I really hope this is the right place to post a question like this. I don’t want to make a poor first impression. : s
Ahem*
I’ve started my first frame by frame animation and it’s going pretty well, except for the fact that every line I draw appears to wiggle when I play the animation. Obviously, the reason is because each frame is just a little different than the one before it. But I’d like to know if this is something to expect when drawing a new picture on every frame. I mean, is it the norm? or should I be taking much more time when tracing my frames (Onion Skins)? Or should I even bother drawing a new picture for every frame?
I haven’t been able to find any info on the net about animating frame by frame, so I have no clue if what I’m doing is “Right”. I just figured that it’s the way it’s done. Like in Disney movies… The animation is so smooth. I never see any wiggly lines. Is it just an issue with my technique? or is there a certain way to go about doing it?
that happens when you press too hard on the paper. You really need to relax, and just sketch lines VERY lightly. Animators, draw VERY lightly and later do dark lines, with strokes.
Instead of slowly drawing a line with a pencil, you go FAST make a quick line, you would know where that line will go since you have a light sketch in the background.
As far as frame by frame goes, they don’t actually go frame by frame. They do KEY actions, 1 drawing within 5 or 10 frames. Once you have the overall movement, you hand it over to a slave animator to do all the inbetweens.
You might want to go to a local library and check out some animation books.
Some suggestions:
Anything by “Christopher Hart” IS GOLDEN! He has quite a bit of books, ranging from beginner to advance levels!
The Animator’s Workbook: Step-By-Step Techniques of Drawn Animation by Tony White
Don Bluth’s art of animation drawing
Character animation in 3D : use traditional drawing techniques to produce stunning CGI animation by Roberts, Steve
Also “The animators survival kit”! Its one of the best.
But, I got a little question too about the traditional animation… When you have made the animation, How do you play it? I mean like, Do I have to scan every single paper into my computer or is there another method? In “The animators survival kit” he says that his “video testing” ? Sorry this is proberly a very stupid queston…
Regarding your question, Lasphere, scanning is one way, but you could also set up a camera (still or video) aimed downward over a table (with some registration marks so your paper is always in the same place… I have a couple hackish tricks for that). Then you capture each frame that way and reply them in your video editor of choice. They have image buffer boxes that are designed for animation (look up animation lunchbox), but they’re kind of specialized and you can get the same effect with your computer.
really