Pixels
and Lead - Part 1
Doron
Meir, a classic animator retrained for CG, examines
the relations and differences between the two types
of animation, and offers some insights, tips, methods
and conclusions.
The first part of this article discusses the methods
of working in classic 2D animation. The second part
compares that to CG.
By
Doron A. Meir
06.03.03 |
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Forward
The last few years have seen a rapid growth in 3D
animation. Stronger computers, more sophisticated
software, greater accessibility and the possibility
of hyper-realism helped the computer animation technique
to take classic animation's place as the most popular
and profitable medium of animation.
Character animation is an art of motion and acting,
the principles of which are independent of technique.
In addition, knowledge plays very little role in animation
- what makes a good animator is talent, and mainly
experience. The conversion of seasoned classic character
animators to CG (Computer Generated) animation was,
therefore, only natural.
Since the principles of motion and acting don't change,
I expected the work methods to be similar. I was wrong:
the different technique requires a different way of
work. I adapted. Slowly, I got used to a new way of
working, a new way of thinking. I began to practice
3D animation.
Meanwhile, I continued to draw and teach classic animation,
and became interested in the way these two mediums
relate to each other. What is the difference? Why
does the computer force me to think and work differently?
And most of all: how can I combine the advantages
of classic animation with those of CG animation?
This article presents my conclusions.
A few notes
Since some of the animation terminology is rather
vague, and to prevent possible misunderstanding, here
are my definitions to a few problematic terms:
Animation, animator - there are quite a few
forms of graphic arts that can be called animation.
This article only refers to "manual" character
animation (not including rotoscoping and motion capture).
Classic animation - hand drawn animation.
CG animation or 3D animation - animation that
was created using 3D software.
Cartoon - a style of animation in which the
animator may "bend" the laws of physics.
The article is written from the point of view of a
classic animator who turned to CG animation. Classic
animation is my native language, so to speak, and
it is therefore only natural that the problems analyzed
here are those of CG animation and not classical animation.
I suppose a CG animator trying to understand classic
animation would have analyzed it the other way around.
In any case, there is no intention to claim that one
medium of animation is superior to the other.
Last note: the article, being a technical one, is
relatively hard to read and includes quite a few terms
that might be unfamiliar to inexperienced animators.
If there is anything you do not understand, feel free
to Email me at doron@doronmeir.com.
The classic animation
work method
For those who are not classic animators
(99.99999% of the world's population), I have to describe
first the general work method in classic animation.
The animator receives:
•
Storyboard
•
Sound
analysis (the sound at each frame), mainly in
case the scene contains music or dialog.
•
Layout:
the layout is essentially the storyboard enlarged
and much more specific, usually including the background
and the characters in the important poses of the scene.
•
Model Sheet:
the characters as they look from several angles. For
main characters, the model sheet usually also includes
various poses and expressions.
Equipped with all this information, the animator can
start working.
Phase
1: Thumbnails (optional). A small "research"
done by small, very spontaneous drawings, searching
for a few poses that "tell the story" and
suggestions for interesting poses that can be used
in the scene. Often the timing is also generally planned
at this early stage.
Thumbnails for the sample scene.
The dialog: "You can act like a man!!!"
Phase
2: Extremes - a small number of poses that tell
the story. The poses must be clear, but not clean.
Extremes. The third drawing was the first to be made,
and the whole scene is "drawn" from it.
Added anticipations and recoil (last drawing). Here
is the test.
Phase 3: Breakdowns -less important, intermediate
poses that add character to the motion, define arcs
and enhance the timing.
Added breakdowns and moving holds.
Some of the drawings are half drawn - the inbetweener
will put in the rest. The final test is here.
Phase 4: Optional. Going through the whole animation
in a straight ahead fashion, with the initial poses
serving as waypoints, but usually not actually used
in the final animation.
Phase 5: Pencil Test - the drawings are scanned
or shot by camera and edited in the right timing.
The animator checks that the animation actually works
the way he meant it to. The classic animation test
is "fragmented", since there are no inbetweens
yet, and may have partially drawn frames - sometimes
just a mouth or a hand.
Phase 6: Improving the animation - adding special
keys (such as the 8th drawing in the sample), improving
problematic drawings, fiddling with the timing, making
a new test and so on, until the director approves
the result.
Phase
7: Adding overlapping action on hair, clothing
and so on, in a straight ahead fashion.
Phase 8: IB (inbetween) charts
- these are instructions for the assistants, the ones
who draw the inbetweens. Essentially theses instructions
have to do with slow in/out and exceptional parts
(for example: straight inbetweens between frame 1
and 10, except the foot is to be drawn has at its
final position already on frame 3).
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Here we have four drawings between
21 and 31, with slight deceleration at the end.
On frame 21 the eyes are closed and on 31 they
are open, but the animator does not want such
a slow opening of the eyes, which is why he
notes the inbetweener to open the eyes already
at frame 23.
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15 and 21 are keys; 19 will be
drawn inbetween them, and 17 will be drawn between
15 and 19 - we have acceleration (usually in
classic animation the work is "on 2's" - every
drawing is on screen for 2 frames, to save work).
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On special (and quite rare) occasions, the animator
can choose to animate purely straight ahead - just
start with the first drawing, finish with the last,
make a test and check what happened.
Next week:
Part2 - The
difference between this process and the method of
animation in CG: Tips, tricks, conclusions and some
examples.
The author is a 2D/3D animator, animation teacher
and a generally odd man.
For questions, comments, compliments or hate-mail,
contact: doron_mei@bezeqint.net
