The punchline is "Everyday you hear about someone hitting a pedestrian. We're gonna walk."
Above is a photo of me taking a picture of myself to see the hand gesture made on the word "why."
Thursday, July 16, 2009
George and Gracie Partially Finished
The punchline is "Everyday you hear about someone hitting a pedestrian. We're gonna walk."
Above is a photo of me taking a picture of myself to see the hand gesture made on the word "why."
Monday, July 13, 2009
Birds in Franklin, WI
Here are a redwing blackbird, a swan, and a whatyamacallit. If anyone can identify it, let me know. I had guessed Baltimore Oriole, but I'm not sure. These were taken by a small lake. The birds look pretty peaceful considering the lake is a runway path for Mitchell International Airport! I had to choose between watching planes at about 800 feet or birds! I like watching both!
Note: The whatyamacallit has been identified as a Baltimore Oriole. I also looked it up and found out they do migrate to spend summer in the midwest.
Note: The whatyamacallit has been identified as a Baltimore Oriole. I also looked it up and found out they do migrate to spend summer in the midwest.
Spike's Birds
Here is the character sheet* of the birds that fledged from Spike O'Dell's bluebird box. The camera shows only some of the nesting box, that is why you only see a bird's back or head drawn. I was watching the computer on my cheap plastic drafting table with a spiral notebook to hold the animation paper flat. I purposely took notes (written in "Hope-ese") and didn't shade or color. If you click on the image it will fill your browser screen!
Also ordered the animation software. It's going to take time to learn! It will do full animation. Then, when I'm not going to school I can animate what I want to, (insert sinister laugh here)!
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Animation Definitions
Here are some things I may talk about in this blog; I am writing these in my own words; so any errors are mine. They aren’t in alphabetical order, either, but grouped (mostly) with similar definitions. If I use any of these terms in a blog, I will put an asterisk * after the term.
Character sheet: Drawings of many poses of a character to help other animators draw it. It also helps if I am animating by myself to keep the character looking the same in every drawing.
Maquette: A clay model of the character. In the George/Gracie animation I made maquettes of both of their heads. If you look at Disney maquettes, usually they are of the entire body. Helps an animator draw from any perspective.
Keys: The main poses of a character. In a finger point, like Gracie does, it’s the third drawing (the first two are anticipation) and the second to last.
Inbetweens/inbetweener: Drawings between the keys. The lead animator draws the keys and the inbetweener draws the inbetweens. (The teacher in me says don’t define with the definition word! Oh, well!) Or, if you are me, you do it all yourself.
Drawing numbering: Keys and inbetweens are whole numbers. Additions are added with A, B, C, etc. after the number. OR the keys can be a whole number and the inbetweens with the letters: for example: an eye scan to midline and back can be 1, 1A , 1B, 2, IB, 1A, 1.
Extremes: I see this as an exaggeration of a pose, the pull back of a punch and the punch hitting it’s target. (Keys and extremes are sometimes the same drawing, but don’t have to be!)
Anticipation: A movement to (as my karate teacher used to call it) “telegraph” what’s going to happen.
Resolution/settling: The settling of a movement. Gracie’s hands go down (key) but come back up and go down again to “resolve” the movement. I was skeptical this works until I saw it!
Accent: A movement that puts emphasis on speech...the important words. Sometimes this is as simple as a head movement down or up.
Lip sync: Making the lips match the sound, but not on every phonetic part. Most animation books (and instructors) say Jim Henson did this the best with his Muppets!
Frame: A frame of film. 24 in animation class per second. Some programs have cinema at 30. Silent film is 18. Also, a drawing can be shot for a number of frames and I’ve made the mistake of using these interchangeably.
Timing: The time it takes to perform an action AND the speed at which the action takes place. The ball roll on the skateboarding pipe is an exercise in timing.
Lunchbox: A device that captures frames and edits. Also can add sound and download it to other devices. It does look like an old fashioned lunchbox.
