Fundamental Animation Skills for the Games, Animation & VFX Industries
This page is dedicated to the Fundamental animation Skills for the Games, Animation & VFX Industries Component of the AIM Award Technical in Animation, Games & VFX. Below will include projects including images, video & reflections.
Technical Skills
FAS - 1 Be able to use industry standard animation packages
FAS - 2 Be able to design and produce a 3D animation sequence
Bouncing Balls Animation
Here I have created an animation of three bouncing balls. I first used the oval tool to create the ball shape, then I filled each with a different colour. I have created a ball that bounces at a constant speed, a ball that bounces with gravity and a ball that bounces with gravity + squash & stretch. For the constant speed ball, I spaced each ball by an equal distance for every keyframe so that it moves at a constant speed. For the ball bouncing with gravity, I used spacing to create the illusion of gravity and acceleration. For instance, as the ball reaches its peak height it begins to slow down because I spaced the ball keyframes closer together. For the ball that bounces with gravity + squash & stretch I used the same technique as the previous ball however I also distorted the ball by using free transform to make it look like it is actually bouncing. My tutor gave this feedback: "The bounce when hitting the ground seems to slow down rather than bouncing back quickly, this is likely due to your spacing at that moment." and "There is also a display issue when hitting the ground, is it a gif conversion bug or within your keyframes? Can you see the ball bottom erased and bits of lines appearing? Need clean-up". I think that the gravity + squash & stretch ball works well because the squash & stretch technique gives it character and looks alive. I also think that the ball with gravity doesn't look like it really has gravity to it, and it looks very similar to the ball with constant speed. This links to Technical Skill 1 because I have used an industry standard animation package to create this.
Pendulum Animation
Here I have made a swinging pendulum animation that moves in an arc. I have used spacing techniques to make the animation look like it has some gravity to it. I first created a guide using the grid so that I could have an accurate pendulum arc. I then made a ball shape using the oval tool and started placing them on the guide, using spacing techniques to give it the illusion of a gravity effect. My tutor gave this feedback: "Slow down the ball at each ends of the arc to make it look like it floats for a fraction of a second. Review spacing all across the pendulum and check for consistency on both sides." and "Hide guide before exporting Gif." I believe the animation has a slight sense of gravity however if the balls were slowed down at the ends it would look smoother and more realistic. Also, as the ball reaches the middle, the spaces are too large and it looks like the ball just appears there, rearranging the spaces at that point would fix the issue and it would flow better. This links to Technical Skill 1 because I have used an industry standard animation package to create this.
Ball Bouncing Across The Screen Animation
Here I have created an animation of a ball bouncing across the screen. I have used the squash & stretch technique to make the ball look alive and like it has character. I first used the oval tool to create the arcs that the ball would bounce in so that the bounces look realistic. I then spaced a ball along the guides, using spacing techniques and squash & stretch for every bounce. I also used spacing techniques at the end to give the illusion of the ball rolling off the screen. My tutor gave me this feedback: "It works well as a cartoony ball/character but the slow down in distance feels unnatural (Original exercise is to create a ball bouncing across the stage in a realistic/natural way)". I think the ball flows well and has a lot of character, it works well as a cartoon ball. The ball was supposed to look realistic however, and it looks very unnatural. This links to Technical Skill 1 because I used an industry standard animation package to create this.
Seaweed Animation
I have created a seaweed animation that loops infinitely. I first used the line tool, and I changed the stroke size and width profile to create the thick seaweed layer. I then used the grid to draw the seaweed in the middle of the screen. I used a reference image and the selection tool to bend the seaweed into the right shape for every keyframe. I also used the pen tool to add points onto the seaweed layer that I manipulated using the Subselection tool to curve it into the right shape. My tutor gave this feedback: "The seaweed tip is fixed when it should be swinging from left to right, it seems you haven't used/followed the reference guides provided" and "Overall speed could be slowed down to show it is underwater". I think the animation flows smoothly however it doesn't move realistically due to the tip of the seaweed being fixed at the same point throughout the animation. Also, the speed of the movement could be slowed down to create a more realistic seaweed animation. This links to Technical Skill 1 because I have used an industry standard animation package to make this.
Bouncing Ball With Tail Animation
I have created a bouncing ball with a tail animation. I used squash & stretch and gravity to make the ball look alive and to give it some personality. I used the ball with gravity + squash & stretch from the first animation. I added a tail using the line tool and I changed the stroke size and width profile. I also used the selection tool; the pen tool and the Subselection tool to bend and curve the tail the right way. I think the tails movement flows smooth and it looks lighter than the ball as it falls down, creating a realistic look with the illusion of gravity. The last keyframe as it hits the ground doesn't look natural and it just suddenly appears. This links to Technical Skill 1 because I used an industry standard animation package to create this.
