Homework for 10/2/2017!

A.
Post the current version of your walk cycle to the server. Name it "lastname_V2." If you were absent, turn in a copy of your current walk cycle by Thursday@5!  Everyone, no matter what, should have three versions of your walk cycle on the server by Monday!  (1: The pencil test from last week. 2: The pencil test from this week. 3: The second revised pencil test that you will turn in Monday.) If you have less than 3 versions on the server, be advised that I will make additional revisions!

B. 
Turn in an updated version of your walk cycle, with arms!
For full credit, add clothing onto your armature and turn it into a character! (eyes, nose, mouth as well!)  Turning in a character without clothing will only earn you a B for this project (if everything!

C.
Come up with an idea for your next project!  You will be creating a 6-8 second animation where a character does the following:

• Takes a couple steps forward.
• Interacts with an object (a prop of your choosing)
• Makes a decision based on their thinking
• Acts with respect to that decision, and gains new experience!

We will film reference for this animation on Monday, October Second!  Please pay attention to your clothing choices for this action, so you are able to get reference for your film! Come up with an idea, and draw some sketches for your character. We will make model sheets on Monday in class!

D. 
You MUST bring a prop to class!  Make sure, whatever you bring, represents the object in question! I will bring some stackable boxes so we can make makeshift sets, for those of you that may have tables, chairs, and the like.

Extra credit opportunity:
1) Use what we learned about breaking the limbs of your characters to add more personality and flexibility to the arm movements of your walk! Be advised this is optional. I would much rather you turn in an amazing walk cycle, than trying to add new techniques you will continue to learn on Monday!

As always, if you have questions, don't hesitate to contact me at mshaw@mca.edu!

Homework for Monday, Sept 11!

Congratulations! At this point you have begun developing the necessary drawing and observation skills to produce quality animated content! Up next is a short assignment we will engage in before taking our skills to the wonderful world of traditional animation!  From here on out, we will animate full-body characters. To work up the necessary practice, you will create the following!

1. Revise your shape emotion animation!
2. Produce a 6 second (144 frame) animation where you recreate the action in an animated sequence of your choice!
3. Select an animated sequence you like that displays clear, decisive character performance.  Animate this scene making note of KEY DRAWINGS ONLY!
4. Bring a copy of your video to class, and be ready to answer the following questions:

• What are the most important poses of the scene?
• Why are they the most important poses?

• Make sketches for me that shows your initial estimations of your character's timing.
• Animate ONE CHARACTER only! I'd rather see quality over quantity.
• When animating the character, do not REDRAW the copyrighted character itself. Produce an armature (skeleton), or your own character design over this character!
• Pay attention to these concepts:
• Arcs
• Line of action
• Weight and Balance
• Keeping characters ON MODEL!

IMPORTANT TIPS TO help you select your animated scene:

1. Pick a scene with one character and fantastic body language!
2. No flying animations, except for birds with flapping wings.
3. Keep your references! Pause them, cycle through them, and draw sketches of the timing and spacing of your characters!
4. Animate full-body characters! If you have an excellent character sequence and 3/4 of the character is visible on screen, this will be allowed.  However, the more of the character we see, the better your sequence will be!

Homework for September 6, 2017

Important Dates to Remember:

• Monday: September 11th: Bring your receipt from the business office receive your paper and peg bar! 
• Wednesday: September 13th: Bring your light table and your animation paper to class! We will begin our WALK CYCLE PROJECT!

Content for this class's last assignment is below:

PROJECT 2:   THE SHAPE/EMOTIONS PROJECT! (PROJECT SHAPE FEELS)

NOTE: DO NOT DRAW A FACE ON YOUR CHARACTER.  SHOW THE EMOTION THROUGH BODY LANGUAGE AND ACTING!

GOAL: Create a 6 to 10 second animation, where a primitive 3-D object (CUBE, BOX, TRIANGULAR PYRAMID, RECTANGULAR PYRAMID, TRIANGULAR PRISM ) that you have named displays a single emotion!

STORY:  *insert character name here*   feels   *insert emotion name here*. (_____ feels like _____)

The strategy: You are going to give simple inanimate objects human characteristics!  This is the most common practice for young animators, and professionals trying to get an audience to relate to a character, scenario, or prop on-screen!

• mark in the corner of your drawing if it is a Key(K), breakdown(B), or Inbetween(I)!
• create an environment for your character to act within!
• does not have to be complex, but does need to be an environment that the character is living within!
• Think about the cubes you saw on http://the12principles.tumblr.com. Those cubes are characters! They move with vigor and personality!  I want yours to do the same! Think about how you can assign an inanimate object human characters through movement! Would a cube jump up and down when it's happy? Or slump over when it's sad?
  
  
  I know this may be difficult, but I promise challenging yourself now will give you a stronger set of skills by the end of the semester! 

I will grade based on the following!

1. Craftsmanship!  (are your lines cleaned up? I suggest creating your animation first as a sketch, then making a lineart layer!
2. Timing! (Are your actions well-paced?)
3. Acting and Locomotion! (Does your character act? Can we understand the emotion(s) your character goes through?
4. Storytelling (Is your film about the SINGLE emotion you chose to be the most important one? Do we see your character acting within its environment and stage?)
5. Professionalism!  (Did you come to class with your toonboom project folder, your files, and an EXPORTED MOVIE of your film that has ALREADY been converted?)

As an additional note, please bring your updated Ball Bounce to class on this day!