All began in the 17 century with the magic lantern was like a projector of images but what it does is no considered animation because animation is when several image passes and gives a illusion of movement.
The first actual animation was in 1800 with a thaumatrope.
The first actual animation was in 1800 with a thaumatrope.
Thaumotrope shown above.
The thaumotrope is a toy that was created in the 19th century and the main goal was to give an illusion of movement. It works like this we got two pieces of paper stuck together and in at the sides string so that we can twirl the string. When we twirl the string very quickly between the fingers the two pictures appear to blend into one due to the persistence of the vision.
In 1843 William George Horner, created the Zeotrope. the zeotrope was an early type of motion picture projector that consisted of a drum containing a set of still images, that was turned in a circular order projector that created the illusion of motion.
Walk Cylce
- A walk cycle is a sequence of frames that shows the walking process of a animated character.
- In a walk cycle there are four main steps, specificly "Foward Contact Point, Passing pose 1, Back Contact Point and Pose 2 other steps between these are called inbetweens.
- These steps exist to make the walking process of a character smoother and to make people think the walking is realistic.
- This process is very important for the final outcome of the animation.`
Solid Animation
Solid drawing it's one of animation characteristics it allows to show volume, weight and balance of a character. Dividing the character in geometric solids helps to view them in a more 3D way, this technique then helps to animate the carachter digitally.
One of the main goals with this technique is to show the animated character in several angles to do that an animator needs to adapt the character to some visual aspects.
Things like vanishing points, solid shapes, perspective lines helps to draw the character in a more dimensional way.
One of the main goals with this technique is to show the animated character in several angles to do that an animator needs to adapt the character to some visual aspects.
Things like vanishing points, solid shapes, perspective lines helps to draw the character in a more dimensional way.
Pixilation
In my pixilation project me and my classmate Halima we worked together in a pixilation group work.
A pixilation is one of the main techniques in animation because it allows the animators to make very accurate moviments.
Pixilation is a type of stop motion technique where live actors are used as a frame-by-frame subject in an animated film.
The actors need to slightly change their position in each frame so that the pictures show the moviment made.
It's a very accurate technique when it's well done. In the image in the right side it's me posing for the frames I had to move very slowy in order to not do quick movements. Pixilation is a very interesting technique but takes a lot of patience to produce.
Types of Animation
There are several types of animation namely 2D animation, 3D animation, Flip animation, Stop motion, Cut-out animation etc..
The most famous types of animation are 3D and 2D animation because they are the a bit more recent compared to other styles of animations.
The most famous types of animation are 3D and 2D animation because they are the a bit more recent compared to other styles of animations.
- 2D Animation - In 2D animation the the main goal is to draw frame by frame to show the movement of the characters or scenario. Is a long process but with very good results when it's done properly.
- 3D Animation - 3D animation is on of the most recent techniques in terms of animation because it is a digital technique that implies the use of computers and computers are also recent in the daily life of human beings. To do a 3D animation we would need a specific software to draw and built the characters in 3 dimensions and then make them move.
Above we can see a picture of a animation done in the computer with professional software.
Kinetic Animation
Kinetic animation or Kinetic Typography is a type of animation where the text transmits the idea by motion. In this type of animation the font is very important because the letters must be legible and easy for the reader. In most cases this type of animation the words or phrases have to match the sound or music. In Kinetic animation the way the letters are placed is crucial to the success of the animation.
My Kinetic Animation
In my Kinetic Animation I animated Martin Luther King's famous speech "I have a dream". It's easy to learn how to display the words but in the other way it is very hard and time consuming to put motion in them and to give the animation a perfect timing. It took me around 8 hours to finish this animation and between 80 to 100 words. Overall I enjoyed making this type of animation because we can see this type of animation everywhere so it is a good skill to know how to do Typography animation.
Cel Animation
In cel animation artists use a transparent sheet on which the objects are drawn or painted in a traditional hand-drawn animation.
This process is a lot more quicker than having to draw every single frame and scene from scratch. In the past most of cartoons were hand drawn. This process is time consuming and artist need to be very patient and accurate in their work otherwise the aniamtion comes out with several mistakes.