Camera stand/lightbox/peg bar: The camera (digital video or still) is mounted on an arm so it is pointed downward. Drawings are placed over a lightbox on a peg bar which registers the drawings (holds them in place). The camera can be connected to a computer, video output or a Lunchbox.
10 field/12 field: The size of the animation sheet (and the aspect). 12 field is used for the real thing. 10 field is 8.5 x 11 inches and 12 field is 9 x 13 inches.
Aspect (ratio): The width and the height of the picture. Think TV vs. letterbox. Different uses of the animation need different aspects. There is a field guide for this, which is a hard plastic transparency grid to put beneath the animation paper, so no action goes out of the frame. With the use of letterbox shaped flat screens 16:9 ratio is now the norm. 4:3 TV is considered obsolete.
Exposure sheet: Also called “x-sheet,” this is where the animator works out frames (how many times a drawing is shot and in what order), timing, lip sync, how long backgrounds are placed, etc. This should be written so anyone can shoot the animation.
Weight: When a character lifts a mallet, his muscles bulge, the timing also shows that the mallet has weight to be overcome. The first few frames are slower, but as the mallet comes down gravity helps and it speeds up. Also a foot squashes a bit when it takes weight. I watched a Mark Kistler, a cartoonist, draw a dinosaur playing basketball next to Karen Johnson, an animator, drawing one pose of the same thing. Her drawing showed weight, his did not.
Volume: Characters and objects squash and stretch as they move, but the volume doesn’t change. When I did the ball roll, I drew a ball then ripped the animation paper around it, tracing it every time I used it or it would get bigger and smaller as it rolled (perspective was not an issue, here: or it would as it came toward or retreated away).
Silhouette: The shape of the character needs to be distinct. On the Drawn! web site, a sheet of cartoon characters was filled in with black ink. I could guess every one. Think of Daffy Duck’s shape, Betty Boop or Snoopy.
Overlap/wave action: The action of a flag is the best example. As the flag changes direction, the edges hesitate and then move. This is used all the time: hair, fire, loose clothing, body movement, trees, seaweed, etc. I turned this in the first time having animated it BACKWARDS! I’m getting better but still struggle with it.
Character sheet: Drawings of many poses of a character to help other animators draw it. It also helps if I am animating by myself to keep the character looking the same in every drawing.
Maquette: A clay model of the character. In the George/Gracie animation I made maquettes of both of their heads. If you look at Disney maquettes, usually they are of the entire body. Helps an animator draw from any perspective.
Keys: The main poses of a character. In a finger point, like Gracie does, it’s the third drawing (the first two are anticipation) and the second to last.
Inbetweens/inbetweener: Drawings between the keys. The lead animator draws the keys and the inbetweener draws the inbetweens. (The teacher in me says don’t define with the definition word! Oh, well!) Or, if you are me, you do it all yourself.
Drawing numbering: Keys and inbetweens are whole numbers. Additions are added with A, B, C, etc. after the number. OR the keys can be a whole number and the inbetweens with the letters: for example: an eye scan to midline and back can be 1, 1A , 1B, 2, IB, 1A, 1.
Extremes: I see this as an exaggeration of a pose, the pull back of a punch and the punch hitting it’s target. (Keys and extremes are sometimes the same drawing, but don’t have to be!)
Anticipation: A movement to (as my karate teacher used to call it) “telegraph” what’s going to happen.
Resolution/settling: The settling of a movement. Gracie’s hands go down (key) but come back up and go down again to “resolve” the movement. I was skeptical this works until I saw it!
Accent: A movement that puts emphasis on speech...the important words. Sometimes this is as simple as a head movement down or up.
Lip sync: Making the lips match the sound, but not on every phonetic part. Most animation books (and instructors) say Jim Henson did this the best with his Muppets!
Frame: A frame of film. 24 in animation class per second. Some programs have cinema at 30. Silent film is 18. Also, a drawing can be shot for a number of frames and I’ve made the mistake of using these interchangeably.
Timing: The time it takes to perform an action AND the speed at which the action takes place. The ball roll on the skateboarding pipe is an exercise in timing.
