Today I experimented with using Toon Boom since we finally have the software in the labs. To test out the software, I used a screengrab from the film The Princess and the Frog (2009) to trace the image.
I used this image because it's quite similar to the flat design style that I'd like to use in my own project. Although since it is a high budget Disney film, the movement was very dynamic, so it was hard to find something I could replicate simply to animate.
Overall the Toon Boom software was quite simple to use, very similar to Adobe Illustrator, it just took some time to figure out where each of the tools were. I like that it's very easy to select new colours and use this to draw out new lines, especially for flat design it makes this process quite simple.
On some instances I wasn't able to fill in certain shapes, for example on the girl's leg. I might need to watch a few more tutorials to figure out why this happened.
In our previous workshop we were advised to try to recreate a piece of work we found inspiring. I chose to recreate Somewhere Down the Line because I'm really fond of the colour scheme, and I think it uses just the right amount of detail, that isn't overly complicated.
To start my process, I used a shot from the film and analysed each parts that moved. I found this really useful, because it made more aware of all the little things that go into making an effective animation.
I traced the image, using different layers which I'd outlined in the diagram. The drawings themselves weren't too complex, allowing me to emulate the style quite easily.
I used the eyedropper tool to select the colours used. I noticed that a lot of the colours in the scene were very similar to each other. This has inspired me to use more harmonious colours within my own work. Also, since I was using mainly flat design, I could colour the majority of the image in Illustrator, rather than using Photoshop.
I did use photoshop to add further small details to the image. This stage also made me realise how much effort goes into making a visually pleasing image. But again, this process proved that it isn't too difficult to do, if I just set my mind to it.
Finally I used After Effects to add movement to the shot. I moved the three background layers at different speeds to create a realistic parallax effect. I also made the woman appear as if she was breathing. Again these actions weren't too complicated to recreate, I just normally wouldn't think about putting all those components together.
The video above shows the final outcome. Although I chose a very simple scene from Reynard's film, the process of recreating it was very useful. I feel inspired to create more work in a similar way.
I think experimented with using the adjustment layers in After Effects to change the colours. Above I tried using the tonal adjustment and black and white.
To make the image closer to my own personal style, I think I would have preferred to use warmer hues.
In class today we had a recap of using Adobe After Effects. Irene provided us with an already existing sketch, which we then traced and attempted to animate.
Important things to remember:
Edit composition settings first
HDTV 25 fps (1080/720)
When animating a character we must split everything into separate body parts.
The screenshot above shows my attempt to trace the sketch in After Effects. I experimented with using non realistic colours. Overall, the After Effects software was quite similar to using the pen tool in Photoshop and Illustrator, yet I still think that Illustrator allows more flexibility in adjusting the outlines etc. Subsequently, I don't think I would use After Effects to draw out characters as it takes much longer than necessary, and doesn't suit my style as much.
Our guest lecturer today was Hannah Berrigan who works as a casting director within the theatre industry.
Studied English at Oxford then Drama
Worked as a director since 2002
Likes to divert away from the mainstream
Berrigan worked on the play Public Property which ran for three weeks at Trafalgar Studios in London. She stated that she was fond of the scripts involvement of gay characters, but it wasn't necessarily about being gay. I thought this was interesting that she consciously considers the representation of characters when choosing what work to get involved in. The story had fast paced, witty humour, similar to in Friends.
Advice on castings:
Trust your instincts
Don't let the actors feel more experienced than you
Be confident in selling the project- make it sound good
Get everyone to read same thing in order to judge fairly
Make notes about each person
Overall, I'm not sure how much of the lecture related to myself as an animator, however I think her advice on casting would be useful for considering voice actors as well.
In class today we looked at a range of examples of how genre is explored in animation. Many of the pieces we looked at were hybrid genres.
Persepolis (2007)
Documentary animation, with elements of comedy and romance
Black and white, flat images
Based on graphic novel of same name, which is based on the writer's life
The Congress (2013)
Sci-fi, drama
Mixes animation and live action
The Triplets of Belleville (2003)
Comedy, period film
Time context - references to Josephine Baker
Waltz With Bashir (2008)
Animated war documentary
Based on Lebanese war
Chico and Rita (2010)
Musical, romance, adult
Animation influenced by Jazz music
Grave of the Fireflies (1988)
War, drama
I think the typical perception of animation is that it's usually fairytale based and aimed at children. But this class proved the diversity within animation.
