogue and doing facial expressions. How extreme the use of squash and stretch is, depends on what is required in animating the scene. Usually it's broader in a short style of picture and subtler in a feature. It is used in all forms of character animation from a bouncing ball to the body weight of a person walking. This is the most important element you will be required to master and will be used often.

2. ANTICIPATION This movement prepares the audience for a major action the character is about to perform, such as, starting to run, jump or change expression. A dancer does not just leap off the floor. A backwards motion occurs before the forward action is executed. The backward motion is the anticipation. A comic effect can be done by not using anticipation after a series of gags that used anticipation. Almost all real action has major or minor anticipation such as a pitcher's wind-up or a golfers' back swing. Feature animation is often less broad than short animation unless a scene requires it to develop a characters personality.

3. STAGING A pose or action should clearly communicate to the audience the attitude, mood, reaction or idea of the character as it relates to the story and continuity of the story line. The effective use of long, medium, or close up shots, as well as camera angles also helps in telling the story. There is a limited amount of time in a film, so each sequence, scene and frame of film must relate to the overall story. Do not confuse the audience with too many actions at once. Use one action clearly stated to get the idea across, unless you are animating a scene that is to depict clutter and confusion. Staging directs the audience's attention to the story or idea being told. Care must be taken in background design so it isn't obscuring the animation or competing with it due to excess detail behind the animation. Background and animation should work together as a pictorial unit in a scene.

4. STRAIGHT AHEAD AND POSE TO POSE ANIMATION Straight ahead animation starts at the first drawing and works drawing to drawing to the end of a scene. You can lose size, volume, and proportions with this method, but it does have spontaneity and freshness. Fast, wild action scenes are done this way. Pose to Pose is more planned out and charted with key drawings done at intervals throughout the scene. Size, volumes, and proportions are controlled better this way, as is the action. The lead animator will turn charting and keys over to his assistant. An assistant can be better used with this method so that the animator doesn't have to draw every drawing in a scene. An animator can do more scenes this way and concentrate on the planning of the animation. Many scenes use a bit of both methods of animation.

5. FOLLOW THROUGH AND OVERLAPPING ACTION When the main body of the character stops all other parts continue to catch up to the main mass of the character, such as arms, long hair, clothing, coat tails or a dress, floppy ears or a long tail (these follow the path of action). Nothing stops all at once. This is follow through. Overlapping action is when the character changes direction while his clothes or hair continues forward. The character is going in a new direction, to be followed, a number of frames later, by his clothes in the new direction. "DRAG," in animation, for example, would be when Goofy starts to run, but his head, ears, upper body, and clothes do not keep up with his legs. In features, this type of action is done more subtly. Example: When Snow White starts to dance, her dress does not begin to move with her immediately but catches up a few frames later. Long hair and animal tail will also be handled in the same manner. Timing becomes critical to the effectiveness of drag and the overlapping action.

6. SLOW-OUT AND SLOW-IN As action starts, we have more drawings near the starting pose, one or two in the middle, and more drawings near the next pose. Fewer drawings make the action faster and more drawings make the action slower. Slow-ins and slow-outs soften the action, making it more life-like. For a gag action, we may omit some slow-out or slow-ins for shock appeal or the surprise element. This will give more snap to the scene.

7. ARCS All actions, with few exceptions (such as the animation of a mechanical device), follow an arc or slightly circular path. This is especially true of the human figure and the action of animals. Arcs give animation a more natural action and better flow. Think of natural movements in the terms of a pendulum swinging. All arm movement, head turns and even eye movements are executed on an arcs. 

8. SECONDARY ACTION This action adds to and enriches the main action and adds more dimension to the character animation, supplementing and/or re-enforcing the main action. Example: A character is angrily walking toward another character. The walk is forceful, aggressive, and forward leaning. The leg action is just short of a stomping walk. The secondary action is a few strong gestures of the arms working with the walk. Also, the possibility of dialogue being delivered at the same time with tilts and turns of the head to accentuate the walk and dialogue, but not so much as to distract from the walk action. All of these actions should work together in support of one another. Think of the walk as the primary action and arm swings, head bounce and all other actions of the body as secondary or supporting action.

9. TIMING Expertise in timing comes best with experience and personal experimentation, using the trial and error method in refining technique. The basics are: more drawings between poses slow and smooth the action. Fewer drawings make the action faster and crisper. A variety of slow and fast timing within a scene adds texture and interest to the movement. Most animation is done on twos (one drawing photographed on two frames of film) or on ones (one drawing photographed on each frame of film). Twos are used most of the time, and ones are used during camera moves such as trucks, pans and occasionally for subtle and quick dialogue animation. Also, there is timing in the acting of a character to establish mood, emotion, and reaction to another character or to a situation. Studying movement of actors and performers on stage and in films is useful when animating human or animal characters. This frame by frame examination of film footage will aid you in understanding timing for animation. This is a great way to learn from the others.

