The last paragraph of Levitow's notes resonates now more than ever given the current precarious position of hand-drawn animation:
"Even though the Disney animator Marc Davis has said: 'Animation is an anachronism; it is that rarity, a handmade product in a mechanized age', the satisfaction gained from doing it well is the kind of satisfaction that can only be gotten by creating something with your own hands that no one has ever done before. It's a sublime feeling ... you'll see !!"
Abe Levitow animation drawing :
(these great drawings are from the Abe Levitow webpage. Go there to see more of Abe's drawings.)
Also, as I mentioned a few posts below , Don Bluth has been posting some animation tutorials on YouTube to promote his longer Animation Tutorial DVD's . These clips are excerpts from the longer videos, but contain some good information on how to construct a cartoon character for animation:
And here's an interesting demonstration by Glen Keane on how he approaches animating a scene. Glen's initial approach is to get the feeling , to capture the "forces" that are animating the character from the inside.
Each of these artists has their own approach to drawing, but all have in common their use of the principle of constructing the character from basic forms in a rough drawing before going over top of those forms to draw the details of the character in outline. (it's like drawing from the "inside out") One thing I've noticed is that a lot of students are still trying to draw too "clean" , drawing in outline , but without any structure underneath the outlines of the drawings.
In the sidebar notice there is now a link to a new sub-section of this blog: Hand-Drawn Animation Equipmentwhich has sources and suggestions for setting up an animation workspace.
Most of the sources are the same ones listed to the right in the sidebar under the Links to "Animation Supplies" and "Animation Software" , but I thought it would be useful to have a page with photos of the various kinds of animation desks, discs, etc. that are available. I've also included some Do-It-Yourself instructions for those you who would prefer to build your own desk.
Posted below is a new "Ponyo On A Cliff by the Sea" trailer, from the French-language release.
This is all hand-drawn, from director Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli. Those who have seen it describe it as “very similar to 'My Neighbor Totoro' in tone, with a simpler plot that focuses more on the emotions of the young protagonists than anything else, and the animation is gorgeous.”
As usual, Daniel Thomas MacInnes' "The Ghibli Blog: Conversations on Ghibli" provides the best coverage leading up to the U.S. release of the film (by Disney) on August 14, 2009 :
I like to use this blog to post links to inspirational material or practical resources wherever they may be found. You can never read enough or practice enough when it comes to animation, so I see this blog as a supplement to what we're teaching you in your online classes.
I recently became aware that Don Bluth has been making a series of Animation Tutorials on DVD.
Don has generously posted some sample videos for free on his web site DonBluthAnimation.com .
Obviously the sample videos are to whet your appetite to purchase the full-length tutorials on DVD, but even the samples have some great "nuts & bolts" basic info. on animation. I suggest you check them out , especially if you are new to hand-drawn animation:
I have posted this pencil test on my blog previously , but thought that I'd repost it to bring your attention to some of the drawings from this sequence posted recently on Michael Sporn's excellent blog . Click on the link to Michael's blog to see the drawings.
Looking through some notes today I found a link to a couple of old posts on other people's blogs that are worth reading for any of you animation students (and worth reading for those of us who have been around the business for a while) .
The first is an article on the ASIFA Animation Archive called "The Training of a Golden Age Animator" , which came about when the director of the ASIFA Animation Archive, Steve Worth, was asking himself the question: "What sort of education did golden age animators have? "
Steve posts some examples from the life of master animator Carlo Vinci.
When he was in High School the young Mr. Finn wrote to Disney animator Ward Kimball for advice about getting into the animation field. Kimball's letter, written in typical iconoclastic Kimball style, is a very sage piece of advice and despite the breezy style conveys that Kimball respected and cared for young animators or wannabe animators like Will Finn (who in fact went on to become one of our finest contemporary animators) .
Here is the reply that Ward Kimball sent to Will Finn:
The latest issue of Steve Moore's online animation magazine FLIP! has a survey of animator's who are using Cintiq tablets for their professional and personal animation work.
Many of our students at Academy of Art University Online are animating paperlessly using Cintiqs and/or Intous tablets in our "traditional" (i.e. hand-drawn) animation classes . So this round up of professional opinions of how the workflow is changing (for better or worse) using tablet-based paperless animation is on interest.
It's always interesting to listen to animators discussing their favorite tools (it used to be that animators would get in to long, often passionate discussions about what was the "best" pencil .)
I think my friend Rusty Mills has the most detailed answers about what it means to be a traditional animator working on a Cintiq . Rusty emphasizes that it's not the Cintiq (or other tablets) that make something difficult to draw or to achieve a good line quality: it's the software being used and the computer that the tablet is attached to.
Rusty debunks several myths about using a Cintiq, such as:
"The Cintiq has terrible line quality."
Again it it entirely dependent on the software. Often the user doesn't know enough about a software package to alter the look of the line. I have even seen particular studios mandate bad line quality because the people in charge don't know how to use the software correctly.