This process is a lot more quicker than having to draw every single frame and scene from scratch. In the past most of cartoons were hand drawn. This process is time consuming and artist need to be very patient and accurate in their work otherwise the aniamtion comes out with several mistakes.
Animation Production Process
To produce a quality animation there are four main key stages I will mention them.
Pre-production : To begin the process of an animation first we will need a good idea of what we will be making. We need to consider several aspects such as public audience, budget and others. After considering this things we would end up with a script for the story, then we would plan the frames and how they could be buid and set up together.
After considering everything in the pre-production stage we would make the final storyboard with all the details about the scenes.
Prodution : After pre-prodution comes the prodution it self. So we would start to making a Layout for our storyboard for this process to be efficient we would need to focus in the panels of the storyboard and make it detailed as possible. As for instance in a 3D animation the focus would go to the position of the scene in other way the camera point, for 2D animation we would focus in the background and areas related. Normally artist start with a lot of sketches and then they would adapt those sketches to the bakcground and to the scenes.
Post-Production : the first steps of post prodution are to give the animation special visual effects, special sound effects and other related, basically giving a good finish to the previous work. Post-Prodution is one of the hardest steps of the hole process beacuse it's time consuming and the artist need to be very patient. Both 2D and 3D animtions have to be in point in terms of visual effects, composition, colours and many many more. The artist will also need to delete errors and to make changes to what is wrong in visual terms.
Packaging : After the post-production comes the packing process the packaging process bases in getting the final product or final outcome ready to be in adverts and ready for the public. This process relies on the target audience and how it can impact them.
Pre-production : To begin the process of an animation first we will need a good idea of what we will be making. We need to consider several aspects such as public audience, budget and others. After considering this things we would end up with a script for the story, then we would plan the frames and how they could be buid and set up together.
After considering everything in the pre-production stage we would make the final storyboard with all the details about the scenes.
Prodution : After pre-prodution comes the prodution it self. So we would start to making a Layout for our storyboard for this process to be efficient we would need to focus in the panels of the storyboard and make it detailed as possible. As for instance in a 3D animation the focus would go to the position of the scene in other way the camera point, for 2D animation we would focus in the background and areas related. Normally artist start with a lot of sketches and then they would adapt those sketches to the bakcground and to the scenes.
Post-Production : the first steps of post prodution are to give the animation special visual effects, special sound effects and other related, basically giving a good finish to the previous work. Post-Prodution is one of the hardest steps of the hole process beacuse it's time consuming and the artist need to be very patient. Both 2D and 3D animtions have to be in point in terms of visual effects, composition, colours and many many more. The artist will also need to delete errors and to make changes to what is wrong in visual terms.
Packaging : After the post-production comes the packing process the packaging process bases in getting the final product or final outcome ready to be in adverts and ready for the public. This process relies on the target audience and how it can impact them.
Different job roles within the animation sector
Although people nowadays think that it's easy to make an animation it is not and within a animation there is a lot of professionals working to put the animtion together and I wil present the main jobs and roles those people have.
The Director : role is to guide the prodution and to ensure that everytjing is working as planned. As for instance the diretor as the power to determinate wether a scene needs to be done again and things like that. If any member of the prodution is struggling to make something the role of the director is to make sure that the member gets on track with he's part of the work. Being a director is like being the head of the hole animation. It has a lot of responsibilities.
The Researchers : role is to make sure that the content of the animation is original and not a plagiarism, to do that researches need to be very patient and accurate in their research. If a researcher fails to do this the hole animation may have to be comfronted with losses and a lot of criticism.
This is why the reasearches are required to have unique and diverse researching skills.
Lightning Assitant : role is to control and ajust the position of the lights for this task the lighting assistent needs to be very accurate and ready to recieve orders from the rest of the prodution members. The problems that a Lightning assistent might encounter are approximation of the light, light intensity, direction of light and others related to this issues.
Overall a Lightning assistant needs to be very focused in getting the light in the right place at the right moment.
