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.
