Lesley 2D Character Animation 2017

IHSCH 1649-05
Introduction to 2-D Digital Character Animation Classroom 018
9:30 AM - 1:00 PM
Description
This class will focus on the art of the animated .GIF (jif, gif, who knows, I don't care), a file type that can be made in Adobe Photoshop, but also a free online website called "GIPHY". The class will give a quick introduction to sound design and talk about the basics of lip syncing.
Animation is increasingly becoming more and more accessible to the general public. While in the past the "illusion of life" would mean obtaining various devices, but today an animation can be made with a smartphone and access to the internet!
Animation with sound is a little more complex, but the plan is to introduce you to the basics of animations so that you may feel comfortable creating your own animations by yourself.
Outcomes and Goals
Students will be introduced to advanced animation principles and as a result be given a broader understanding of sequential and time-based arts. By shifting our critique to the motion of an illustrated character as opposed to the rendering of an illustrated character, students will understand how animation makes an illusion of life.
Expectations
Students are expected to be on time and maintain full attendance. Unexcused abscenes will result in a dropping of ones grade for the class. Students are expected to respect one another and contribute in class through discussion, participation and engagement.
Grading Policy
Grades will be given based upon students attendance, effort, classroom behavior and applied knowledge of the information provided in the class. Students should finish or have significantly worked on all assignments that are given in class in order to receive a passing grade.
Tuesday, July 11th:
Character Design 101 Studio “the in-house Style”
Through large portions of animation history, animation studios had “in house Styles”. This meant that Jughead looked like Jughead looked like Jughead. Every artist’s Jughead needed to have the same proportions, the same expressions, the same outfits. However, the individuality of the artist always seeps out and if one were to flip through the pages of Archie comics through the decades, you would notice extremely subtle variations in Jughead.
By being forced to draw in an In-House style, you learn immediately what your natural aesthetic looks like in comparison to everyone else. Is your drawn line geometric? Light? Heavy-handed? Energetic? This exercise will address the issue of what makes an animated character; the illustration or the line? Is there a difference?

Thursday, July 13th:
“The Birth of Animation, Futurism & a world accelerating at an Alarming Rate” - Introduction to Computer Animation:
The focus of this class is to get students comfortable with the Photoshop timeline animation feature. Layers, key commands, wacom usage and technical terms will be explained.
Expressive Anatomy: Students will practice making animated GIFs by drawing simple emoticons.
Tuesday, 18th:
Rotation of a Historical Figure
Students will be assigned historical figures at random and will be then instructed to make a “character rotation” in photoshop.
Thursday, 20th:
Character rotation studio day critique
Tuesday, 25th:
The 12 basic principles of animation, Walt Disney Studio’s “Illusion of Life” Final Project: animating on the illusion of life rules. Using your historical figure or creating a new character, attempt to make 1-3 animated gifs depicting different illusion of life rules.
Thursday, 27th:
1-3 Illusion of life Animated Gifs studio day
Tuesday the 1st:
Studio day Final Critique
Disability Statement:
Lesley University is committed to ensuring that all qualified students with disabilities are afforded an equal opportunity to participate in and benefit from its programs and services. To receive accommodations, a student must have a documented disability as defined by Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities act of 1990 (ADA), and provide documentation of the disability. Eligibility for reasonable accommodations will be based on the documentation provided
Learning Disabilities and Attention Disorders Kimberly Johnson
Doble Hall, 2nd Floor
Phone: 617 - 349 - 8462
Fax: 617 349 8324
Physical, Sensory and Psychiatric Disorders Ruth Bork
11 Mellen Street

Phone: (Voice) 617 - 349 - 8544 (TTY): 617 - 349 - 8544
Fax: 617 - 349 - 8558
The Contact Persons play the role of facilitator between the student's needs, faculty requirements, and administrative guidelines of the University. Disability- related information is not shared without the permission of the student.
Equal Opportunity and Inclusion Policy
Lesley University remains committed to a policy of equal opportunity, affirmative action, and inclusion for all current and prospective faculty, students, and staff and to eliminating discrimination when it occurs. Lesley University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, or sexual orientation in admission to, access to, treatment in, or employment in its programs and activities. Lesley will not ignore any form of discrimination, harassment, or sexual harassment by any member of the Lesley community. Moreover, Lesley does not condone any form of retaliation against any person who brings a complaint investigation.

Lesley 2D Character Animation 2017

Friday, August 4, 2017

Illusion Of Life GIFs

Tuesday, July 11, 2017

Syllabus