This semester has been really fun and challenging. Going
into this class I already had some animation experience from a previous course,
but the application of that knowledge has been different.
[continued under read more]
May 12, 2014
May 11, 2014
May 04, 2014
April 27, 2014
April 13, 2014
March 17, 2014
ACM 216: reading reflection #2
[note: I didn't know that we had to do four readings for each of these when I did the last write-up. I'll do three extra in this one, if that counts for anything. Sorry about that!]
Tool Time at Pixar
I thought this reading was really interesting. Incorporating art skills and drawing with the more technical 3D animation tools has always been something that has helped Pixar excel, and it's important to keep in mind as an animation student. I also thought it was interesting to see the still frames with Brad Bird's notes and drawings on them. It seemed like a common theme was making the pose stronger. It's interesting to see the director of a hugely successful animation project give notes like that, and it's a good thing to think about when editing my own animation work.
P. Blair
This reading had some really good reference examples of strong poses and reversals of curves. The spacing charts were also very interesting. Timing is really hard, and seeing it mapped out like that is helpful. It also gave a reference for indicators of weight, which is handy. Considering weight is crucial in making animation look natural.
Dan's Anim. Tricks
The point about moving holds is really helpful! In animation projects I've done in the past I've encountered problems when I wanted to hold a pose for a few frames but doing so made the animation feel choppy. Next time I'll try to keep the position moving slightly to keep the flow!
Vladimir Tylta
It's always lovely to look at frames and concepts by skilled animators. I thought that his speech for the class on action analysis was really fascinating, too, largely because even in 1937 he can speak to what animators today have to face. He told the students that they have to develop their drawing skills, they have to be effective, and that they have to be adaptable because the technology is changing rapidly. Those pieces of advice are still very applicable over 75 years later.
Glen Keane: Why Animate?
Glen Keane focuses a lot on the storytelling aspect of animation, which is pretty interesting. Animating is acting, and every decision should be purposeful and meaningful. In an animated world you control every element, and therefore it's your responsibility to make those elements as entertaining and effective as possible. The questions he poses in these notes are really important to consider when building an animated world and story.
Bob Thomas Animation History
This reading was really fascinating! I love learning about animation history, and it's not often covered in school. Its interesting to see how animation has grown, and how far back it goes in human history. I was also interested to learn about early animation attempts in France. I'm learning French right now, and we're doing a history project in class that spans the time from the middle ages to the present. It's always great to see my interests overlap.
Pixar's Animation Process
Learning about how professional studios produce their work is always interesting. I was curious about Marionette so I googled it and found that it's a special program just for Pixar. Apparently it's very closely guarded as a Pixar secret, and there was very little information available about how it works. It was a good reminder to me that although I can do my best to master the animation programs used for school, what I'm really learning is how to learn and work with new software. The ability to adapt is more valuable even than a mastery of Maya.
Tool Time at Pixar
I thought this reading was really interesting. Incorporating art skills and drawing with the more technical 3D animation tools has always been something that has helped Pixar excel, and it's important to keep in mind as an animation student. I also thought it was interesting to see the still frames with Brad Bird's notes and drawings on them. It seemed like a common theme was making the pose stronger. It's interesting to see the director of a hugely successful animation project give notes like that, and it's a good thing to think about when editing my own animation work.
P. Blair
This reading had some really good reference examples of strong poses and reversals of curves. The spacing charts were also very interesting. Timing is really hard, and seeing it mapped out like that is helpful. It also gave a reference for indicators of weight, which is handy. Considering weight is crucial in making animation look natural.
Dan's Anim. Tricks
The point about moving holds is really helpful! In animation projects I've done in the past I've encountered problems when I wanted to hold a pose for a few frames but doing so made the animation feel choppy. Next time I'll try to keep the position moving slightly to keep the flow!
Vladimir Tylta
It's always lovely to look at frames and concepts by skilled animators. I thought that his speech for the class on action analysis was really fascinating, too, largely because even in 1937 he can speak to what animators today have to face. He told the students that they have to develop their drawing skills, they have to be effective, and that they have to be adaptable because the technology is changing rapidly. Those pieces of advice are still very applicable over 75 years later.
Glen Keane: Why Animate?
Glen Keane focuses a lot on the storytelling aspect of animation, which is pretty interesting. Animating is acting, and every decision should be purposeful and meaningful. In an animated world you control every element, and therefore it's your responsibility to make those elements as entertaining and effective as possible. The questions he poses in these notes are really important to consider when building an animated world and story.
Bob Thomas Animation History
This reading was really fascinating! I love learning about animation history, and it's not often covered in school. Its interesting to see how animation has grown, and how far back it goes in human history. I was also interested to learn about early animation attempts in France. I'm learning French right now, and we're doing a history project in class that spans the time from the middle ages to the present. It's always great to see my interests overlap.
Pixar's Animation Process
Learning about how professional studios produce their work is always interesting. I was curious about Marionette so I googled it and found that it's a special program just for Pixar. Apparently it's very closely guarded as a Pixar secret, and there was very little information available about how it works. It was a good reminder to me that although I can do my best to master the animation programs used for school, what I'm really learning is how to learn and work with new software. The ability to adapt is more valuable even than a mastery of Maya.
March 09, 2014
March 03, 2014
ACM 216: reading reflection #1
The notes from Glen Keane, particularly the third-fifth pages, were really informative and interesting to me. There were so many good tips its really hard to choose just a couple to talk about, but I did notice that a constant theme was being deliberate in your choices. Point 9, "Don't move anything unless it's for a purpose," stood out to me. It's tempting in animation to want to add extra movement, and this is a good reminder to reel it in and keep things purposeful. There were a lot of notes about adding drama and emotion to the animation as well, emphasizing squashing and stretching the body and face. This is another good thing to remember. I've noticed it's very easy to, in animation, want to keep the form constant in every frame out of fear of morphing it so much that the movement/object warps. It's good to remind yourself that without a little morphing things get very stiff and emotion doesn't come across effectively.
February 23, 2014
February 09, 2014
February 02, 2014
January 29, 2014
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