Animation & Cartooning

to…

• It is hard to imagine in the age of CGI animation a time in the not-to-distant past when animation was done in stop-motion photography.

• These films included small scale models that were moved slightly with each frame.

• Usually the motion was irregular and jerky because everything was done by hand.

• In the late 1980's, the California Raison commercials made claymation popular.

• Previous to this, the only major claymation done was on Gumby.

• Animators were traditional artists who drew pictures by hand. Traditional animation consisted of a whole team of animators who would draw and color images on “cells” – transparent sheets that were placed on top of a background image to create a multi-layered frame.

• Think of a flip book.

• Some cartoons that were made by traditional animators are Scooby Doo, the Flintstones or even the Jetsons.

• CGI came into play with animated movies such as Toy Story, Toy Story 2 in the 1990s made Pixar Animation Studios a household name.

• With Monsters, Inc. and Finding Nemo, they broke box office records for an animated film.

• Walt Disney Pictures and Pixar have merged and are now the largest employer of animators.

• Animation and Special Effects are closely related and jobs frequently overlap each other.

• As with jobs in Special Effects, the pay is good and qualified employees are in demand- especially in California, Florida and New York.

• Because everything is now computer generated, strong computer skills are essential.

Job titles in Animation & Cartooning • Story artist

– Sketches movement and ideas through a film.• Background/layout artist

– In charge of the background of the feature.• Studio Background artist

– A non-production background prepared by the studio for publicity or presentation purposes.

• Technical Director– Establishes direct and reflected lighting and shadow for individual shots..

• Director of Photography– Directs the shooting of film sequences.

• Editorial Cartoonist – This artist frequently creates cartoons for the editorial sections of newspapers.

Jobs for this profession are dwindling as newspapers fold.• Production Background

– An original background painting used in the final version of an animated film or short.

• Pencil Model Sheet Artist – A group of original pencil drawings on one sheet that illustrate an animated

character in a variety of poses and expressions. Model sheets are lithographed and distributed to the animation team to ensure a uniform look and feel to a character throughout a production.

So why is this important to us…

THE PROJECT

• Everyone of these stories, from Gumbie to Finding Nemo, did not come from thin air.

• Each story started with a simple idea; many with the idea of a single character or creature.

Project Guidelines

• Create a whimsical creature who will be featured in a movie or children’s book.

• Your “creature” will have a wire base. It will be covered with “Plaste-r-craft” then painted- a base coat and then designs (patterns).

Project Guidelines• Size; Your creature

should be no more than 12” x 12” but can be extended if wings or horns are added.

• Your creature can include realistic features such as eyes and a mouth (but is not a requirement)

• Your creature MUST include fantasy like features such as wings or an eyeball that eats bugs.

Project Guidelines• Over the course of the

next week you will develop a short story about your character.

• Your creature must have a purpose (for example, a special power) which should be expressed in the physical traits.

Project Guidelines

• Look to animated movies and children's books for ideas. They are full of wild and imaginative characters!

• Be inventive! Create your whimsical creature on paper first- then build.

What is a magical creature?

How are magical creatures different from everyday beings?

What special powers do magical creatures have?

What kinds of magical creatures are found in different cultures and in stories from around the world?

• BACKGROUND:Oaxaca, pronounced wa-HAH-ka, is one of Mexico's largest states and its folk art and traditions are among the richest. Oaxacan painted wood carvings have become a prized folk art. They are created by the Zapotec Indians who live in the Oaxaca Valley, located in the southern part of Mexico.

• The wood carving techniques and artistic capacity of the Zapotec Indians are legendary, honed over hundreds of generations. Each of the wooden sculptures are hand-carved from the wood of the Copal (or Copillo) tree. Each piece is hand-sanded and painted in bright and exciting motifs. Traditionally the men carve the forms, and the women paint them using very tiny paint brushes and sometimes-organic material such a pine needles. The style that dominates today can be traced back to a single man- Manuel Jimenez from the village of Arraloza. These sculptural carvings are called Alebrijes.

• ASSIGNMENT:• Create a whimsical creature based on the Oaxacan Wood carvings. Your “creature” will have an armature (base)

made from newspaper and tape. It will be covered with “Paperclay” then painted- a base coat and then designs (patterns) using paint pens.

• Size; Your creature should be no more than 8” x 10” (can be smaller, or extended if wings or horns are added). • Be inventive! Create your whimsical creature on paper first- draw thumbnails then build the armature out of

newspaper. • MATERIALS:• Newsprint, newspapers, masking tape, white, aluminum foil, Paperclay, sandpaper (optional), acrylic paints,

brushes, paint markers. • Resources:• Alebrijes - Oaxacan Woodcarving - El Caracol Zapoteca fine Oaxacan Woodcarving Gallery. These are some of

the finest examples I have seen. Beautiful details - nice close up views. Educational site (as well as commercial). This gallery does give art teachers permission to use images provided you send them email first. If you want only a few - Fair Use guidelines are permitted.

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