art of the dying candlestick

8/2/2019 Art Of The Dying Candlestick

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/art-of-the-dying-candlestick 1/57



For my Unit 5: Animation assignment I was set the

challenge of creating an original one minute, hand-drawn animation. Out of the ‘box’ I drew my twocomponents:

Demeanour – “The Dying”

Object – “Candlestick”



Research



I started by finding as many influential images

using websites such as Google Image andDeviantArt.

The following three slides show my Influence Maps

where the best of the reference pictures are placed.



The first holds images of existing candlesticks in

both modern andcontemporary design to aid

with the creation of mycharacter.



The second map containsdeath/dying related images.Mostly I found statues and

black and white photography.

Statues and this photographystyle represent dying so well.They depict life but are frozenat that point without colour.



This final map came later in the process after I had

decided on a story. Iwanted to show as muchlife as possible before the

predetermined fate of myCandlestick was met so I

chose to incorporate dance.



To further my resources I conducted my own

research in to candles and how the flamelooks from different angles and also how thelight disperses against surfaces.

To follow are the photographs I took for

reference and a video compilation of the filmsI took of the flame movement.



Candle Research Click

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNK42YDo5F4&context=C4128203ADvjVQa

1PpcFMyKfTes0WwW-9v3Dac3diy9EjLl0_BOjA=

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNK42YDo5F4&context=C4128203ADvjVQa1PpcFMyKfTes0WwW-9v3Dac3diy9EjLl0_BOjA=



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jp9eeeNuVOI&context=C48a8594ADvjVQa1PpcFMyKfTes0WwW91MNSzTzGO0u891pg-LJ0Y=










Design




I decided that my characters, a male and a female

candlestick, would have a traditional design to them. With the limitation of 1 minute it was

important the audience could decipher what the objectwas at first glance. They would also have to be the

same design, so they were a matching pair, butsubtly different so their gender was clear for theaudience also.











Justdrawing

candlesticks to see who

had themost

character










First designs for the Male

Candlestick, Wax





Testing the shapes using silhouette




First designs for the FemaleCandlestick, Glow...





I had designed the candlesticks with legs because I felt I’d have had more freedom to express the emotionsof my story with the addition of leg gesture andmovement. Right before I began the first frame of my animation I had a discussion with Tutor Meg

that brought me to the realisation that they didn’tadd to, only hindered my story. The main

expression of emotion would come from the arms andbody. The complications of a three-legged walk cycle

could compromise the aesthetics of my animation if I got it wrong.The following slides show the redesign and the final

character turnaround sheets.
















Movement




This section contains my exploration in to how to bring life to the candlesticks through

expression of movement.






This digital painting wasdrawn straight over one of myinfluence images for dance. I

wanted to use the dancersbodies to help define how my

candlesticks were shaped. Thegenders are clearlydistinguishable so finally Iwas able to transpose theseshapes into my designs.













I sketched out my candlestick performing someof his dance movements and tried to create the

illusion of fast movement using expressionlines.







Walking Cycles




Moving on to some animation. This sectionshows the first steps in giving moving life to

my character. I began using a person. After that the transition into a candlestick comes easy.







Normal Walk-Cycle Click

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FW7f7d31bKg&context=C408962aADvjVQ

a1PpcFMyKfTes0WwW4FCMtzj6Fs0Z5aCWnp_vmA=

Just an

ordinary person taking a

strollacross the

page.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FW7f7d31bKg&context=C408962aADvjVQa1PpcFMyKfTes0WwW4FCMtzj6Fs0Z5aCWnp_vmA=











Dying Walk-Cycle

Moving on to

animatingmy

demeanour, I first sketched

out the key frames of thedying action

beforeanimating it.



In order to make a candlestick walk I first had to define what his leg/foot could do.

The first three slides show the original

candlestick design, with the three legs. It thengoes on to show the same working out for the re-design.









Having only one foot means my candlestickshave restricted movement when it comes towalking. Instead they hop/jump to travel.






On the left is the completewalk-cycle of the

candlesticks.

Below shows the key frames in this movement








And again, the cycle, but stretched out for clearer viewing.

C W






Candlestick Walkcycle Click

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=viZ9mGcbi8Q&context=C451d28bADvjVQa

1PpcFMyKfTes0WwWwpqUe7Th2jaYlYuyZ2KSsU=

Then, finally, inanimation.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=viZ9mGcbi8Q&context=C451d28bADvjVQa1PpcFMyKfTes0WwWwpqUe7Th2jaYlYuyZ2KSsU=











Story



Now we’ve reached the heart of the animation, the story. My first idea was of a candlestick

reciting a Shakespearian death scene but I finally landed on this one. It created the

wonderful fantasy that the lighting a candle

brings the candle to life; as the candle dies out,as does the candlestick.



Again as a tutorial challenge we had to create six establishingshots that could set the scene for our animations.



Story Board 1



Story Board 2



Story Board 3



Story Board 4

A



Animatic Click

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jp9eeeNuVOI&context=C48a8594ADvjVQa

1PpcFMyKfTes0WwW91MNSzTzGO0u891pg-LJ0Y=














Script


art of the dying candlestick

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