Introduction to 2D Animation
2D animation is a traditionally hand drawn craft, based on the practice developed by Walt Disney which focuses on drawing techniques and anatomy knowledge. Stages of movements are analysed and broken down into storytelling drawings; more commonly known as ‘keys and breaks’. Drawings are filmed in sequence. Timed to dialogue or music and composited using specialised software to produce fluid animation and bring characters to life.
The first year of tuition at Freelance concentrates on animal and human life drawing, character design, and an introduction to rough in-betweening and clean-up animation techniques. Students gain a thorough understanding of physical motion, weight and balance, and the different properties of texture and form. The course also gives a background in technical and production knowledge, legal requirements and animation history.
The second year in 2D animation focuses primarily on key animation, key cleanup and layout. Key animation is emphasised in second year with students gaining a thorough knowledge of timing, posing, animation with dialogue, and scene planning. Students continue to develop their life drawing skills and also continue with preproduction techniques such as character design, storyboarding and layout. Students are also introduced to post production colouring and compositing using Toonboom software.
Introduction to 3D Animation
3D animation (or computer generated imagery) uses three dimensional computer models to animate characters combining several styles of animation including 2D theories of keys and breaks, the stop motion mentality of sculpting a character as a model and the puppeteer control system of articulated points of movement. These are more commonly known as key framing, modelling and rigging. Other techniques such as texturing and lighting allow 3D animators to skin and light their character or background to simulate real life textures and environments.
Using the latest software, students concentrate on the principles of animation and are taught to consider weight, timing and mass while combining 3D techniques such as design, modelling, lighting, texturing, rigging and of course animating in addition to camera work and compositing. Additionally, the students concentrate on human and animal life drawing, character design and reinforcing basic drawing skills both in class and periodically on field trips. There are theory lessons on technical and production knowledge, legal requirements (copyright law), history of animation (both locally and globally).
Students create an animated short throughout the course of the year using each skill learnt along the way. Students focus on this more during the final term.
Second year 3D Animation builds on the techniques learnt during first year. Students gain a thorough knowledge of moving holds, walks, runs jumps, leaps and advanced character rigging, texturing and modelling expanding their knowledge to a professional standard. Learning to draw storyboards and working with the modern editing and compositing software expands a student’s skills so they have the knowledge required to complete a full production.
