Animation Styles

1
Animation Styles

• The latest technology isn't always the greatest.
  Your animations may end up digital, but that
  doesn't mean they have to start out on a
  computer. The imperfections and quirks of
  real-world media have a charm and warmth missing
  in 100 percent digital animations, which can
  sometimes feel cold or overly precise. In fact,
  certain styles of animation are almost impossible
  to create via computer.

2
Cut-Out Animation

• The cutout style, represented most notably by
  Monty Python and South Park, involves cutting
  actors and scenes out of paper, jointing or
  overlaying them, and capturing the movement
  frame-by-frame. The very first Southpark was done
  this way, then the look was transferred to
  computer to ease the amount of work.
• In our class, this can be done by manipulating
  paper images and then photographing them in
  sequence, or by scanning images that can be
  manipulated in Flash, or by creating original
  symbols in Flash than can be manipulated, as
  well.

3
Claymation and Puppet Animation

• Claymation and puppet animation involve the
  frame-by-frame movement of a 3D model.
• Use a camera to capture one still frame of your
  scene, move the actor (s) and/or scenery just
  slightly, take another frame, and so on.
• Claymation and puppet animation have a
  spontaneity and a choppy, lumpy charm that is
  hard to recreate with a computer

4
3-D Animation

• Three-dimensional animation involves modeling
  your characters and scenes on the computer using
  your favorite modeling software, and then
  animating it with a layout program. 3D
  animations add depth to the look and motion of
  the animationthe z axis, whereas 2D animation
  only works with the horizontal and vertical
  axesx and y.
• In our class, we use Lightwave 3D Version 8.0 as
  both our modeling and layout vehicles

5
Drawing and Painting Animation

• This style is created by drawing or painting
  images by hand, then capturing each image onto a
  frame of film or video. To adapt this style for
  the Web, simply assemble the frames on the
  animation in the computer, or draw your animation
  by hand, using your mouse or digital pen, on your
  computer.
• In our class, we use Flash to either assemble our
  digitized, hand-drawn images, or to paint and
  draw directly onto the computer screen.

6
Sand Animation

• This more obscure, but still useful (since
  there's no digital equivalent) style of animation
  involves the manipulation of sand. The more
  common form of sand animating is to manipulate
  the sand using tools or your fingers, and then
  photograph the individual frames with a camera,
  either film or video. You can also drop the sand
  on a sheet of glass and place that on top of a
  scanner. This method gives you a "flatter" look,
  since the images are captured from below.
• In another variation, you can draw a complete
  sand image, then video-tape its
  deconstruction. When this is played in
  reverse, it appears as though the sand flies
  into place.

7
Pixilation

• Not to be confused with pixelation!
• Pixilated means literally "affected by the
  pixies" (1848, from pixy-led bewitched). A pixie
  is a playfully mischievous sprite (elf). That's
  why the proper spelling of pixilated contains
  only one 'l, and the word has nothing to do with
  computer pixels (picture elements) and
  'pixelation,' as reflected by the different
  spelling
• Pixilation is a technique that closely borders on
  live-action practice, although it clearly falls
  within the realm of animation. Whereas clay and
  puppet animators move inanimate objects
  incrementally before a camera and shoot them
  frame by frame, the pixilation animator shoots
  'live' objects -- essentially, people -- frame by
  frame
• Time-lapse photography is a related technique,
  the major difference being that pixilation is
  associated with 'enacted' scenes while time-lapse
  deals with naturally occurring phenomena
• The term pixilation is also used more generally
  to mean the animation of any real object -- as
  opposed to puppets or models -- photographed
  frame by frame to achieve unusual effects of
  motion

8
Rotoscoping

• Rotoscoping has actually been around for along
  time. It involves painting directly on to film,
  or overlaying video with another layer of
  drawing, which is a tracing of the original. The
  original layer of video can either be left in
  place, or can be deleted. The result is a
  2-dimensional animation that has the colour of
  drawing and painting animation, but has the
  motion-feel of video or film. This can be used
  to create an entire animation, such as blah, or
  can be used to create special effects, such as
  the light-sabre scenes in Star Wars

9
Examples and links

• Sand animation
• http//www.cakostudio.hu/
• Puppet animation
• http//www.thunderbirdsonline.com/site/
• 3D animation
• http//www.pixar.com/index.html
• Rotoscoping (in Flash)
• http//www.jm3.net/toys/dancers/
• Claymation
• http//www.wallaceandgromit.com/fla/wg.html
• Painting and drawing (in Flash)
• http//www.bestflashanimationsite.com/
• Cut-out animation (follow to Monty Python meets
  Southpark and Download Movie after youve
  opened the link)
• http//www.dailyllama.com/news/2004/llama262.html
• Pixilation (click on Film Clips after youve
  opened the link)
• http//cmm.onf.ca/E/titleinfo/index.epl?id10452c
  ollonf