Animation = to give life, as I wrote about in my last article. Saying this is one thing, doing it is a whole other matter. This article will cover the basics about how animation is done.
When we first get in to animation, and have learned how to make things move, I think we all always try to take a too big leap forward. Instead of mastering the basics of our craft we start looking at small technicalities, like worrying about if the inner or outer part of an eyelid that moves first in a blink. Although we theoretically may know that we need to learn the basics, we yet often need to take these leaps to learn this on a deeper level and understand that we need to take a step back. But at times, instead of admitting that we need to learn the basics, we continue to work on things out of our reach.
The irony here is that it is our fear of looking incompetent that keeps us incompetent.
To develop as animators, and as people, we need to develop humility to see that we always have a lot more to learn, and courage so that our fear of failing doesn't stop us from trying. This mix of humility and courage gives us the combination of knowledge and experience that creates wisdom.
In theory animation is easy. As animators we only have three tools to master: The pose (the individual pictures of the characters actions), the timing (the rhythm of the characters actions) and the spacing (how the character performs the action) and they should all three be used, not to create movement, but to reveal character. Easy, right? Well… Maybe not…
The tools although they may seem simple, in reality can be hard to use. As animators, we are storytellers but our words are never literal. The easiest part to read, the pose, can still have several interpretations, if we aren't carefull. The timing, or rhythm of the animation, is something the audience seldom thinks about but instead only feels. The spacing is something the audience only notices when it isn't working, yet it is one of the best tool for communicating the characters thoughts and emotions.
As animators we use these fairly abstract tools in each scene, to communicate to the audience who the character is, what she wants and what she's feeling. The tools are never used independently, just as us humans they are dependent on each other.
Sometimes the tools are used to communicate the same message, but just as often, if not more, they are used communicate different messages, both what the character wants to show and what he is really feeling and thinking.
Mastering these tools isn't easy, and I must admit that I'm far from doing it myself, but using them wisely we can communicate on a stronger level with our audience. Not with their intellect, but with their emotions. The proof of when we've achieved this kind of "emotional communication" is when our audience says they love the character but can't seem to find an explanation of why.
Thank you for reading!
Peter Hertzberg
When we first get in to animation, and have learned how to make things move, I think we all always try to take a too big leap forward. Instead of mastering the basics of our craft we start looking at small technicalities, like worrying about if the inner or outer part of an eyelid that moves first in a blink. Although we theoretically may know that we need to learn the basics, we yet often need to take these leaps to learn this on a deeper level and understand that we need to take a step back. But at times, instead of admitting that we need to learn the basics, we continue to work on things out of our reach.
The irony here is that it is our fear of looking incompetent that keeps us incompetent.
To develop as animators, and as people, we need to develop humility to see that we always have a lot more to learn, and courage so that our fear of failing doesn't stop us from trying. This mix of humility and courage gives us the combination of knowledge and experience that creates wisdom.
In theory animation is easy. As animators we only have three tools to master: The pose (the individual pictures of the characters actions), the timing (the rhythm of the characters actions) and the spacing (how the character performs the action) and they should all three be used, not to create movement, but to reveal character. Easy, right? Well… Maybe not…
The tools although they may seem simple, in reality can be hard to use. As animators, we are storytellers but our words are never literal. The easiest part to read, the pose, can still have several interpretations, if we aren't carefull. The timing, or rhythm of the animation, is something the audience seldom thinks about but instead only feels. The spacing is something the audience only notices when it isn't working, yet it is one of the best tool for communicating the characters thoughts and emotions.
As animators we use these fairly abstract tools in each scene, to communicate to the audience who the character is, what she wants and what she's feeling. The tools are never used independently, just as us humans they are dependent on each other.
Sometimes the tools are used to communicate the same message, but just as often, if not more, they are used communicate different messages, both what the character wants to show and what he is really feeling and thinking.
Mastering these tools isn't easy, and I must admit that I'm far from doing it myself, but using them wisely we can communicate on a stronger level with our audience. Not with their intellect, but with their emotions. The proof of when we've achieved this kind of "emotional communication" is when our audience says they love the character but can't seem to find an explanation of why.
Thank you for reading!
Peter Hertzberg
Comments
Post a Comment