If you find using a Cintiq alters your drawing style for the worse try changing some of the setting both in your software and in the tablet driver itself.
Following up on some of what Rusty talks about in that article on the "FLIP!" site here are things that I have found help to make animating with a tablet a much more enjoyable experience:
1.) Adjust the Digital Drawing Tools to your own preferences:
Also, an important point often missed by beginners to tablet based drawing is that the individual animator needs to make adjustments to the pre-set brushes and pencil tools that come with the software , be it TVPaint , Toonboom, or Flash, etc. The digital drawing tools in these programs can and should be tweaked to fit your own preferences , exactly as some animators prefer a certain type of pencil over another. (Blackwing 602 or Blaisdell Layout Pencil? Tombow or Col-Erase Tuscan Red ? ) Don't simply use the default settings on the drawing tools as they come with the software off the shelf . Play. Experiment . Try adjusting the tools until you get a "pencil" or a "pen" line that feels comfortable to draw with.
In addition to adjusting the drawing tools to fit your own preferences also be aware that some of the better animation programs such as TVP Animation (highly recommended) have custom "papers" which can be turned on in the background. The paper will give a more textured, toothy feel to the drawing , simulating the feel of drawing on a slightly rough surfaced paper.
For example here is a rough character sketch I did in TVP Animation with my own custom pencil tools . Most people looking at this sketch would have no idea that it wasn't drawn on paper:
(click image to see it larger)
2.) Project Resolution Size:
Another thing that many people overlook is that screen resolution of the project does matter : if your original file is low-res. like 640 x 480 you will not have nearly the same amount of control and subtly of line as working at full 2K Film Resolution 2048 x 1556 . Many people like to work at HD "wide-screen" resolution 1920 x 1080. Trying to get subtle line quality at 640 x 480 is like drawing on the back of a napkin or on a Post-It note compared to working on a large canvas or a large piece of high-grade bond paper. Sometimes I will work at lower resolutions if I'm just blocking in rough sketches that I know are not going to be any larger, the same as I will sometimes do a rough storyboard using Post-It notes , but if the line quality counts then use a larger resolution .
Then when you export your finished animation for uploading to a website you can reduce the size (say 2048 x 1556 output to 640 x 480 ) so the file sizes aren't unmanageable , but the original resolution should be as high as your computer can reasonably handle (this can become an issue if you don't have enough memory or your CPU is not fast enough ; as always a faster computer with more memory will run better. If your animation software runs sluggishly at high resolutions then it's time to upgrade ) .
3.) Wacom Pen Nibs:
Finally, be aware of the different types of stylus nibs that Wacom makes . The standard hard plastic nib that comes with the pen stylus can tend to be a bit slippery and hard to control as it skates across the surface of the tablet. Some people solve this by putting a thin piece of tracing paper vellum or a frosted (matte surface) piece of acetate over the tablet's surface to give the surface of the the tablet a bit of "grain" so the pen tip isn't quite so slippery. But another option that I prefer (especially for sketching rough animation drawings) is to use the Wacom "Felt Tip" nibs. These fiberous nibs feel more like drawing with a real pencil and are not as slippery as the standard plastic nib. For digital clean-up or "inking" I will sometimes use the Wacom "Stroke Nibs"which are like the standard plastic tip nibs, but they have a little spring in them which gives them a more flexible, springy feeling when laying down a line.
Here's another example of a "traditional" looking drawing done with a Cintiq tablet using the TVP Animation software:
(click image to view larger)
This is by Academy of Art Online instructor Mark Chong. Here's a screen capture time lapse movie of Mark drawing this in TVP:
Here's another video I found on YouTube showing the process of animating a traditional style animation scene (this time using Flash) in a paperless environment on the Cintiq tablet.
See ? I said in my previous post that we're experiencing an embarrassment of riches in the amount of quality animation material being published these days : yet another great, must have book coming soon .
Create stunning animated effects such as fiery blazes, rippling water, and magical transformations either hand-drawn or digitally. Animation veteran Joseph Gilland breaks down the world of special effects animation with clear step-by-step diagrams and explanations on how to create the amazing and compelling images you see on the big screen. The author covers the tradtional hand-drawn technique while showing you how to apply the philosophy, theory, and techniques to your digital animation projects as well.
Apply the theory behind effects animation to your traditional and digital animation projects. Written by animated effects guru, Joseph Gilland, who has worked on such feature films as Lilo & Stitch, Brother Bear, Pochahontas, Tarzan, and Mulan.
