Wednesday July 27th 2011 Animation Seminar

[Dave]

The seminar starts every Wednesday at 4pm Arizona time.

We start this thread early to give members a chance to upload any video (http://www.donbluthanimation.com/videos.php) or images they want critiqued on the weekly video seminar. Throughout the week, Dave will try to incorporate as many images and video clips (http://www.donbluthanimation.com/videos.php) as possible into the live seminar.

Image and Video Rules:
1. The best format for video clips is .MOV files, preferably MPEG-4. You can upload them here. (http://www.donbluthanimation.com/videos.php)

2. Please clearly label all of your drawings in your images, example "a, b, c, d... etc" so that Don can easily refer to them.

3. Please clearly label all animation pencil tests with large drawing numbers so that Don can easily refer to them.

4. Please do no post images or videos from the current workshop as it is not fair for the other members. However you may post images or videos from workshops that have already ended.

The deadline for clips and images to be critiqued in the live seminar is 24hrs prior to the seminar date and time.

Please keep your questions concise so we have time to answer everyone. Only questions pertaining to animation technique will be addressed.

Thanks

Here is the link to watch the live Seminar.
http://donbluthanimation.com/_Don_Bluth_Animation_live_seminar.html

You must be logged into your Don's Club account (http://www.donbluthanimation.com/member_home.php) to see the stream.

[Tanya]

Hi Don,

I had a question about rotoscoping (which might have already been answered before). Would you say it's alright as a training tool, or is it only a crutch and should be avoided as much as possible? Thanks.

[MoonLightRose]

Here are 2 test animations:
http://www.donbluthanimation.com/videos.php?showvideo=771
this one is an eagle animation. I wanted to see if I could get the feel of flying. At some point in the video I don't like how the eagle takes the dive so he could land. Any suggestions on how it could be made correctly?
http://www.donbluthanimation.com/videos.php?showvideo=772
the second animation is a horse. It's my first attempt on animating a horse with ought having as a model an already animated horse scene. I studied the movie Spirit thousands of times.:)
Tell me what you think about my animations and if there is anything I could do to improve them.

[OwenWelsh]

Hi Don,

When you were directing animation for Small One, Pete's Dragon and Fox and the Hound, did you ever do walk cycle tests or any other type of research pencil tests to help the animators figure out how the characters would move, walk or talk that ultimately was not going to be part of the film or production cycle.

[Tanya]

Hi, another question here.

One of my greatest weaknesses is character design, but I really want to animate. Is it okay for me to use an already existing character to practice with? Or should I put more effort into designing my own characters?

[andrew sharp]

Hello Don and Dave last week I drew up a creature that had the anatomy of a dog and walked in the same anitomical way as a dog on the balls of the feet and palm of its hands,I redid the creature stretched out its neck ,made it scarier and added more muscle kind of like a pitbull/chiwawawa/person.

http://i1209.photobucket.com/albums/cc396/andrew_sharp1/dogcomparativeanatomy.jpg
http://i1209.photobucket.com/albums/cc396/andrew_sharp1/craeture.jpg
My Daughter has a little toy of a wild boar, it was fun to use it for reference, some small toys have a lot of detail and are great reference.Any pointers would be great thankyou:D
http://i1209.photobucket.com/albums/cc396/andrew_sharp1/pig.jpg

[andrew sharp]

some goofy Baboons from free floating papper and sketch book. Just curious Mr Bluth do you use a sketch book?
http://i1209.photobucket.com/albums/cc396/andrew_sharp1/scribbles-1.jpg
http://i1209.photobucket.com/albums/cc396/andrew_sharp1/baboon.jpg
A drawing of a lady:D
http://i1209.photobucket.com/albums/cc396/andrew_sharp1/lady.jpg

[lavallelee]

Hey Don

Another week of life drawing. I think I had an off day. Any critiques or suggestions are much appreciated.

http://www.4m4life.com/art/lifedrawing721-1.jpg

http://www.4m4life.com/art/lifedrawing721-4.jpg

http://www.4m4life.com/art/lifedrawing721-5.jpg

http://www.4m4life.com/art/lifedrawing721-6.jpg

[lavallelee]

http://www.4m4life.com/art/lifedrawing721-9.jpg

http://www.4m4life.com/art/lifedrawing721-17.jpg

[arif]

Hello Sir...