10. EXAGGERATION Exaggeration is not extreme distortion of a drawing or extremely broad, violent action all the time. Its like a caricature of facial features, expressions, poses, attitudes and actions. Action traced from live action film can be accurate, but stiff and mechanical. In feature animation, a character must move more broadly to look natural. The same is true of facial expressions, but the action should not be as broad as in a short cartoon style. Exaggeration in a walk or an eye movement or even a head turn will give your film more appeal. Use good taste and common sense to keep from becoming too theatrical and excessively animated.

11. SOLID DRAWING The basic principles of drawing form, weight, volume solidity and the illusion of three dimension apply to animation as it does to academic drawing. The way you draw cartoons, you draw in the classical sense, using pencil sketches and drawings for reproduction of life. You transform these into color and movement giving the characters the illusion of three-and four-dimensional life. Three dimensional is movement in space. The fourth dimension is movement in time.

12. APPEAL A live performer has charisma. An animated character has appeal. Appealing animation does not mean just being cute and cuddly. All characters have to have appeal whether they are heroic, villainous, comic or cute. Appeal, as you will use it, includes an easy to read design, clear drawing, and personality development that will capture and involve the audience's interest. Early cartoons were basically a series of gags strung together on a main theme. Over the years, the artists have learned that to produce a feature there was a need for story continuity, character development and a higher quality of artwork throughout the entire production. Like all forms of story telling, the feature has to appeal to the mind as well as to the eye. "My mum told me
never to forget my
principles"



"My mum told me
never to forget my
principles"

Walk Cycle

Stride and Passing Poses The stride and passing poses are the main keys in a walk sequence. There are four keys in a walk: the stride, passing, opposite stride, and the opposite passing. When laying out a walk sequence, it's best to lay out all the stride poses first. This will help ensure that the planted foot does not slide. To do this, lay out the second stride pose after creating the first one. Be certain that the foot rolls properly, so t hat it doesn't slide. In the stride pose, the character’s front heel is touching down. On the opposite stride , that foot has rolled up onto the ball of the foot. Make sure the contact point on the ground for the ball i s the same, or the feet will appear to slide.


Key and Breakdown Drawings define the action of an animation. Let’s examine how key and Breakdown Drawings define the action of an animation. For example, a character may be standing with his hand by his side and then gesture outward and upward. This would require only two key drawings. However, the breakdo wn drawing would determine how that character actually raised his arm. The breakdown drawing is seldom in between the posi tion of key one and key two. We might want the character to cross his body first and then swing ou tward before swinging up. In that particular case, especially in studio work, it might be best to crea te a key drawing for that particular pose to avoid the possibility that an assistant animator might not ch oose that same position for the arc. In this case, it might be best to have three keys. The first shows the cha racter's arm at his side. The second has it across his body at about the level of his waist. The third has the arm outward and raised to the side. The breakdowns would help define the arcs in which the animator wants the arm to travel.


A good place to see the versatility of the breakdown drawing is in the simple walk cycle. It takes only four main key drawings to create the heart of the walk motion. The breakdown drawings between those key drawings will determine exactly how much personality we see in that walk. If the breakdown poses are set merely inbetween the key poses, each key will transition directly to the next in a linear fashion. But if we want to create some eccentricity in the walk, our breakdown poses will have to take the character outside that direct line and linear translation. For example, consider the head. It may be upright and looking straightforward in the passing and stride poses. However, if in going up from stride to passing, our breakdown drawing has the head looking downward, then it will appear as if the head lags behind slightly as the body rises. Or if the head were jutting out in a more forward position, it would appear as if the head were helping to pull the body upward. Between two key drawings, it can be an exciting revelation to try several different breakdowns and observe the differences in the motions between those two keys. Of course, a professional animator usually has a very specific idea of the motion he or she wants to create. So this animator might not need to experiment with variations on his or her breakdown drawings. A beginner, though, might experiment with breakdown drawings to create more lively action and to learn how crucial that breakdown pose truly is. Try it yourself and see just how many variations of motion are possible!