Lunchbox: A device that captures frames and edits. Also can add sound and download it to other devices. It does look like an old fashioned lunchbox.
Camera stand/lightbox/peg bar: The camera (digital video or still) is mounted on an arm so it is pointed downward. Drawings are placed over a lightbox on a peg bar which registers the drawings (holds them in place). The camera can be connected to a computer, video output or a Lunchbox.
10 field/12 field: The size of the animation sheet (and the aspect). 12 field is used for the real thing. 10 field is 8.5 x 11 inches and 12 field is 9 x 13 inches.
Aspect (ratio): The width and the height of the picture. Think TV vs. letterbox. Different uses of the animation need different aspects. There is a field guide for this, which is a hard plastic transparency grid to put beneath the animation paper, so no action goes out of the frame. With the use of letterbox shaped flat screens 16:9 ratio is now the norm. 4:3 TV is considered obsolete.
Exposure sheet: Also called “x-sheet,” this is where the animator works out frames (how many times a drawing is shot and in what order), timing, lip sync, how long backgrounds are placed, etc. This should be written so anyone can shoot the animation.
Weight: When a character lifts a mallet, his muscles bulge, the timing also shows that the mallet has weight to be overcome. The first few frames are slower, but as the mallet comes down gravity helps and it speeds up. Also a foot squashes a bit when it takes weight. I watched a Mark Kistler, a cartoonist, draw a dinosaur playing basketball next to Karen Johnson, an animator, drawing one pose of the same thing. Her drawing showed weight, his did not.
Volume: Characters and objects squash and stretch as they move, but the volume doesn’t change. When I did the ball roll, I drew a ball then ripped the animation paper around it, tracing it every time I used it or it would get bigger and smaller as it rolled (perspective was not an issue, here: or it would as it came toward or retreated away).
Silhouette: The shape of the character needs to be distinct. On the Drawn! web site, a sheet of cartoon characters was filled in with black ink. I could guess every one. Think of Daffy Duck’s shape, Betty Boop or Snoopy.
Overlap/wave action: The action of a flag is the best example. As the flag changes direction, the edges hesitate and then move. This is used all the time: hair, fire, loose clothing, body movement, trees, seaweed, etc. I turned this in the first time having animated it BACKWARDS! I’m getting better but still struggle with it.
Writing, Photo and Birds
I'm going to start with birds. Spike O'Dell, retired WGN radio personality, put a live cam in his bluebird house. I became addicted. Spent way too much time on the couch with the cam live watching them from hatching to fledging! Finally, a couple days ago, I realized I could draw them while I watched. It became a little bluebird character sheet.* I will scan it later.
I took some photos with my Canon 50D digital SLR and keep thinking the cord in the box is the wrong one and I've lost it. I have Photoshop (CS 3) on my one Mac and iPhoto; the only cord in the box has a warning label on it "be sure to load Canon software!" I know I've downloaded before, without the Canon software. No offense to Canon, but I find the programs I already have work well, and sometimes the various software packages don't get along with what's already there. Also, have a Canon DV camcorder and a Canon Digital Elph...all the cords are different!
Bottom line is I have some nice swan pictures that I'd like to post. When I find the solution, I will!
Writing going well, but I am basically outlining, working on the final part (of a 2-3 book series) and I should be typing the beginning.
Will go to Columbia College Chicago next week. Hopefully the semi-final George/Gracie lip sync* is still there (yikes!) as promised. My instructor wanted it kept on the Lunchbox* until after it was graded and said it would be saved on some media (DVD or thumb drive) after the Lunchboxes were wiped for the summer school students. The animation area is closed after July 18, so I'd better go. If I get this I will post it.
If not...
I have to shoot it again! I still have the sound on Amadeus Pro and still have the drawings. However...my animation program doesn't include sound. So, which upgrade do I buy? Right now the programs are on sale, so I'd better call and do it soon!
Note: Starting with this blog, an asterisk * means I define the term in my Animation Definitions blog.
