chapter 4 - cel animation

7/31/2019 Chapter 4 - Cel Animation

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Management Science University (MSU) TMM0304 Computer Animation I: 2D Animation

C E L A N I M A T I O N

Chapter 41


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Chapter 4: Cel Animation


Learning Objectives

In this chapter students will be able to:

Use the tool, equipment and software to produce a 2Danimation story by following the production process.

Draw and animate 2D character for a story given byfollowing few animation principles techniques.

Follow the steps in the digital production process andproduce a 2D animation.

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Learning Outcomes

By the of this course, students will be able to:

Identify the tool used for drawing an animation by giventhe diagram without any mistakes.

Identify the purpose of using each of the software bygiven the images.

Demonstrate the right ways for doing a line test ofcharacter given using the pencil test technique.

Draw a movement of a character by using two or moreprinciples animation in the given timeframe.

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Topics

Basic equipment

Production cycle

Dope sheet

Backgrounds

Tracking shots

Drawing characters

Sound

Lip synch

Adapting to digital

Pencil Test

Digital Techniques

Vector images

Vector animation

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Tools and equipment shown are the common tools used for drawinganimation on paper where we will move the drawing to be coloured oncell. Other tools include marker pen, ruler and crayon.

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1. Fiber-tipped pensuitable to be used on cell. It cantbe erased and spirit based.

2. Watercolour to be used for background drawing onthe paper.

3. Drawing brush4. Colour pencil5. Peg bar The relationship between registration peg and

peg bar with punched peg hole on a suitable drawingblock.6. Pencil For drawing animation, it is better for us to buya hard pencil leads, which are changeable.7. Eraser8. Mechanical Pencil.

Tools and Equipment


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First stage of animation is usually done on papers.

The paper must neither too thick nor too thin.

We can buy suitable paper from animation product supplier, from 50sheets per pack up to a box, which contains 1000 sheets.

A4 paper can be replaced, but only for 9 inches camera coverage andcan be adjusted in the middle of camera coverage.

Two kinds of papers for drawing are 12 inches and 15 inches field.This paper is strong, thin and traceable when it is placed on thelightbox.

Tools and Equipment


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Lightbox

which can be adjusted, is more comfortable for the animator todraw.

Tools and Equipment

On some light boxes, the central area is a disk which canbe turned to position the drawing so it is reached easily.This is particularly useful for tracing and coloring.


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Registration

Since we are drawing for camera, thedrawing must be in the same shape and ratiowith the frame, although the size is not thesame.

The ratio known as Academy Ratio is1:1.376 which gives normal average,12inches * 8.72 inches, in size.For television, there are multi formats.

Registration is to ensure that drawing ofmovement match one another.

Tools and Equipment

This is normal field key or gratitude.

Angles, which are cut off at theacademy field depend on the age


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Registration

Tools and Equipment

Registration for 12 inches field

Registration for 15 inches field


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Management Science University (MSU)


TMM0304 Computer Animation I: 2D Animation

A dope sheet is a traditional animation tool that allowsan animator to organize his thinking and giveinstructions to the cameraman on how the animation isto be shot.

Action The column on the far left is used by the animator to jot down

notes on the path of the action and their thoughts about how theaction should be visualized . They can also make a thumbnailsketches.

Dialogue The next column is used to write down any dialog that may be

happening in the scene . The sound is split up into its phoneticcomponents and marked down in the frame that it appears inthe film.

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Dope Sheet


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Cel Layer The central section is split up into six smaller columns, each one

representing one level of animation. Animation should neverexceed five levels of acetate, any more and it will be too thick tosee through .

The numbers of the drawings are marked down in the order

they are to be shot in while the sixth column is for thebackground .

The animator or artist writes the code number of the individualcel in these columns, so the camera operators knows what toshoot and how many frames to shoot for.

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Dope Sheet


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Camera instructions The final column is for camera instructions, giving information

for panning, trucking and field size (2M).

Others Finally, at the top of the dope sheet, the animator writes in the

sequence number, page number, scene number and scene namepertinent to the film (2M).

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Dope Sheet


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The background is the element which is most like aconventional picture.

With early work such as that of Winsor McCay orMessmers Felix the Cat, this problem was minor, asboth figure and background were simplified black andwhite drawing, but with Disney and the introduction ofcolour, a potential conflict became evident betweenthe flat colouring on cel of the figure and the rich

textures of he moody backgrounds.