In the second half of class, we explored using the Adobe Animate software. I found it much more tricky to use than what I was used to (i.e. Illustrator and After Effects), and I thought it took much longer to do simple movements.
Analogous - using colours that are close to each other on the colour wheel; not much difference in hue
Complementary - using colours that are opposite each other on the colour wheel
Triadic - three main colours equally spaces on the colour wheel; adds diversity
Monochromatic - using different shades of the same hue
Current trends
Pastels - often used in "flat" design; use between 4-5 primary colours
Bright - bright, saturated colours
There are numerous websites that help to create colour palettes such as:
Adobe Kuler - can be synched with the creative cloud
In animation, colour scripts can be used to see the overall look and feel for the project. This can help identify how well the colour palettes work together:
Process: Used a combination of 2D and 3D animation
"For the characters animation, it was pretty simple because they are drawn in 2D, we used a software called TvPaint and then did simple compositing. The tricky part was the car and the animated background. We had to paint all the views of the car in Photoshop and then project them onto the 3D model. Same for the rolling backgrounds, we painted several views of the landscape and then projected them on a 3D map. It took us a while to figure it out but in the end it was working fine."
Why I'm inspired
Dynamic camera movement
Realistic sound design - creates an eerie effect
Cinematic
Flat-design animation with use of texture
Minimal character movement. The message is still put across even though the animation isn't perfectly realistic or fluid.
I like the neutral, washed out colour palette. I would like to look further into using a certain colour palette to enhance my own work.
Great use of lighting
Lots of detail placed into the scene, yet the art style is still quite rough, i.e. the texture in the background isn't fully blended. This relates back to the lecture we had last week about the photographer Nan Goldin. John Marchant suggested that it was the slight imperfections in Goldin's work that made it so great. I think this would apply to the animation.
Analysis of protagonist - identity; back-story; relationship to societal norms
How is music/light usesd
We are allowed to adapt an existing story - check scholarly writing
Ways of Making
Cinematic - realism
Documentary - Bill Nichols '6 modes'
Digital media - interactive; linear etc.
Animation - doc, cinematic, interactive, story
Hybrid - drawing inspiration from multiple sources
Lateral connections
Have previous years inspired us?
Core theory, practice and options
Inspiration - Mulan (1998)
Genre: Drama, musical, family
Context: based on a Chinese poem about a legend
Form: 2D animation
The main character, Mulan, flouts societal norms by dressing up as a man and entering the war in her father's place.
The film is visually pleasing, despite it's relatively simple, flat-design style.
I was out in the garden this evening and noticed that the sky looked really pretty. This gave me a sudden burst of inspiration.
I took a picture to use as a reference (although the photo didn't do reality justice).
I followed my usual method, beginning by drawing the basic outline on illustrator.
When it came to colouring the image on Photoshop, I decided to experiment with using the 'flat animation' style. I used variations of the same colour, but without blending the colours together. I also decided not to use the cartoony, black outlines. I think this effect looks quite sophisticated.
I then decided to add a few more details into the sky, by using a range of different brush styles.
I'm quite pleased with the final result, as I think it provides just the right amount of detail. The simplistic design didn't take that long to make, in comparison to in the past where I'd tried to add to many unnecessary details to the sketch.
I think as a whole I'd like to try and spend more time developing the aesthetic style used in my backgrounds, as I think it can make such a big different to the overall look and feel of a scene.
Last year we were given chapters to read from this book. I thought it would be good to do some further reading on this week's topic of methods of research. Conducting Animation Research
It important to understand production context of piece of art "historical, economic, social, technological, industrial, and other influences" p. 7
Should consider social factors of the piece and its impact on representation
Think about the background of the artist/company
Furniss describes using historical methodology - for example looking at a WW2 piece and considering effects of 1930s depression
The reading was slightly outdated and suggests using a new thing called the internet (ha)
Suggested website - Animation World Network, awn.com (still exists!)
Visit the library
Write to/interview people who've worked on production
Focus groups - questionnaire after watching a certain animation
textual analysis "one might consider the way in which character design gives meaning to a work" p. 10
aspects of symbolism
Freudian or Jungian theory
"Theoretical analyses can be useful for understanding more about the thought processes and the ways in which a society expresses itself" p.10
Try not to focus too much on mainstream: Disney, Warner bros etc