Formative 2D Animations Reflection /Evaluation
I created 5 2D animations using techniques such as spacing; animating in twos and squash & stretch. During production of the animations, I felt confident that I could follow the instructions and solve any problems I came across. After, I felt like I knew what I could improve on with my work and I understood what went right with it.
I believe the animations all had a good flow and there wasn't any major visual issues with them. Also, I was able to animate in twos for every animation I created. I was able to use the important animation techniques, such as gravity and squash & stretch, efficiently. In addition, I was able to identify major problems in my work and find a solution to them, for instance when I was creating the "ball bouncing across the screen" animation I had issues with the arcs not looking natural. I then went back and repositioned them to create realistic bounces. Furthermore, I was able to understand the importance of spacing and why it allowed the animation to look like it is moving at different speeds. I used spacing methodically in my animations to give the illusion of speed.
The animations I made lack a sense of realism such as the "Seaweed" animation and the "ball bouncing across the screen". Those animations both needed to be changed so that they looked realistic. The spacing also isn't great throughout my animations, resulting in unintentional and inappropriate speeds of some moving layers. The production of the animations, in most cases, took longer than intended resulting in rushed and low-quality animations. During production of the "Seaweed" animation and the "Bouncing ball with tail" animation I had problems with the selection tool resulting in the tail and seaweed looking unnatural and sharp at times.
Upon reflection I realised that I should have kept track of the time I spent during the creation of each animation so that I could finish them before the deadline, better time management would've resulted in the animations not being rushed to completion. The experience was beneficial as I learned that I should pay full attention to instructions and guides so that my work will look as intended. Additionally, I must make sure my spacing is done carefully so that things don't move at wrong speeds and they move realistically.
My self-confidence grew as I was able to complete tasks and overall, solve problems that occurred, independently.
I also learned the basic elements and techniques of 2D animation such as animating in twos and spacing, I would be able to incorporate those skills in any 2D animation I create as they are core principles of animation. I also now know that with time and practice these skills become easier to utilise. I also learned that animation takes patience as I was working through each of the keyframes individually.
The next time I start producing an animation I could try to create a schedule so that I can manage my time more efficiently and carefully. This will reduce the risk of running out of time and rushing work.
2D Animation Project
I was asked to plan and create a 2D animation with a Christmas theme using a sphere and cube shapes as characters. I had to incorporate some principles of animation and some emotional impact. I also had to consider a message or moral to add to the story of the animation. The animation had to be suitable for all audiences.
I first started by using the storyboard I had created to make the key shots using keyframes on Adobe Animate. I then used the box tool and circle tool to create the two characters. After, I turned on the grid and started to work on creating the landscape for each shot using the shape and line tools. Once I had finished that, I then added more keyframes and began to add the movement of the characters by using spacing techniques for each keyframe. For the fire I used a symbol so that it would be animated separately on top of the other layers. Finally, I went back and cleaned up each keyframe and fixed any issues that I could find.
Animation Ideas
A present can’t go down the hill and a snowball carries it down. A sense of friendship will be shown.
The head of a snowman is lost but the present helps it go back to its body. The goal of it is to make people happy as the story will be heart warming. A sense of kindness is shown as the present is the good Samaritan of the story.
The Christmas tree lost its decorations so the snowball helps it find them.
The Reindeer lost its nose and the presents returned it.
Story
On a late winter night, the head of a snowman is crying, scared and lost. The snowman needs to return back to its body however it can’t find its way. Suddenly an energetic and kind present shows up. The present leads the head back to its body and it lifts the head on to its place on top of the body. The snowman thanks the kind box and they are both very cheery as they warm up beside a fire.
Script
ACT 1
EXT. IN THE MIDDLE OF A SNOWY FOREST NIGHT
SHOT 1
The head of a snowman is crying alone, tears falling down face.
SHOT 2
The head can't find its way home, looks in different directions frantically.
SHOT 3
A happy present rolls face by face into the scene. SHOT 4
The present sees the head worrying. The present moves swiftly towards the head to comfort it.
SHOT 5
The present introduces itself cheerily to the head. The head is visibly confused by the gesture.
SHOT 6
The present begins to lead the head back to its body. The landscape is desolate and rough. It is a real struggle to move through the snow.
SHOT 7
The present and the head see a bright fire in the distance and excitedly head towards it.
SHOT 8
The present and the head find the body of the snowman stood beside the fire.
SHOT 9
The head is reunited with its body and is instantly relieved. The present watches on as the head reconnects to its body.
SHOT 10
The now complete snowman and the present sit together happily by a warm, cosy fire. The present and the snowman are now both happy.