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Background


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Creating a background

From a storyboard, the scenes are prepared.

The background and animation are then separated.

That preparation is to make sure that when the cels andthe background come together for the camera there willbe no problem.

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Background


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Styling

The degree of background detail prescribed in the layoutcan vary a lot.

Apart from the essentials the background artist may beallowed a relatively free hand, though the design mustconform to an overall concept which has been laid downfrom the beginning of production.

Early on, director and designer if they are not the sameperson will have agreed a set of concept designs for allthe principal scenes and locations, together with rulesabout treatment of details and the use of textures orshading.

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Background


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Styling

Also, were there is any degree of realism, the backgrounds mustfollow from one to another with a degree of continuity.

To produce an ordinary conventional painted background in either

gouache or watercolour the procedure is this. The artist takes the pegged layout and if necessary completes the

details of the drawing, taking care to observe the math lines.

This drawing is then transferred to a piece of punched backgroundpaper of the right size, and the layout is transferred precisely to it,

either with carbon paper or by tracing from the layout over a lightbox.

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Background


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Styling

With watercolour it may be necessary to stretch thepaper on a drawing board to prevent it from buckling.

Of paper is stretched the peg registration and the matchlines must be rechecked after the background is finishedto make sure that they still coincide.

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Background


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Perspective illusion

There is a refinement of panning background workwhere an illusion of perspective depth is created bymaking the background element in two or even threelevels which move at different speeds.

Those elements appearing nearest the camera will moveat the greatest speed.

Those in the middle distance will move slower, probablyat a speed which relates to any figure animation.

While the far distance will move very slowly or not at all.

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Background


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Perspective illusion

Such arrangements mean all three bars on the rostrumtable must be used, and the pegs have to be removedform one of them.

If you do contemplate a scene with action of this kind, itis a good idea to plan for cutaways during the action sothat the panning scenes are reasonably short.

Otherwise, the length of the cels and other art work canget out of hand.

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Background


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Multiplane Setup

Perspective illusion of this kind is normally limited totwo levels in drawn animation.

Illustration of depth can be created by using amultiplane setup on the rostrum.

The illusion is reinforced here because some of theplanes are necessarily out of focus, whereas with thedrawings all on the same plane, there is only a single

focal plane.

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Background


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Reference material

All background artists are given, or make for themselvesgrounds plans or even three dimensional models of theareas for which they are drawing backgrounds.

In this way, particularly with long narrative films, theycan make sure there are no discrepancies in the size orplacing of objects in a room or features in a landscape.

Like theatre designers, the background artist is requiredto provide settings with buildings or plants or otherfeatures which should have a convincing accuracy ofappearance.

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Background


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Reference material

A library of reference books on natural history,architecture and social history is useful.

A scrap collection drawn from photographs, illustrationsfrom magazines and postcards can be an added asset.

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Background


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Different Treatment

These examples, show how the same scene can bedifferently rendered, perhaps to suit different ways ofcolouring the cel, but all provide the information for the

action.

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Background


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The concept of the character you design relates veryclosely to what it is going to do and to the techniqueused for drawing it.

Your character is going to have to do various things;

look and react; walk; use its hands; speak.

These then are the essential elements.

A perfectly satisfactory character could be animatedusing these aspects alone, but since characters relate toa story, and it is more comprehensible to an audiencethese features are normally embodied in a completefigure.

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Characterization24


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The proportions of the figure may vary but it isimportant to remember that actions and expression areeasier to covey with some exaggerations.

The standard head to body proportion for cartooncharacters is often given as 21/2:1 with anaccompanying enlargement of hand and foot size.

This is obviously only a guide individual preferencewill determine what each artist does.

These proportions do, however suit the shape of theframe. If a long thin character is shown at full height,the feature and details will have to be drawn smaller.

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Characterization25


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GENDER IN CARTOON CHARACTERS

Generally, animation is monopolized by male charactersand female characters hold a small portion of it.

Female characters have the tendency to represent thesame group characteristic (sexy, fierce, granny)compared to individual characters.

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Characterization26


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CHARACTERS

We can also draw facial expressions of any character onmodel sheet.

Angry Bored Confused Disappointed EcstaticEmbarrassed

Happy Feared Jealous Falling In love SadSurprised

Various facial expressions

Characterization


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STEPS

1. Plan the film with idea.

2. Sketch character on paper.

3. Develop the character.

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Characterization


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4. Draw the storyboard.

