Tools for starting animators

[Marcus Charlecius]

I'd really like to try my luck at animation, and i've been playing around with CGI using Blender which was fun (and i still plan to use it), but i'm really interested in tradional animation as well. Straight up pencil, paper and pegbar! However, I know there's much more needed than just that and the problem is I don't know what. For instance, I'm pretty sure that when an animator is finished with his drawings and pencil tests, he scans his pictures or uses some other method of getting them into the computer. But how was that animator able to do pencil tests without going through the painfully long process of scanning? Did he use an overhead camera to take each frame and then digitally assemble the frames?
Another thing is how the whole process goes from tools (pencils, field guides, etc) to the actual workflow. Now I plan to buy a couple books around the subject and stuff from this site as well but I want to be absolutely sure. Any help anyone?


And last note, I found this site, http://www.chromacolour.com/store/animation-home-ca.htm

Should i get supplies from them? As well as this starting kit, which I thought would be good candidate for my birthday :) (one with the lightbox)

http://www.chromacolour.com/store/animation-home-ca.htm

It looks all self explanatory I guess, but I'd appreciate the help, thanks.

[andrew sharp]

Yup you are on the right track. buy a peg bar acme and some acme punched paper. Tape your pegbar down to a surface.it could be a board or a table. if its a light box even better. some people like to put an elastic band over there peg bar to help keep the pages on the pegs.then you are ready to start animating. a big help is learning to flip or roll your animation drawings.then your off to the races.once you have something animated you can either pencil test or scan your animation. pencil testing involves setting up a web cam so it shoots down on your drawings take a photo add a drawing repete much faster then scanning. There are a bunch of free programs for this frame theif,frame by frame these are some free mac ones but there are plenty for the pc. if you can get the Preston Blair book of animation. Happy animating.

[andrew sharp]

Oh flip book is a really good program except it costs a bit.

[Marcus Charlecius]

Ah i see. So all i really need besides this kit is an affordable camera to shoot the frames. I guess I can start putting a bit of money aside for that right now. Thanks! For the moment I might have to look for some alternatives to Flipbook though. Luckily, the kit even comes with Preston's book!

[Marcus Charlecius]

Hey I just noticed but why am I listed as a guest? I could've sworn I was a Pencil Sharpener before.

[macprofilms]

Thanks for showing this site, I had been trying to think of the name. Last time I ordered from Lightfoot animation in California, and they were excellent, but being in Canada the taxes and duty and shipping across boarders was expensive. I am going to give Chromacolour a try as it is just the next Province over, I am hoping it won't cost as much.

[eezacque]

Thanks for showing this site, I had been trying to think of the name. Last time I ordered from Lightfoot animation in California, and they were excellent, but being in Canada the taxes and duty and shipping across boarders was expensive. I am going to give Chromacolour a try as it is just the next Province over, I am hoping it won't cost as much.

You may want to try Curry's (https://www.currys.com/catalogsearch2.htm?SEARCH=animation%20paper), they have 250 sheets for $18

[GdeSouza]

Shee-oot! That's a great price! I've seen anywhere. Hmmmm.....should I order or wait until next time I'm in Ontario.....?

[eezacque]

Shee-oot! That's a great price! I've seen anywhere. Hmmmm.....should I order or wait until next time I'm in Ontario.....?

I'm afraid there is only one who can answer that one, and it's not me; it depends of shipping and handling, too. Also, let me add that the quality is flimsier than the more professional grade animation paper; it is a brandless package.

[GdeSouza]

I was being rhetorical :) but thank you.
As it is now, when I've done the few and far between drawn animmation for work or myself, I've even used 3 hole punched 8.5 x 11 ( I made a peg bar from dowels years ago too)
Paper quality is almost negligible...it's like when I was student we could buy this almost tissue qulaity paper for much cheaper. so I don't mind.