Shape tweening is a common feature used in Flash adobe, it allows you to make shapes move in a smooth action. Shape tweens work best with simple shapes e.g. circles that represent balls, so that it will appear that it is bouncing at the bottom of the stage. To achieve this you draw a vector shape at one specific frame in the Timeline, and change that shape or draw another shape at another specific frame. Flash Professional then interpolates the intermediate shapes for the frames in between, creating the animation of one shape morphing into another.
Thursday 16 October 2014
This is a Cut Out Animation this method uses a picture to create a moving image. I took this picture photo of Finley with his arms and legs slightly outwards. I uploaded this picture and used the Magic Eraser tool and rubber tool in Photoshop to remove the background. Using the Polygon tool I then selected his body parts i.e left arm and right arm, left leg etc and saved these as separate PNG films. Saving the images as a PNG meant that the background could be transparent and I could overlap them and add motions to all the separate body parts. Reposition it all so it flows smoothly, often resulting in a 2D marionette effect.
MOTION TWEENING:
Motion tween is a feature available in Adobe Flash that allows you to easily animate the motion of an object. This feature is only successful for simple moving objects like driving generally objects that don't change their structure when moving. Instead of defining the location of the object in every frame, you can create a motion tween, which will automatically move the object from the beginning location to ending location. To do this simply select a layer in the timeline and drag an object onto the stage. Then select the number of frames in the timeline you would to use for the duration of the animation. This is an example of what can be produced through motion tweening. However I would improve this animation by slowing down the pace of the cars to make it a lot smoother smoother.
This stickman walking animation was created in Flash CC, In this software it allowed me to use frame by frame animation where each frame is a still drawing, making multiple frames of slightly different pictures can manipulate the images to look like theres a movement, in this case it was my stickman walking. I used different tools in Flash CC such as the onion skin effect leaving a faint outline of the previous frame so you can figure out what your next picture will be. Making the following picture closely to the previous means you can make the final product a lot smoother.
Sunday 12 October 2014
ANIMATORS RESEARCH
various other artists like the Artic Monkeys.
HANNA-BARBERA PRODUCTIONS
(Founded-1957
Defunct-2001)
Hanna-Barbera Productions, Inc. was an American animation studio that dominated American television animation for nearly four decades in the mid-to-late 20th century. It was formed in 1957 by animation directors William Hanna and Joseph Barbera (creators of Tom and Jerry). Over the years, Hanna-Barbera produced many successful animated shows, including The Flintstones, Yogi Bear, Scooby-Doo and The Smurfs, earning eight Emmys, a Golden Globe Award, and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, among other merits.
Like most animation studios, Hanna-Barbera had a particular style and appearance which it is well known for. Although they were not the pioneers of the process, Hanna-Barbera were proficient in "limited-animation" style, in order to meet the "time vs. expense" demands of television production, which gave their cartoons a unique look for the time. Their overall style consisted of appealing but simplified character and setting designs, with straight-line sides contrasting the opposing projecting mounds and rounded angles, and a bolder edge line quality, all adding to the overall stylistically flat appearance. Most of their shows involved animals as central characters, with a range of anthropomorphization, from more "realistic" animals capable of understanding human speech and concepts; to talking animals with varied fluency in the English language; to upright walking animals wearing clothes and using props.
WALT DISNEY
(1901–1966)
Walter Elias "Walt" Disney was born on December 5, 1901, in the Hermosa section of Chicago, Illinois. His father was Elias Disney, an Irish-Canadian, and his mother, Flora Call Disney, was German-American. Disney was one of five children, four boys and a girl. He lived most of his childhood in Marceline, Missouri, where he began drawing, painting and selling pictures to neighbors and family friends.
Walt Disney was an American motion-picture and television producer and showman, famous as a pioneer of cartoon films and as the creator of Disneyland. Walter Elias "Walt" Disney was born on December 5, 1901, in Hermosa, Illinois. He and his brother Roy co-founded Walt Disney Productions, which became one of the best-known motion-picture production companies in the world. Disney was an innovative animator and created the cartoon character Mickey Mouse. He won 22 Academy Awards during his lifetime, and was the founder of theme parks Disneyland and Walt Disney World.