Key Animator : job is to develop the characters and to simplify them. A key animator needs to adapt his own style of producing to the style required for the prodution this means that he or she need to be very creative in the way they make the charater work. The key animator has to consider the frames and the flow of the scenes so that they can get the best outcome to their characters and stuff related.
Film and Video Editor : role is to edit the scenes and the frames to do this they need powerful hardware and software as well because that may affect the quality of the hole production. They also need good computer knowledge to avoid software problems. They are one of the professional responsible for the post-production of an animation or film.
Photographer : role is to take photos the photographers are very helpful when it comes to producing a stop motion animation or film because they have the skills to take good pictures. The photographers need to have good visual skills and they also need to be able to recive orders from the aniamtors and the directors.
Storyboard Artist : role is to produce a storyboard based in the script of the story. The storyboard artist needs to have a good organisation skills and needs to be creative as well. The storyboard artist needs to consider the production budge and select the best way of working to make the storyboard.
The Director : role is to guide the prodution and to ensure that everytjing is working as planned. As for instance the diretor as the power to determinate wether a scene needs to be done again and things like that. If any member of the prodution is struggling to make something the role of the director is to make sure that the member gets on track with he's part of the work. Being a director is like being the head of the hole animation. It has a lot of responsibilities.
The Researchers : role is to make sure that the content of the animation is original and not a plagiarism, to do that researches need to be very patient and accurate in their research. If a researcher fails to do this the hole animation may have to be comfronted with losses and a lot of criticism.
This is why the reasearches are required to have unique and diverse researching skills.
Lightning Assitant : role is to control and ajust the position of the lights for this task the lighting assistent needs to be very accurate and ready to recieve orders from the rest of the prodution members. The problems that a Lightning assistent might encounter are approximation of the light, light intensity, direction of light and others related to this issues.
Overall a Lightning assistant needs to be very focused in getting the light in the right place at the right moment.
Key Animator : job is to develop the characters and to simplify them. A key animator needs to adapt his own style of producing to the style required for the prodution this means that he or she need to be very creative in the way they make the charater work. The key animator has to consider the frames and the flow of the scenes so that they can get the best outcome to their characters and stuff related.
Film and Video Editor : role is to edit the scenes and the frames to do this they need powerful hardware and software as well because that may affect the quality of the hole production. They also need good computer knowledge to avoid software problems. They are one of the professional responsible for the post-production of an animation or film.
Photographer : role is to take photos the photographers are very helpful when it comes to producing a stop motion animation or film because they have the skills to take good pictures. The photographers need to have good visual skills and they also need to be able to recive orders from the aniamtors and the directors.
Storyboard Artist : role is to produce a storyboard based in the script of the story. The storyboard artist needs to have a good organisation skills and needs to be creative as well. The storyboard artist needs to consider the production budge and select the best way of working to make the storyboard.
Famous Animation Studio
Toei Animation : is the largest animation company in the world and it's a very famous animation studio in Japan, it was founded in 1956. Toei Animation studio have produce a massive amount of animes, mangas, games and other formats, one of the most famous animes they have produced is Dragon Ball. Toei Animation is one of the most successful animation studio in the world because they come up with amazing animes and inovative ideas.
Dragon Ball
Dragon Ball is one my favourite animes I loved to watch it when i was younger and I still watch the most recent season.
The series started in 1984 and it has 42 volumes 519 episodes divided by two animes Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z. Dragon Ball was transmited in japan between 1986 to 1996, but recently it started the latest season. Dragon Ball is complete success around the world
The series started in 1984 and it has 42 volumes 519 episodes divided by two animes Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z. Dragon Ball was transmited in japan between 1986 to 1996, but recently it started the latest season. Dragon Ball is complete success around the world
Slam Dunk
Slam Dunk is a very famous anime produced by Toei Animation studio as well. I have chosen to refer about this anime because this anime influenced japanese society mainly young people. It help to promote basketball in Japan. Slam Dunk has about 101 episodes and it was first aired on 6 October 1993 to 23 March 1996. This anime fits the following genres action, humor, romance and adventure.
