3D Sketch view testing

Sketch objects

A collection of sketch objects ready for animating

Change of style

I've decided to change the animation style to a more "hand made" look, as seen in the beta of "Don't Starve"

3D View

Experimenting with the 3D space using AE

Character Experiments

 Testing with the cat figure to see how it can be animated

Concept Storyboard

Some basic story ideas, which will be changed as I work on the project

Animation/Character Style

I wanted to see what the characters would look like when put into a digital space, and I am happy with the style so far. I could use a filter to change the mood slightly, but subtle animations will be all it needs to bring it to life:
 
-Fog blowing
-Blinking eyes
-Swishing tail
-Minor head/body movement

Basic Character sketch

Im trying to keep the shapes simple but styled for ease of use in illustrator and after effects. The use of the ties (Bow tie for Jack, Hair tie for Jill) clearly defines them as male and female.

Animation themes Inspiration

 

 

 

 

Story + Atmosphere

Jack & Jill

Two cats stylized to be male and female are sitting on a roof. (Jack and Jill went up a hill)
They are meowing at a weather vane that is shaped like a bird (to fetch a pail of water)
A neighbor gets annoyed at the cats and throws a shoe at them and knocks Jack off (Jack fell down)
Jill looks down at Jack and meows as another shoe comes flying (tumbling after)

Atmosphere
The setting will be a small town at night, lots of fog with a large full moon silhouetting some shots. The sounds need to be ambient and quiet, contrasting with the sounds that the cats make, 'disrupting' the town

Visual Research

 I would like to use a stylized grey scale form of visuals for my animation, using cats as the character and the moon as a strong background image.

Rhyme Exploration + Story

After some brainstorming on paper, I've decided to use the Jack & Jill rhyme for my animation. The story will be of two cats who climb onto a roof to fetch something (Puddle, or bird etc) and make a lot of noise so a neighbor throws a boot at them which knocks down Jack (and Jill, or she climbs down after)

Different Styles of Animation

Hand Drawn Animation 

Often referred  as traditional or classical animation. This technique was the main form of animating in cinemas before computer animation was around.


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Cut Out Animation

Cut out animation is one of the oldest forms of animating, it is the use of flat characters, props and backgrounds cut from materials such as paper, card, stiff fabric or even photographs.


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Stop Motion Animation

Stop motion is a common form of animation that involves
physically manipulating an object give it the appearance of moving on its own. The object is moved in small increments between individually photographed frames, creating the illusion of movement when the series of frames is played as a continuous sequence.


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Computer Animation

Computer Animation can use a range of techniques involving 2D and 3D digital animation, from flash to CGI.