AnimationAdrian D. Gaborno

BFA-3B

What is Animation?

Animation is the art of creating a series of differing images that create the appearance of movement when played in rapid succession over time.

Websters: The act or process of imparting life, spirit or motion.

Art in movement The art of movement

Movement Movement makes static drawings come

alive. It is the quality of the movement (the

life) that matters, not the quality of a particular image or drawing or frame of film.

Whether it is a drawing or a lump of clay, the animator places life and meaning into the material by making it move!

What does it take to be an Animator?

A fascination with the way things move. Sharp observational skills A willingness to be an actor! Problem solving skills Lots of patience A little bit of perseverance!

How do pictures move? A trick of the human eye and the brain Obviously, the images don’t actually

move! The illusion of movement is created by a

physiological phenomenon called persistence of vision.

Persistence of Vision Light is captured by

the eye The image is focused

upon the retina (at the back of the eye).

• The brain reads and interprets the image.• The brain retains the image slightly longer

than it is actually registered on the retina.

Timeline: A History of Animation

1828 – The ThaumatropeA simple mechanical toy that created the illusion of movement was made popular by Paul Roget.

1844 - Theatre Optique, ParisEmil Reynaud opens his Theatre Optique in Paris. The Praxinoscope contained mirrors placed on an inside column that reflected out the sequential drawings that were on the inside of the drum. He was able to project 80 frames without changing reels and could project 10 to 15 minute "films". But the advent of film drove him out of business and in 1910 he threw all his equipment into a river and died destitute in a sanatorium in 1918.

1893 - The KinetoscopeThomas Edison invents the Kinetisocope. Reels of celluloid were stretched over a set of wheels that passed in front of a viewing window. Only one viewer at a time could watch.

1894 – First Copyrighted Film Thomas Edison

copyrights the first motion picture, The Record Of A Sneeze.

Thomas Edison opens his Kinetiscope Parlor in New York.

1906 – First example of Frame-By-Frame Animation

James Stuart Blackton makes Humorous Phases Of Funny Faces. This film is usually considered the first known example of animation as some of the drawn sequences are shot frame-by-frame. Blackton used a combination of blackboard and chalk drawing and cutouts to achieve animation.

1926 – Adventures of Prince Achmed

Adventures Of Prince Achmed, a one-hour shadow puppet film was released. This film is considered to be the oldest surviving feature-length animated film.

1928 – Mickey Mouse is born! Steamboat Willy, starring a

little mouse named Mickey, opens in New York in November 1928. It is the first successful animated film with sound. It made Mickey Mouse a star and launched the Disney Studios.

1932 – Animation Wins an Oscar

Flowers And Trees, by Disney Studios, won the first Academy Award for Animation. This film was the first to use three strip Technicolor in animation.

Line & Cell Animation becomes the standard animation technique for the next 60 years!

1993 – Stop-Motion Animation

Nightmare Before Christmas, by Tim Burton, is released. A departure from traditional cell animation. Uses stop-motion object animation.

1994 – A Billion Dollar Animation

The Lion King is released by Disney. This animated film made over $1 billion in theaters. It became a world-wide phenomenon!

1995 – Computer Animated Film

Toy Story, is the first computer animated feature film released and it takes in more money at the box office than any other film in 1995.

Early 2D Animation: Used traditional techniques

Early 3D Animation: Neglected traditional techniques.

Understanding the Fundamental principles of traditional animation techniques is essential to producing good computer animation.

Overview: Traditional Animation

Teaches basic mechanics of animation.

Defines rigidity of material.

Important in facial animation.

1. Squash and Stretch

Squash and Stretch Cont.

Can relieve the disturbing effect of strobing.

Gives meaning to movement. Proper timing is critical to making ideas readable.

2. Timing and Motion

Examples:1. Timing: tiny characters move quicker than

larger ones.

2. Motion: can define weights of objects.

Preparation for an action

3. Anticipation

Example:

Goofy prepares to hit a baseball.

A clear presentation of an idea.

4. Staging

Some Techniques:

1. Use motion in a still scene or use of static movement in a busy scene.

2. Use of silhouettes (to the side)

1. Follow ThroughTermination part of an action.

5. Follow Through and Overlapping Action

2. Overlapping Action

Starting a second action before the first has completed.

Example: after throwing a ball

Example: Luxo Jr.’s hop with overlapping action on chord.

1. Straight Ahead

Animator start from first drawing in the scene and draw all subsequent frames until the end of scene.

6. Straight Ahead Action and Pose-to-Pose Action

2. Pose-to-Pose

Animator plans actions, draws a sequence of poses, in between frames etc.

Spacing of in between frames to achieve subtlety of timing and movement.

7. Slow in and Out

1. 3d key frame comp. Systems uses spine interpolation to control the path of an object.

2. Has tendency to overshoot at extremes (small # of frames).

Visual path of action for natural movement.

Makes animation much smoother and less stiff than a straight line.

8. Arcs

Accentuating the essence of an idea via the design and the action.

Needs to be used carefully.

9. Exaggeration

Example: Luxo Jr. made smaller to give idea of a child.

Action that results directly from another action.

Used to increase the complexity and interest of a scene.

10. Secondary Action

Example:Body movement is the primary action, facial expression is the secondary action

Refers to what an audience would like to see. Character cannot be too simple (boring) or

too complex.

11. Appeal

Examples:

Avoid mirror symmetry, assymmetry is interesting.

What techniques used for Wally B.?

What do you think Wally B’s going to do?

The Action: Zooooooooooommmm!

Termination: Poof! He’s gone!

Animator’s first goal is to entertain. Success of animation lies in the

personality of the characters.

Role of Personality

Conclusion

Hardware/Software are simply not enough, these principles are just as important tools too.

Help in communication.

May save words by showing things that would otherwise need many.

Externalize internal knowledgeI. Reduces the burden on memory and processing by off-

loading.II. Makes underlying structures and processes transparent.

Used carefully can facilitate comprehension, learning, memory, communication and inference

Graphics are not always effective. (text vs graphics)

Advantage of Graphics

The structure and content of the external representation should correspond to the desired structure and content of the internal representation.

Criteria 1: Congruence Principle

1. Animations may be hard to perceive.

2. Animations may be comprehended discretely.

3. Not universally preferred and often require expertise for understanding.

Why Do Animations Fail?

Adrian D. GabornoBFA-3B

Prof. Ferdinand DoctoleroAnimation