I took some photos with my Canon 50D digital SLR and keep thinking the cord in the box is the wrong one and I've lost it. I have Photoshop (CS 3) on my one Mac and iPhoto; the only cord in the box has a warning label on it "be sure to load Canon software!" I know I've downloaded before, without the Canon software. No offense to Canon, but I find the programs I already have work well, and sometimes the various software packages don't get along with what's already there. Also, have a Canon DV camcorder and a Canon Digital Elph...all the cords are different!
Bottom line is I have some nice swan pictures that I'd like to post. When I find the solution, I will!
Writing going well, but I am basically outlining, working on the final part (of a 2-3 book series) and I should be typing the beginning.
Will go to Columbia College Chicago next week. Hopefully the semi-final George/Gracie lip sync* is still there (yikes!) as promised. My instructor wanted it kept on the Lunchbox* until after it was graded and said it would be saved on some media (DVD or thumb drive) after the Lunchboxes were wiped for the summer school students. The animation area is closed after July 18, so I'd better go. If I get this I will post it.
If not...
I have to shoot it again! I still have the sound on Amadeus Pro and still have the drawings. However...my animation program doesn't include sound. So, which upgrade do I buy? Right now the programs are on sale, so I'd better call and do it soon!
Note: Starting with this blog, an asterisk * means I define the term in my Animation Definitions blog.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Animation Ramblings
I opened a Facebook page a couple weeks ago and found that whenever I write about animation, I can literally feel people's eyes glaze over. Here's a digest of some of my rambling:
1. I went to http://awntv.com and enjoyed two animations in the "Graduation Animation" catagory: "Juxtaposing" and "Head Quarters!" I like Head Quarters as an example of really good 3D/CGI type animation, even though I like doing 2D.
2. Go to http://www.bjandtheblog.blogspot.com and watch "A Time for All Seasonings."
3. Animation does involve math. When I used a lip smack as an example (1.7 seconds) and explained it down to frames, all of the eyes reading my Facebook closed and nodded off! Oh, well!
4. I bought a book called "How to Make Animated Films" by Tony White. He used his own film as an example, which is titled "Endangered Species." If you know anything about animation, or, like me, just took a history of animation course, it will blow you away! Search Tony White animation on YouTube and you will find it.
5. Gave up on buying a drafting table. Bought two (12 field and 10 field) animation portable disks. The 10 field is smaller to carry around. Only problem was one of the rubber feet came off, sticking to the bubble wrap. I used Goo-Gone (R) to get the bubble wrap off and some modeling glue to put it back on! Operation was a success.
6. Occurred to me last night: If my life was a screenplay it would start INT LIVING ROOM NIGHT. HOPE GOOD sits at computer on the couch with her cats BEAR and CAMI nearby.
Hope works on her blog...
(Yes, even your life would not make a good screenplay!)
1. I went to http://awntv.com and enjoyed two animations in the "Graduation Animation" catagory: "Juxtaposing" and "Head Quarters!" I like Head Quarters as an example of really good 3D/CGI type animation, even though I like doing 2D.
2. Go to http://www.bjandtheblog.blogspot.com and watch "A Time for All Seasonings."
3. Animation does involve math. When I used a lip smack as an example (1.7 seconds) and explained it down to frames, all of the eyes reading my Facebook closed and nodded off! Oh, well!
4. I bought a book called "How to Make Animated Films" by Tony White. He used his own film as an example, which is titled "Endangered Species." If you know anything about animation, or, like me, just took a history of animation course, it will blow you away! Search Tony White animation on YouTube and you will find it.
5. Gave up on buying a drafting table. Bought two (12 field and 10 field) animation portable disks. The 10 field is smaller to carry around. Only problem was one of the rubber feet came off, sticking to the bubble wrap. I used Goo-Gone (R) to get the bubble wrap off and some modeling glue to put it back on! Operation was a success.
6. Occurred to me last night: If my life was a screenplay it would start INT LIVING ROOM NIGHT. HOPE GOOD sits at computer on the couch with her cats BEAR and CAMI nearby.
Hope works on her blog...
(Yes, even your life would not make a good screenplay!)
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