5. Director of animator draw in a fine line.

6. Demonstrate certain actions.

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Characterization

C C


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7. Form the hand and it features

8. Movements of eyes and eyelids.

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Characterization

Ch t 4 C l A i ti


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9. The relationship between line and other character orwhen the camera told the audience perspective, whichwe see on the character and its mood or certainexpression.

10. Straight line of the subject head to the subject deliversa hidden interest or more information than drawnemotion.

11. Analyse angle between our character and subject or

focus point and make sure we have illustrated thisrelationship in our pose.

12. Try to understand the focus point, eye direction andemotion to be delivered.

Characterization

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Characterization

Ch t 4 C l A i ti


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13. Mouth shape.

14. Colour model is prepared separately.

Characterization



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Movement means alive hence we have the wordanimation. But it does not mean taking a piece ofpicture and move it.

Action, which we require must be started with drawing

plan to create the action. Examples of drawing plan;

Animate walking movement.

A drawing for each two frames.

12 frames per second. For on screen movement 5 inches in 2 second or 1/10

inches per frame.

To delay the movement, increase or decrease the movementdistance for each frame.

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Movement



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Examples of movement:

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Drawing by animator, Iwerkshows how elastic Mickey

Mouse can be in SteamboatWillie (1928).

Illustration shows a man whois dancing. See how animatordeveloped movement in every

drawing to soften themovement

Movement



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DEVELOPING CHARACTEROVEMENT

Actually, we can only build cartoon character with thecharacteristics, which are the opposite of costumecharacteristics.

Character has its own capacity to move as minimum ormaximum.

Other attitude and forces of (evil, good, clever, stupid)can be a prove of what the character can do.

We know that what the character does has something todo with its capability.

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Movement



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CONTROLLING MOVEMENT

Movements require control to both changes on the formand the position of the drawing, which consist the action,and time for the action to be executed.

We can see clearly the changes on the form and position ofthe character of both examples.

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Movement



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TMM0304

Computer Animation I: 2D Animation

MOVING THE OBJECT

To move an object, there are several rates of movementsand changes on the frame, which are the way for us tocreate actions that show emotions. For example, to movecars:

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Take a simple example of moving acar 5 inches through the screenfrom A to B.

If the car took 2 seconds to

move constantly along thedistance, it will move at 1/10 incha frame for 50 frames.

If the car move fast or slow on thesame duration and distance, themovement per frame will eitherincrease or decrease.

Movement



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TMM0304


INCREASING OR DECREASING THE SPEED

Increasing or decreasing the speed is to give momentumon the action.

Strong movement is given the momentum with roombetween the drawings. We can see the difference whencomparing the two actions of kicking a ball.

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Since the footstep is faster when kicking a ball,so there is no drawing for kicking position. Thefoot moved the ball straight and it go direct tothe X position

On the other hand, when the foot is swayingsynchronize and only moved the ball. Y shows thenext frame after swaying.

Movement



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TMM0304


WALKING

The basic action with variation.

In reality, we can only imagine that man can walk inanimation.

Body upbringing, hand and head must be taken intoconsideration with foot and footstep.

Generally, there is low and high position in a series of motion.

A longer focus on a motion group where the movement of highand low can be seen clearly.

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The basic walking stepwith four in-betweendrawing. It gives 10steps of frame, or alittle faster from twosteps in a second.

Movement



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TMM0304


WALKING

We can draw a walking action by using perspective way.

First, draw a perspective line; later draw a character onthe line according to the line size.

Walking action used this technique to draw an action,which comes from distance and heading towards camera.

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From this example, we can see the highest dot appeared whenthe feet touched the basic ground that pushed upward whilethe feet is moving forward. Example of perspective drawing for a walking

character.

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TMM0304


LINE ACTION Start your drawing animation with action line to get a

perfect movement. We must identify where the characteris moving. If it doesnt move, where will it be? Thecharacter that you drawn will look real and a better pose.Line action is in the shape of narrow and match with themovement to be drawn.

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Examples of line action.

Movement



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Management Science University (MSU) TMM0304


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What is sound? Sound is when the ear translates thevibration in the air.

Three elements of soundtrack; Sound effect MusicVoice

All the three elements have apower to influence imagination, it alsocomplete half of the film work.

