Animation & Adobe Animate

Animation: Learning Quests:

Animation Quest 1:

• Watch this guide to what animation is: https://vimeo.com/85427944
• In quest #1 we will create one of two historical (non-digital) techniques for animation. The artistry is not what you're really working on here. It is really less about your drawing skill and more about seeing how little motion you can convey in a single frame:
  • Create a zoetrope. Consider using a pile of post-it notes to draw a basic animation flip book. Maybe you'll show a ball bounce or a stick figure walking. Keep it simple. The goal here is to get a sense of how animation works, before we add the complication of computers and technology. Pen and pencil and make the object move -- not technology.
    • Zoetrope instructions: http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Zoetrope
  • Create a flip book. You'll either use a post-it note booklet and draw on one corner of the notes, or a pack of paper. (Ms. Kramer has created paper flipbooks out of copy paper. If we can arrange for it, I can get it to you if you need something.).
    • Flip book instruction: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Un-BdBSOGKY
    • Flip book examples: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FH97UerMW6I

Optional Animation Quest #1.5:

• Create a cinemagraph using Photoshop: http://cinemagraphs.com/
• Cinemagraph tutorial, part 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNaPLmUJ46E (<3:00)
• Cinemagraph tutorial, part 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKA4cqv0IjE (14:36)
• Create a puppet warp in Photoshop, export as a GIF: https://vimeo.com/125071651 (8:04)

Animation Quest 2:

• Watch these two videos to learn about the twelve principles of animation:
  • #1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=17&v=vGs9HvtelkQ (10:17)
  • #2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FfU6i-ORTI (13:48)
    • Be sure that you can define each of the following ideas:
      • Timing
      • Spacing
      • Squash and Stretch
      • Anticipation
      • Staging
      • Straight Ahead vs. Pose-to-pose
      • Follow through and overlapping action
      • Slow in and slow out
      • Arcs
      • Secondary Action
      • Exaggeration
      • Solid Drawing
      • Appeal
• Take a couple of minutes to look at some examples of contemporary animation art:
  • http://www.skwigly.co.uk/
  • http://www.cartoonbrew.com/

Animation Quest 3: preparing for your animation -- one of two versions

Learn one of these two programs:

Adobe Animate

Complete the six tutorials (find them by going to the Help menu, then select Hands-on Tutorial).

Walk Animation (Assemble)

Walk Animation (Frame Effects)

Animate a Windmill

Digital Sign

Create a Bouncing Ball Animation

Create a Dancing Fire Animation

Adobe Character Animator

Complete the in-app tutorials (find them by going selecting "Start Here" in the upper left corner of the opening menu)

• Turn in something that demonstrates the completion of these tutorials

Animation Quest 4: screening and reflection

Create an animation. I'm intentionally leaving this open, but minimally, you should:

Create/import your own assets (not just build off Adobe's assets)

Make sure that the work is copyright-friendly.

If possible, make it serve a real purpose and have an authentic audience. Consider one of these recurring topics that the school always needs promotion for:

Blood Drive

Take a Media Arts class! commercial

Opening Sequence for morning announcements

Screen your work for the class and reflect on its creation.

Animation Quest 5: (Optional) Revise and re-release