Storyboard
2D Animation Project Evaluation
I was asked to plan and create a 2D animation with a Christmas theme using a sphere and cube shapes as characters. I had to incorporate some principles of animation and some emotional impact. I also had to consider a message or moral to add to the story of the animation. The animation had to be suitable for all audiences.
I first started by using the storyboard I had created to make the key shots using keyframes on Adobe Animate. I then used the box tool and circle tool to create the two characters. After, I turned on the grid and started to work on creating the landscape for each shot using the shape and line tools. Once I had finished that, I then added more keyframes and began to add the movement of the characters by using spacing techniques for each keyframe. For the fire I used a graphic symbol so that it would be animated separately on top of the other layers. Finally, I went back and cleaned up each keyframe and fixed any issues that I could find.
I had created small animations prior to this project that helped me practice how to use Adobe Animate and understand the key principles of 2D Animation such as keyframing, spacing and squash and stretch. This made me feel prepared as I could animate what I would need to for the project. The project had to be significantly longer than the other animations I had already done, so I felt slightly nervous about using spacing with a longer overall timeframe. During the experience I felt overwhelmed due to the large amount of keyframes I had used, and I struggled to manage each individually. After the experience I felt worried that I had spent too much time on the unimportant details in the animation and not enough on the key aspects of it.
I had successfully planned and created a 2D animation with a Christmas theme using a sphere and cube shape to tell a story. I have managed to use core principles of animation such as keyframing, spacing and squash and stretch to bring some life into the characters and animation. The story and characters in my animation bring an emotional impact and a moral. Also, I successfully used a graphic symbol for a fire animation. I used a graphic symbol so that it would loop during the time it is visible on the animation.
The animation moves too fast because I had issues with using spacing techniques on a longer animation. Also, there are some visual issues like where some layers look like they are moving or just unintentionally disappear. I think this happened because I struggled to manage the large number of keyframes used for the animation. Also, Towards the end of the animation some of the layers lose the colour I had put on them. This happened because I didn’t have enough time to clean up all of the layers on every keyframe. Some of the issues with the animation occurred because of bad time management skills.
After reflecting, I realised I should have managed my time better so that I had enough time to clean up any spacing or visual issues with the animation. Also, I should have organised the timeline in Adobe Animate better so that I wasn’t overwhelmed with the larger number of keyframes that I wasn’t used to. The project was positive though, I learned how to utilise all of the core principles of animation that I had been practicing in a longer animation. Speaking to some of my peers made me realise that even though there were some visual problems in my animation, I had used the principles of animation effectively to create an entertaining animation.
From this project I have learned to incorporate the core principles of animation into an animation together. I have gained more confidence in making longer animations and bringing a story into it. I have also learned how to bring an emotional impact into animation and bringing life to basic characters. All of these skills could be used If I was going to make another 2D animation in the future as these are all core principles of animation. I should now develop my time management skills and I should improve at keeping the timeline organised so that I don’t run out of time or get overwhelmed by the large number of keyframes. In the future I would prioritise spacing in my animation so that everything moves at an appropriate speed.
The next time I make an animation I will sort out the layers and keyframes so that the timeline is organised and there isn’t any confusion during production. I could also ask other people to watch the animation to make sure that there aren’t any spacing issues that cause the animation to move at an unintentional speed.
3D Animation Exercises
Bouncing Ball On The Spot
Bouncing Ball Across a Stage
3D Animation Project
I was asked to produce a promotional video using 3D Animation. The animation had to be in the style of the game “Super Meat Boy”. I had to create a level that two ball characters had to make their way through, avoiding the traps and obstacles in their path. The animation had to show collaboration between the two characters, and I had to include story or humour within it.
I managed to plan ideas for the animation, and I came up with a narrative for it. Also, I created a side view drawing of the level I was going to create in 3DS Max for my animation. I couldn’t finish the final animation however, as there was licensing issues with the software I was using.
Design & Planning
I will produce a 3D promotional animation video around the idea of the game “Super Meat Boy”. The animation will consist of two characters moving across a level, avoiding traps and using standard movement conventions to reach the end of the level. The traps and obstacles will make the characters look like they are in danger, resulting in an exciting and entertaining animation. The purpose of the animation is to tell a story with a humorous tone to entertain the audience. I want the audience to be entertained by bringing life to the characters and they will interact with each other in a way that shows personality and emotion.
Story
A ball is alone on a grass plane and it is trying to return home. The ball begins to jump over bottomless gaps and then rolls down a hill on the other side. A second ball then shows up and greets the first ball. The balls then work together to jump up a large wall in their way. After climbing the wall, traps, spikes and more bottomless gaps are in their path. They help each other through the traps and reach safety on the other side. One of the balls then clumsily rolls down the stairs as the other ball carefully climbs down them. They then reach the house and they both enter, relieved after the journey.
Side View Of 3D Level