If we compose music for certain animation,it is important for us to provide it at thestoryboard stage.

Sound



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Almost the first principle of sound effectsparticularly for animation is that there is noconnection between the object in the picture ad theorigin of the sound.

Horses do not make the well known clip clop noise;half a coconut shell does. Standard libraries of sound effects used as they

come are more or less useless for animationbecause the action of animation is too compact.A real car takes a age to go into the distance

compared with the animation of the same action.

Sound Effects



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A noise from a library disk or tape may be goodstarting point for the sound you want, but it willneed speeding up or slowing down, distorting orplaying backward before it sounds right and is theright length.

Time spent in a recording studio making your ownnoses can be expenses, but the cost has to be

weighed against the tedium of reviewing hours oflibrary sound effects of which most will be totallyunsuitable and a few only second best

Sound Effects



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A solution is to make our own effects in a room ofyour own, provided it can be reasonably free ofambient noise.

Using a DAT recorder, you can put together acollection of the sounds you want and if they needfurther treatment, you can have that done whenyou transfer them to the magnetic film or

videotape you will prepare and edit your sown on.

Sound Effects



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Two ways of getting sound effect;

Buy from a company that gives a professional soundeffect.

Or you can record the sound on your own. Recording sound effect on your own is better since it saves

time and cost. Besides, you can decide the sound quality tobe produced whether it is suitable or needs to be changedaccording to the situation of your animation story.

Sound Effects



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EXAMPLE:

The movement of ocean wave by moving the cloth.

Swanee whisel to drop.

Crumple paper for fire.

Wild animal with the sound of disturbed pet.

Echo from the base of dustbin.

Coconut shelf or covered box for the sound of vacuum cleaner.

Knock the pencil for the sound of high heel shoes.

Shredding cloth for the sound of zip.

Glass for the bell ringing.

Running water for a flow or splash of water.

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Example of Easy Sound Effect

Sound Effects



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Lip Synch50

Principles of Lip Synch: Principle 1: Letters are not sounds. Sounds are not letters.

There are NO letters in lipsync animation. They serve similar roles, but in wildly divergent forms. LETTERS are representative symbols on a page (with a

corresponding, arbitrarily assigned sound) that, when

strung together to form words, communicate a thought. But letters aren't made for speech. They're for writing. And

we're not animating writing, but speech. SOUNDS are utterances (with a corresponding arbitrarily

assigned letter value used to transcribe the sound) that,when interpreted as understood words, communicate a

thought. Sounds are for speech, but serve no use in writing.When you animate speech, don't animate letters. There are

no letters in speech, only sounds, and the shape our facestake to make those sounds.



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Lip Synch51

Principles of Lip Synch: Principle 2: Mouth Shapes for Sounds Must Be

Animated In Context

The preceding sound shape affects the current soundshape.

Likewise, the following sound shape is anticipated in thecurrent sound shape.

So the shapes shown must all be in context with theshape/sound the precede it and follows it.

When you get stuck on the idea of making all the "t"

sounds in a soundtrack the same shape, regardless of theprior or following sound/shape context in the dialogue,then you're setting yourself up for a very poppy mouthwhen animated.



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Lip Synch52

Principles of Lip Synch: Principle 3: Interpret the Lipsync Animation Like an

Impressionist

If in your animation you can just get the major impressionsacross you can let the little stuff slide if you want.

Just like the impressionist would hint at a cluster of leaveswith a single daub of his brush, you too should let words andsound shapes slur into the next word or sound shape.

Mix the target facial weights together to show a flow.

Get away from showing leaves and start showing contrastand form.

Talking is more of a flowing thought than an alliterativefunction of letters.



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Lip Synch53

Principles of Lip Synch: Principle 4: Get the Opens and Closes Done Right and

Build On Those

Even if all you ever do is properly hit the opens and

closes and wide shapes of the mouth at the right time youare already more than 75% of the way to great lip sync.

You can get a lot out of very little lip sync animation.



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Tools and equipment are needed for drawing animation onpaper and to coloured on cell.

There is a production cycle that should be follow whichapart is different from the digital production.

A dope sheet is jargon for the camera instruction orexposure sheet (also known as a cue sheet or x-sheet) whereit is important in the cycle that indicate the action ormovement of the character, the lip synch and the camera

move (such as tracking and etc). When doing digital production, its involve many software

especially for colouring and animate the character.

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chapter 4 - cel animation

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