Walt Disney holds the record for both the most Academy Award nominations (59) and the number of Oscars awarded (22). He also earned four honorary Oscars. His last competitive Academy Award was posthumous.
Walt Disney was a chain smoker his entire adult life, although he made sure he was not seen smoking around children. On November 2, during pre-operative X-rays, doctors across the street from the Disney Studio, discovered a tumor in his left lung.Five days later a biopsy showed the tumor to be malignant and to have spread throughout the entire left lung. After removing the lung on November 11, the surgeons informed Disney that his life expectancy was six months to two years. Ten days after his 65th birthday, Disney died of acute circulatory collapse, caused by lung cancer.
YELLOW SUBMARINE
(Release date U.K - 17th July 1968,
Release date U.S.A - 13th November 1968)
The film was directed by animation producer George Dunning, and produced by United Artists and King Features Syndicate. Initial press reports stated that the Beatles themselves would provide their own character voices, however, aside from composing and performing the songs, the real Beatles participated only in the closing scene of the film, while their cartoon counterparts were voiced by other actors. The Beatles' animated personas were based on their appearance in the promotional film for the song "Strawberry Fields Forever", with the exception of Paul being without his moustache.
The yellow submarine animation is a good example of rotoscoping. Rotoscoping is the transfer of an image from live action film into another film sequence using a rotoscope.
The animation won a lot of awards and nominations for grammy awards. The animation influences The Simpsons, South Park, Toy Story and Shrek as they contain many references to the film.
Saturday 4 October 2014
12 PRINCIPLES OF ANIMATION
The 12 principles of animation where a list created by workers at Disney Studios, 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.
They included of;
1. Squash & 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.
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
3. Staging
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.
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. 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.
5. Follow through and over lap animation
Nothing stops all at once. 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 etc.
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.
6. Slow out and slow in
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.
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.
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.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
A variety of slow and fast timing within a scene adds texture and interest to the movement.
There is timing in the acting of a character to establish mood, emotion, and reaction to another character or to a situation.
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. Exaggeration in a walk or an eye movement or even a head turn will give your film more appeal.
11. Slow 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.
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.
SOURCE
http://minyos.its.rmit.edu.au/aim/a_notes/anim_principles.html
They included of;
1. Squash & 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.
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
3. Staging
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.
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. 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.
5. Follow through and over lap animation
Nothing stops all at once. 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 etc.
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.
6. Slow out and slow in
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.
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.
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.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
A variety of slow and fast timing within a scene adds texture and interest to the movement.
There is timing in the acting of a character to establish mood, emotion, and reaction to another character or to a situation.
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. Exaggeration in a walk or an eye movement or even a head turn will give your film more appeal.
11. Slow 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.
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.
SOURCE
http://minyos.its.rmit.edu.au/aim/a_notes/anim_principles.html
THAUMATROPE AND PERSISTENCE OF VISION
The invention of the thaumatrope, whose name means "wonder turner," has often been credited to the astronomer Sir John Herschel. However, it was a well-known London physicist, Dr. John A. Paris, who made this toy popular. Thaumatropes were the first of many optical toys, simple devices that continued to provide animated entertainment until the development of modern cinema.
A Thaumatrope is easily made using;
-2 rubber bands
- piece of card
- pen
- Scissors
An image is drawn on each side of the disc, but in a way that when it spins it seems superimposed into each other. To spin the disc, one string is held in a hand, and the disc is rotated to wind the string. Then, both strings are held, and the disc is allowed to rotate. This motion causes the disc to rotate, first in one direction and then in the opposite. The faster the disc rotates, the greater the clarity of the illusion. For example:
Although the thaumatrope does not produce animated scenes, it relies on the same persistence of vision principle that other optical toys use to create illusions of motion. Persistence of vision is the eye's ability to retain an image for roughly 1/20 of a second after the object is gone. In this case, the eye continues to see the two images on either side of the thaumatrope shortly after each has disappeared. As the thaumatrope spins, the series of quick flashes is interpreted as one continuous image.
SOURCE:
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