The role of sound in Animation
The sound in animation is very important because it can be a key point in the success of the production. Over the years sound has gained much importance in the animations and movies because of its influence on the audience. Big film and animation companies can hire soundtracks for their films and animations. Other companies can produce their own soundtrack. Animators have to consider the time and sound synchronization with the frames and many other things related. One of the main purpose of the sound is to follow the flow of the animation whether it's a calm scene energetic scene and others.
Issues with Animation
Stereotypes : in the history of animation the 19th and 20th century there was a lot of racism and stereotypes amongst society. Animation is meant to be mainly for young people and back in the days there were many hate masseges in cartoons. As for instance in Germany around 1939 and 1945 there was many cartoons promoting the Nazist ideology and young people were watching those cartoons, there was even a special nazist Mickey Mouse version. In the US there was a lot of cartoons teasing black people. Nowadays racism in cartoons is less noticiable but violence, sexism and others still prevails.
Animation Allusions : is when a cartoon has some kind of hidden message to the public this type of issue can be notice by the people those messages are trying to affect. As for instance in "The Simpsons" there was a episode that made a lot of controversy, that episode made The Simpsons to be banned in Brazil. Basically in that episode the simpons family travels to Brazil and in the episode Brazil is represented as a disgusting place, that made the Brazilian people to be very angry and even the President of Brazil made comments in the issue. Therefore when making an animation the people from the production needs to be careful in what they are doing. Not to say that there are hundreds of cartoons similar to "The Simpsons" even though these types of animations like the simpsons are critical animation they need to be careful because it seems like it's not a big issue but these types of things can provoke tensions between countries.
Stereotypes : in the history of animation the 19th and 20th century there was a lot of racism and stereotypes amongst society. Animation is meant to be mainly for young people and back in the days there were many hate masseges in cartoons. As for instance in Germany around 1939 and 1945 there was many cartoons promoting the Nazist ideology and young people were watching those cartoons, there was even a special nazist Mickey Mouse version. In the US there was a lot of cartoons teasing black people. Nowadays racism in cartoons is less noticiable but violence, sexism and others still prevails.
Animation Allusions : is when a cartoon has some kind of hidden message to the public this type of issue can be notice by the people those messages are trying to affect. As for instance in "The Simpsons" there was a episode that made a lot of controversy, that episode made The Simpsons to be banned in Brazil. Basically in that episode the simpons family travels to Brazil and in the episode Brazil is represented as a disgusting place, that made the Brazilian people to be very angry and even the President of Brazil made comments in the issue. Therefore when making an animation the people from the production needs to be careful in what they are doing. Not to say that there are hundreds of cartoons similar to "The Simpsons" even though these types of animations like the simpsons are critical animation they need to be careful because it seems like it's not a big issue but these types of things can provoke tensions between countries.
My Final Animation
In my final animation project I have done a 2 minutes Plasticine animation I took 700 photos and it took me 7 hours to put them together to make my video animation. I have used the following software Photoshop, Megaphoto, Photogrid, and Movie Maker and I used my phone to take the photos one by one. The quality of my phone is around 5 megapixels so that's why the quality could be better. The story behind my short animation is about two basketball players Orange Shirt and White Shirt both players play a game where the winner must score 10 points. Almost at the end of the game Orange Shirt fails in his turn and gets upset and then throws the ball to White Shirt's face. Nowadays most of the movies and animations ends well and I guess people are tired of those types of films so I decided to make the evil side win this time. It was 7 hours well enjoyed I did not think I could finish my animation on time but I did it. I had some difficulties but I went through them the quickest way I could and I have solved them on time to have an animation done. Overall I think I did well considering the fact that I didn't experimented before this technique.
Visit to the North Beckton Primary School
Me and some of my art & design college mates we went to the North Beckton Primary School to teach the children how to draw characters in the style of specific artists. For me it was a good experience to gain confidence in presenting something to a public and it helped me realize how teaching it's not a easy job. I had to teach the little kids how to draw in the style of Axel Scheffler a famous german artist. Overall it was a amazing and unique experience, I was not expecting to be such a good experience but it was good.