Publication Date: March 06, 2009
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By the way, this is a good time to mention again that The Academy of Art Online offers a fantastic course in traditional special effects animation, ANM 261 Introduction to Effects Animation, written and taught by Kathleen Quaife who is also one of the top traditional effects animators in the industry. (and I have it on good authority that Kathleen is also putting the finishing touches on her own book about Special Effects Animation ! The more the better ; in character animation we have both the Richard Williams book and Eric Goldberg's book , along with Frank & Ollie's "bible" The Illusion of Life, Tony White's books, and of course good old Preston Blair ... now after many years the effects animators are filling a much needed niche )
These weekly handouts from Walt Stanchfield are something that those of us who worked at Disney in the 80's and 90's treasure. Now they are being shared with the whole world . (actually they've been "shared" quite a bit by being copied, scanned , and passed around from hand to hand or from website to website , but this is the first time that ALL of Walt's notes have been formally compiled into two handy volumes . 800 pages of material ! )
The press release from Don Hahn says:
"I am so pleased to announce that for the first time ever, we have assembled all of Walt Stanchfield’s amazing handout notes and lectures into a two volume collection titled, DRAWN TO LIFE - 20 GOLDEN YEARS OF DISNEY MASTER CLASSES. Walt was an animator, trainer, mentor and coach for decades at Disney and helped breathe life into the new golden age of animation with his teachings. He influenced such talented artists as Tim Burton, Brad Bird, John Musker, Glen Keane, Andreas Deja and John Lasseter.
To me, DRAWN TO LIFE is one the strongest primers on animation ever written. The material spares no detail on the craft of animation, but also digs deep into the artistic roots of animation. It is a publication that has been anticipated for many years by every artist and student that Walt ever came in contact with. It has been a labor of love for me and I am so proud that Walt’s teachings will live on in these two volumes."
Pre-orders are being taken now. Official publishing date is March 27.
This stuff is gold. Read it . Then read it again. Apply. Repeat.
Actually I need to correct myself : I said it was a "relic" from animation's past, but that gives the impression that it's just a piece of history ... but as Hans Perk points out :
"I feel I need to point out that the things discussed here still hold true today, also in computer animation. A principle is a principle, whatever the medium. If we do not learn about the successes and failures of yesterday, how can we be sure we make the right decisions today? Don't mistake these documents for "funny old stuff." If you are employed in the animation business, know that they are part of the groundwork of what pays your salary today!"
This is the real stuff , friends. While you're there make sure you bookmark Hans' blog A-Film L.A. and check out the other Disney lectures and material he has posted on his blog.
Two relevant documents which relate to the Dick Huemer talk on Timing are the scene drafts for the short films "Mickey's Polo Game" and "Alpine Climbers" :
A scene draft was (is) a studio document prepared to show which animator was assigned to what scenes and the scene lengths in terms of scene length footage (35mm motion picture footage) . A draft is made for each short or feature film .
**NOTE: this film is unfortunately no longer available for download from the MyToons website asMyToons abruptly shut down recently.
The full pencil test of "It's the Cat" is still posted on Mark Kausler's site, so be sure to check that out . Hopefully Mark will find a new home on the web for "It's the Cat" soon.
Good news , cartoon lovers : Mark Kausler's great short cartoon "It's The Cat" is once again available for download online on MyToons. (it was available on Cartoon Brew's short-lived "Cartoon Brew Films" last year , but now Cartoon Brew Films is no more.)
This film was a labor of love for Mark and his producer Greg Ford. It's all hand-drawn, hand-inked and painted on cels (that's right cels , not digital ink & paint) .
They're making another one called "There Must Be Another Cat" which Mark tells me is finished in pencil test, but is still being inked and painted as funds become available .
Help support independent animators like Mark Kausler and buy "It's the Cat" on Mark's MyToons page for the mere pittance of $1.99. (as of 4/7/09 - NOT CURRENTLY AVAILABLE due to the abrupt shutdown ofMyToons. )
Here's a short preview of the title sequence:
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UPDATE: Mark Kausler has posted a very illuminating answer to a question about how he approached animating to the music on his film "It's The Cat" . Check it out:
I love watching pencil test animation . It's fun to compare the rough version to the finished film. View the pencil test and then buy the film on MyToons (only $1.99) .
Mark is also selling the original , one-of-a-kind hand inked & painted CELS from the film. These are not the fake "gallery cels" that many places sell to collectors , these are the actual production cels that passed under the camera and are on screen when viewing the film. If you buy a cel you also get the original pencil drawing and he's throwing in a DVD of the film with each purchase : It's the Cat - Original Hand-Inked Cels -- Click HERE --
Check out the links to Dean's site for more info. about how he's making this independent 15-minute short film and to see screen grabs and clips.
Here are a couple of things about the film posted on YouTube :
A few quotes from people who have seen the work in progress:
"There are typical animated films and then there are animated films that help define exactly what sets this medium apart from live-action film.
Dean Lennert's 'DEAR ANNA OLSON' is one such film, which upon completion, is sure to remind all about the elegance and power of hand-drawn animation when it is in the hands of a modern master such as Lennert." -David B. Levy , Animation Director and Author of "Your Career in Animation: How to Survive and Thrive"
"Dean Lennert's subtle animation and narrative skills are on full display in 'DEAR ANNA OLSON' . This sensitive and emotional story, skillfully told through detailed and expressive moving drawings, is a work-in-progress deserving of your support" -John Canemaker, Academy Award winning animator/director and author of many influential books on animation history.