At last i am back.....i was too busy with making a film with UNICEF project for TV..project name is `Meena`...and i am so lucky to work with Mr Ram Mohon(Father of animation in India) directly..But, unfortunately, i acted as a Production director not animator....but, learned so many things from him....

here is a little walk cycle i made...did not get time to make it more precious...but..at least i started...

http://donbluthanimation.com/videos.php?showvideo=767

did another one using bouncing ball principal....i can make it a squirrel next.

http://www.donbluthanimation.com/videos.php?showvideo=756

[arif]

made some drawings..when i got little time....but...so different from each others as i made them after gape of some days..

http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt308/arifnbd/c2.jpg

http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt308/arifnbd/mygorl-1.jpg

http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt308/arifnbd/Untitled-1-7.jpg

[arif]

Trying using anatomy with some fantasy..

http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt308/arifnbd/heman.jpg

http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt308/arifnbd/FI.jpg

[AJartist]

Here are some drawings of people I saw around me at the resteraunt. Do you think I caught any of them in storytelling poses??

http://donbluthanimation.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=254&pictureid=1627

Here's my latest T-shirt design. The client wanted a kangaroo in a kung fu pose. Do you see any weak areas when it comes to my use of forms in this drawing?? Also, how do you think I handled my straights and curves?

http://www.donbluthanimation.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=254&pictureid=1626

[AJartist]

When you draw anything do you think of forms after the gesture or before? The reason I'm asking is because a certain well known animation teacher is teaching beginners think about forms before the gesture. I just want to know how you approach it.

[msferoz85]

Hello, animators!! And hello, the master!

I wanted to share a work-in-progress for this months 11 second club to get critiqued. I just saw the drawings and animation posted this week, and I felt like hiding my WIP and just running away somewhere! Can't compare my work to all this awesomeness. :eek:
But still posting my WIP here. Feedback is better than no feedback. :D

http://www.donbluthanimation.com/videos.php?showvideo=773

[aidanani09]

Hi Don! Well I know its hot hand drawn but...This is a CG shot I am working on for the 11 second club (run by animation mentor)
Sorry for the rubbish quality

http://donbluthanimation.com/videos.php?showvideo=775

Anyway I just wanted to know your views on it?
Thanks for the help!

[aidanani09]

Hi Don, and Dave! I have a decent drawing ability. And would love to get drawings in my animation up to this quality

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/23850271/DSCF4878_.jpg
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/23850271/DSCF4879.JPG
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/23850271/DSCF4882.JPG
(I hope drop box works)

(I know there more at a cleanup stage, but near enough this) because my drawings (when I animate) tend to be off model, or along those lines.

So what I am asking is what would be the best way to go about constructing a drawing (in animation) would it be go for the gesture, then build up from there and just generally build up from there and take my time?

thanks so much!

[OwenWelsh]

Hi Don,

Did you see the Winnie the Pooh movie yet? If so, what did you think of it?

[finlay]

Hey Don. I have a tendency to draw way too rough when animating. Part of this is due to trying to "feel out" the pose. The result is the animation has to go through many tie down and cleanup layers which is very time consuming. How do find the right balance between dynamic posing and decisive cleaner drawing to save time further in the pipeline?

[Richard Willimot]

Hello Don and Dave! Don at this stage in your animation career who do you go to for critiques of your work?

[OwenWelsh]

Don,

When you look at a film like Roger Rabbit, didn't you feel that it helped bring animation out of the nursery for American audiences even if it was only for a small bit of time? I'm wondering if that might be a good solution to the problem traditional animation faces today -- to pair animation with a good live action script.

[Richard Willimot]

Don, I've been working on trying to portray the weight of the hand on say a table,could you please demo for us how to accomplish this?

[Richard Willimot]

Don,kind of a personal question for ya on Winnie the Pooh.Which character do you identify with and why?

[lavallelee]

You used to live on a farm in your youth, I was wondering if any of the animals you have had in your life, you ended up using in a cartoon or movie?

[msferoz85]

Don, thanks a bunch for review my work-in-progress animation. Can you please give any suggestions for keep a character on model??

[finlay]

Hey Don. Thank youfor your help. Do you have any tips on adapting different styles and character designs?

Also I heard that animators are supposed to have 3 different timings in a scene. How would you go about planning a scene with varied, unexpected timings? Would you set a tempo with the metronome and then break up the timing afterwards?