Monday, November 16, 2015

Week 10 Assignment-Head Rotation

Head rotation:

It's important to accurately depict lateral head turns while designing character sketches because they help visualize the 3D form of the character by illustrating its poses from various angles.
To create a 3D model of Marilyn Monroe, a Character Rotation sheet will be required. The front view will specify the position of the facial features. The side view will define the depth such as the pout of the lips, the depth and curvature of the nose, and the bulge of the forehead. The back view will illustrate the shape of the shoulders and the hairstyle. The three-quarter view will be a combination of all the other views and will portray the 3D form in 2 dimensions.

Links:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4gGEC5iCDE

https://books.google.com/books?id=Mba3VYzrtD4C&pg=PA18&lpg=PA18&dq=head+turns+cartoon&source=bl&ots=cGxFBlAPyy&sig=Vcbc8Ag6m8jf68MzdleZVWHdlps&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0CDIQ6AEwBWoVChMIovHswpWVyQIVBsVjCh1AiwAr#v=onepage&q=head%20turns%20cartoon&f=false

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLbqmyE8OvE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1m5UZRL4hmw












The following table will help you identify some elements that define the personality of a character:
ElementEffectsExample
SpeciesComplete character designComplete character design
AgeSize, proportions, skills, mental and emotional development of the characterA small child looks and behaves very differently from a grown-up, mature person.
RaceFeatures, physical appearance, dexterity, intelligence, perception, ego, charismaA predator-like character is swift, agile, quick to adapt and learn, and evil.
A stone-age human is wary, slow, monkey-like in actions, and not very intelligent.
CultureKnowledge, wealth, status, clothingA city priest would be very different from a tribal priest.
Past of a characterEmotional and physical structure of the characterA character who is a thief turned into a good man can have a scar on the face or may have the habit of suddenly looking back to see if anyone is following the character.
EmotionsBehavior with other characters, facial expressionA scared character is slightly bent, has jerky movements, and hesitates before proceeding or attacking another character.
An angry character stands erect, takes large steps, and is bent more towards the character with which it is interacting.
ProfessionSkillA scientist has the knowledge of handling and mixing potions and therefore, uses those things as tools or weapons.
A knight is physically strong and adept in handling swords and riding horses.
DressAppearance, tools, weaponsAn android has more figure hugging metallic clothes.
A king has shiny, expensive looking, flowing robes.

Homework Assignment due: 11/23/15
Draw two characters that fit into your favorite cartoon. You can create both characters from a single cartoon or from separate ones. For example, create a new figure for Sponge Bob Square Pants. After your character is complete place him or her in a scene to see if the character works well in the environment. Remember, you work for an animation studio now and things need to look seamless. Try to create clean and professional looking vectors. Go as far as you want an even place textures to blend in your characters. Be creative and have fun. You guys can do it!!!!

Create two action poses using contrapasto. Make sure you have a twisting motion in your figures. Shoulders need to be in a different angle and direction than the hips. Get used to drawing figures in a dynamic pose. This is a natural position. Most human being are in this position throughout the day. The only time people are standing straight is when they are soldiers saluting.

Please finish your head turns and have them ready when you come into class. Next class is going to be very involved  since we only have three classes left. We are going to go over a lot of information and work with AfterEffects.s

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contrapposto

Contrapposto [kontrapˈposto] is an Italian term that means counterpose. It is used in the visual arts to describe a human figure standing with most of its weight on one foot so that its shoulders and arms twist off-axis from the hips and legs. This gives the figure a more dynamic, or alternatively relaxed appearance. It can also be used to refer to multiple figures which are in counter-pose (or opposite pose) to one another. It can further encompass the tension as a figure changes from resting on a given leg to walking or running upon it (so-called ponderation). The leg that carries the weight of the body is known as the engaged leg, the relaxed leg is known as the free leg.[1] Contrapposto is less emphasized than the more sinuous S Curve.
Contrapposto was an extremely important sculptural development for it is the first time in Western art that the human body is used to express a psychological disposition. The balanced, harmonious pose of the Kritios Boy suggests a calm and relaxed state of mind, an evenness of temperament that is part of the ideal of man represented. From this point onwards Greek sculptors went on to explore how the body could convey the whole range of human experience, culminating in the desperate anguish and pathos of Laocoön and his Sons (1st century AD) in the Hellenistic period. 


Monday, November 9, 2015

Week 9 Assignment-Character Design

Character Design Sheet Examples:
















Hand Reference Links:

http://www.trazarte.es/tecnicas/como-dibujar-los-gestos-y-las-expresiones-de-las-manos

Facial Expressions:








Homework Due: Monday November 16, 2015
Facial expressions using both of your characters:
 
Sad
Happy
Angry
Depressed
Surprised
Scared
Confused
Sneaky
Disgust
Laughing
Crying