Planning


Overview

You will be creating a single project this semesters and will work through the storyboarding, design, production art, animation, and sound design components during the course of the semester. Each student will choose one of the prerecorded Aesop's Fables to animate.

Software

You will be creating all of the art and animation in Adobe Animate, which is especially adept at vector illustration. Vector illustration has some advantages over bitmap illustration, including:

  • Infinite scalability without soft or jagged edges

  • Lines can be set to "not scale", which can create the illusion of traditional hand-drawn animation

  • It's very easy to revise and manipulate shapes

  • File sizes are manageable

  • Playback in the editor is quick and smooth (as long as point counts are managed)

Adobe Animate Filmography

Television

Here is a list of the television shows that have been created in whole or in part using Adobe Animate (external link). Some highlights include:

  • Craig of the Creek

  • Ben Ten

  • Regular Show

  • Adventure time

  • Samurai Jack

  • Fairly Odd Parents

Film

Here is a list of the films that have been created in full or in part using Adobe Animate (external link). Some highlights include:

  • Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (credits)

  • The Incredibles I and II (credits)

  • Isle of Dogs (2D animated screens)

  • Coco (opening sequence and credits)

  • The Loud House Movie (all)

  • Fantasia 2000 (Beethoven's Symphony no.5 sequence)



Google Drive Directory Set-Up

(a) Create a Google Drive project folder and share it with me

  • Use your own personal Gmail account

  • Share it with this email: lead.bill.fischer@gmail.com

(b) Set up a directory in the folder that is organized exactly like this:

      • Folder: Your First and Last Name-CourseName (Ex: Bill Fischer-AnimProc)

          • Folder: Planning and Storyboard

          • Folder: Design and Production Art

          • Folder: Animation

          • Folder: Sound Design

          • Folder: Final



Animation Plan

Here is an example by Ava Tolenen

(a) Set-Up

(1) Create a Google Doc in your planning folder

(b) Animation & Art Style


In your Google Doc...

(1) List the Technical Art Styles you will be using (see below)

  • Keep in mind that that the actual shapes and proportions of your art can be unique to you. These styles are really about the technical aspects which include line weight, line color, shading method, and generally shape types.

  • Here is an example of how you might configure your list:

  • Characters shapes: cartoon

  • Character shading: 1 level

  • Character Stroke widths: all thin

  • Backgrounds: flat shapes, no strokes

(2) List 1-3 animation styles you will primarily be using (see below)

  • Here is an example of how you might configure your list:

    • Clever Transitions

    • Loops

(c) Experience


In your Google Doc...

(1) List all of the experiences that you have had working in Adobe Animate (including courses and personal work)

(2) List all of the experiences that you have had animating in general. Include the software you used. (including courses and personal work)

(3) if you have a website or social media page where you show your art and design... provide links to them.

(4) Paste in 1-4 jpeg images of your own art that represents the creative style you will be working in. (max 1400 pixel size on the longest side)


Technical Art Style Examples

Note: your shapes may be different from these examples

Example Illustration with variable stroke lines

(1) From 'Get Your Sketch'

  • Characters shapes: comic style

  • Character shading: 1 level

  • Character Stroke widths: thick and thin

  • Backgrounds: gradient shapes with no stroke


Example Illustration from Adventure Time

(2) From Adventure Time (flat cartoon art with all thin strokes)

  • Characters shapes: cartoon

  • Character shading: none

  • Character Stroke widths: all thin

  • Backgrounds: flat shapes, thin strokes


Example Illustration with all flat shapes filled with color

(3) From Vidico (external link)

  • Characters shapes: organic & iconic

  • Character shading: none

  • Character Stroke widths: no strokes

  • Backgrounds: flat shapes, no strokes


Example illustration with minimally drawn background and a paper texture

(4) From The Jim Crow Museum Project (external link) by KCAD students and faculty

  • Characters shapes: realistic proportions

  • Character shading: 1 level

  • Character Stroke widths: thick and thin

  • Backgrounds: minimalist with paper texture


Example Illustration with geometric shapes

(5) From Bill Fischer

  • Characters shapes: geometric & iconic

  • Character shading: 1 level

  • Character Stroke widths: no strokes

  • Backgrounds: flat shapes with no stroke


Animation Style Examples

(1) Traditional Shot to Shot

Owen Hurley: From Anim. Proc.

Flying chicken: by Bill Fischer


OwenHurley-WoodmanandSerpent-Final(Converted).mp4
character animation
character animation

(2) Loops

Rockwell: from Animation Processes

Are You Lost: professional work

character animation
character animation

(3) Animated Backgrounds

Door: from Animation Processes

Gabbert: upper level student

RebeccaFrucci-PoliticalPartyVolunteer (Converted).mov
motion graphic
motion graphic

(4) Camera Action

Kafi: upper level student group

Oz: professional

character animation
motion graphic

(5) Text Over Animation and Clever Transitions

Madmen Titles: professional

Emily: upper level student

motion graphic
motion graphic

(5) Motion Comic

Spiderman & Wolverine

Watchmen

character animation
character animation


Aesop's Fables Examples from This Class

Annah Jarrett

Cameron Schleicher

AnnahJarrett-TheSwallowAndTheOtherBirds-Final.mp4
CameronSchleicher_TheManAndTheWoodenGod-Final.mp4

Jenn Lohman

Ava Tolonen

JennaLohman-EagleAndArrow-Final(Converted)-a.mp4
AvaTolonen-FoxAndLion-Final.mp4

Michaela Barton

Dan Neph

Michaela Barton - the man and the wood - FInal.mp4
Dan-Neph-The Man and the Wood final v2.mp4