Alexandra Poston
03-05-2009, 07:46 AM
Hey guys, I thought I might as well try and get these boards a rollin'.
Since all of us are here because we want to learn, I figured it'd be helpful to share with each other some helpful resources which are available to learn from. Things will be getting really exciting once we start asking questions, learning techniques, applying them, critiquing and all together evolving from this place.
However, I didn't realize just how much there was to animation until I started to search around the internet and discuss with my animation friends all the different techniques and steps to creating life on paper. In the process, I found a lot of helpful and informative websites which I think could greatly benefit many learning animators. Look through them, share them, and maybe it'll spark some new questions for you to discuss and learn from here.
Good examples of Animation Storyboards:
http://www.ersoz.com/storyboard/storyboard_main.htm
Character Design:
http://characterdesign.blogspot.com/
Pose Maniacs:
http://www.posemaniacs.com/
Poses that can be moved, positioned, randomized, and timed. If you can't get to a real life drawings session, try your hand at this - but nothing replaces the real thing!
Short Film:
http://leoanimation.blogspot.com/2009/01/10-things-ive-learned-in-making-short.html
These are ten tips on how to make a successful animated short film from an artist from Pixar, I believe. Very helpful.
Don Bluth also posted some helpful advice on making a short film in his 'Ask Me' section of the http://www.donbluth.com/ website:
"1) Plan, Plan, Plan! If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.
2) Keep your film short - 1 to 5 minutes max.
3) pick a story, maybe a short Aesops Fable, or a situation that you can work with that has a point to it and look for what will be entertaining, whether the story serious or funny.
4) it has to have a beginning a middle and an ending - just like writing.
5) keep it simple - one character if possible, you do not want to have to animate a crowd of characters (and design them).
6) get on a schedule of weekly output, try to write the script in one week.
7) Try to tell the story without dialogue. Maybe tell story to a piece of music - maybe choose something from a classical music CD or a cue from a CD of a movie score.
8) share the script with your professor, and other students - to get feed back. You are working in a communication field, it's about your audience understanding what you are trying say. Do they "get it"?
9) Once you feel confident with the script, plan out the sequence of visual events in your head. Once you can see the short film in your head,
10) begin storyboarding. Again, keep it simple and establish a schedule. We find that if we make a chart of our schedule and mark it up as we achieve milestones, it helps to guarantee that we will get it done.
11) finish the story board and get your professor's approval before you begin animating. Then, focus on your goal and run like someone is chasing you. Good luck. " -Don Bluth
Ultimate Iron Giant:
http://ultimateirongiant.com/model/model.php
Artwork from the masterpiece the Iron Giant. Includes color keys and model sheets- a wonderful treat!
Other:
John K. Stuff:
http://johnkstuff.blogspot.com/
The artist of Ren and Stimpy has a constantly updating blog that concentrates on classical animation. His blog is a wealth of information, my storyboarding teacher is always referencing back to this page.
Michael Sporn:
http://www.michaelspornanimation.com/splog/
An informative animation blog from an artist that worked at Disney with classical animation. Enjoy it and don't forget to scroll through his links page too, there are some very useful links there.
Bard Sculpture Studio:
http://www.bardsculpturestudio.com/
Very inspiring maquette modeling from a star sculpture in feature animation.
Carlos Baena:
http://www.carlosbaena.com/
A 3D artist at Pixar Animation Studios, who's very knowledgable about the acting aspect of animation. He has an interesting blog, and his web resources are also very helpful, along with a lecture he's performed himself on reel development, tips from the masters (9 old men, yay). Don't miss out on this!
I think that's all I have for now. I don't believe this is advertisement, and I hope that it's helpful. Throw your ideas around if any of you have any helpful links as well, I'd like to know them!
I had a friend of mine show me a website which had voice acting recordings which were available for animators to download and practice animating to. I don't remember the link, though, if any of you know what I'm talking about, please tell me!
Since all of us are here because we want to learn, I figured it'd be helpful to share with each other some helpful resources which are available to learn from. Things will be getting really exciting once we start asking questions, learning techniques, applying them, critiquing and all together evolving from this place.
However, I didn't realize just how much there was to animation until I started to search around the internet and discuss with my animation friends all the different techniques and steps to creating life on paper. In the process, I found a lot of helpful and informative websites which I think could greatly benefit many learning animators. Look through them, share them, and maybe it'll spark some new questions for you to discuss and learn from here.
Good examples of Animation Storyboards:
http://www.ersoz.com/storyboard/storyboard_main.htm
Character Design:
http://characterdesign.blogspot.com/
Pose Maniacs:
http://www.posemaniacs.com/
Poses that can be moved, positioned, randomized, and timed. If you can't get to a real life drawings session, try your hand at this - but nothing replaces the real thing!
Short Film:
http://leoanimation.blogspot.com/2009/01/10-things-ive-learned-in-making-short.html
These are ten tips on how to make a successful animated short film from an artist from Pixar, I believe. Very helpful.
Don Bluth also posted some helpful advice on making a short film in his 'Ask Me' section of the http://www.donbluth.com/ website:
"1) Plan, Plan, Plan! If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.
2) Keep your film short - 1 to 5 minutes max.
3) pick a story, maybe a short Aesops Fable, or a situation that you can work with that has a point to it and look for what will be entertaining, whether the story serious or funny.
4) it has to have a beginning a middle and an ending - just like writing.
5) keep it simple - one character if possible, you do not want to have to animate a crowd of characters (and design them).
6) get on a schedule of weekly output, try to write the script in one week.
7) Try to tell the story without dialogue. Maybe tell story to a piece of music - maybe choose something from a classical music CD or a cue from a CD of a movie score.
8) share the script with your professor, and other students - to get feed back. You are working in a communication field, it's about your audience understanding what you are trying say. Do they "get it"?
9) Once you feel confident with the script, plan out the sequence of visual events in your head. Once you can see the short film in your head,
10) begin storyboarding. Again, keep it simple and establish a schedule. We find that if we make a chart of our schedule and mark it up as we achieve milestones, it helps to guarantee that we will get it done.
11) finish the story board and get your professor's approval before you begin animating. Then, focus on your goal and run like someone is chasing you. Good luck. " -Don Bluth
Ultimate Iron Giant:
http://ultimateirongiant.com/model/model.php
Artwork from the masterpiece the Iron Giant. Includes color keys and model sheets- a wonderful treat!
Other:
John K. Stuff:
http://johnkstuff.blogspot.com/
The artist of Ren and Stimpy has a constantly updating blog that concentrates on classical animation. His blog is a wealth of information, my storyboarding teacher is always referencing back to this page.
Michael Sporn:
http://www.michaelspornanimation.com/splog/
An informative animation blog from an artist that worked at Disney with classical animation. Enjoy it and don't forget to scroll through his links page too, there are some very useful links there.
Bard Sculpture Studio:
http://www.bardsculpturestudio.com/
Very inspiring maquette modeling from a star sculpture in feature animation.
Carlos Baena:
http://www.carlosbaena.com/
A 3D artist at Pixar Animation Studios, who's very knowledgable about the acting aspect of animation. He has an interesting blog, and his web resources are also very helpful, along with a lecture he's performed himself on reel development, tips from the masters (9 old men, yay). Don't miss out on this!
I think that's all I have for now. I don't believe this is advertisement, and I hope that it's helpful. Throw your ideas around if any of you have any helpful links as well, I'd like to know them!
I had a friend of mine show me a website which had voice acting recordings which were available for animators to download and practice animating to. I don't remember the link, though, if any of you know what I'm talking about, please tell me!