From the "12 Basic Principles of Animation"

From the 12 Basic Principles Of Animation, which includes:

1. Squash and stretch

2. Anticipation

3. Staging

4. Straight Ahead Action and Pose to Pose

5. Follow Through and Overlapping Action

6. Slow In and Slow Out

7. Arcs

8. Secondary Action

9. Timing

10. Exaggeration

11. Solid Drawing

12. Appeal

The 2 types I will personally go for (which also relates to my style), will be both 'Exaggeration' and 'Appeal', because my style (trying to approach an 'anime' style) uses exaggeration in order to express the characteristics of the characters. This is the style I like to exploit in. As characterisation are important as well as storyline. Not only that, 'exaggeration' intends to reveal more emotions and feelings of characters in an animation. And that is a very good principle when grasping viewers attentions and provide feelings for an animation.

Appeal is another style in which I would use because the character 'Poro' is suppose to be a loveable and cute character. Even though it is only a scenario, I wanted Poro to be as cute as possible, hence a furry cute creature. However, for Kace, more character analysis is needed to make him a more 'appealing' character with character rules.

2D Vs. 3D

So there are 3-dimensional animations and 2-dimensional animations. Both can be easily identified by the style an animation is. Which do I prefer?

In terms of the style of animation, I really rather prefer 2D animation. The reason is because that within 2D animation, I personally feel that there are no limits and creativity can be expanded. Whereas in 3D animation, I feel that there are limits, as 3-dimensional designs have an element of being 'realistic' as that is how I feel about 3-dimensional animations, it is an animation that shows reality.

For 2D animations, the animations can be exagerrated, it can be expanded so that characters don't look real. That is why I enjoy 2D animation, it is because the style in the designs of characters, scenes etc, I personally cannot relate to. Such as beating someone up with a hammer as a joke, that is an example that the scene cannot relate to in real life.

Although, 3D animation has developed and many techniques can relate to 3D animation, there is still something I see in 3D animation that makes me think the animation looks somewhat realistic, probably the use of colours, or maybe stories that are generated from using 3D animation.

2D for me, is the creativity, the colours, and the non-limits that are created. An example will be a 'beat em' up' video game that I am a huge fan of:

Although to me both looks good, the way the design and the style look like, I feel that 2D designs can be more creative, as for the 3D design of the character (both images are the same character with different clothing) look detailed, but however, because it is that 3 dimensional the character design looks 'blocky' or somewhat not 'smooth' enough for myself. In 2D a lot of detail and lot of style can be added depending in the artist's style. Whereas in 3D, I feel there is a limitation in creativity and design.

More Reflective Learning

Well previously in lectures, most people voted that 'storyline' of an animation is one of the key factors to success.

Most of the class voted what is important in a piece of animation? Is it great artwork? Is it great effects? Is it the storyline?

For me, I chose storyline. The artwork can be rubbish, the animation should at least be at satisfactory level, however, the storyline MUST be the key for me.

An example of this will be a Japanese TV Animation named "One Piece" (basically Anime). To me personally, I thought the art work wasn't really a style I would go for, it looked kind of out of place for me, art work wasn't great to me. Without comparing, many artists has their own style of artwork and for 'Eiichiro Oda' (creator of One Piece) this is his style. I personally didn't like Oda's artwork, however, that was the first season of the anime, but later on the artwork became better in the animation and has improved a lot.

Back to explaining, Oda's artwork didn't attract me, but what attract me to continuing watching the TV series was the storyline. It was very unique and I basically fell in love with the storyline. Also, "Never judge a book by it's cover", that is the same theory I use for animation. Even if I was to go back to watch the first ever anime (since I love anime and manga), the animation might've been bad, but why was it successful to begin with? That is when I research and analyse why any animation become successful and turn them into strong points in how I watch animation.

A downfall to Anime (relating to TV animations), many frames are used over and over again to show some sort of recurring event (i.e. A huge tornado occurs, however, you see the same piece of wood from a destroyed house flying from the same direction). I hope to 'capture' that certain scene. But that is how 'anime' is cost-effective, re-using frames meaning less extra frames are used.

Previous Character Developments

Previously I had some images in which I didn't think it can involve what I was trying to do, but however, I think its a good example in character development showing what kind of character I originally thought out before I went on to create the script.

At the moment I am concentrating finishing a storyboard to show how each scene is suppose to be, but the storyboard is not detailed enough, so I am planning to do a more detailed storyboard.

Story Reflection (Inspiration)

I was in the train when I thought of the script. I wanted something unique and something different. At first I wanted everything to be real and nothing too fancy. However, the more I think about it, a fantasy genre is where I can explode my creativity.

To begin with, the characters was what I worked the script around with. Originally I kept thinking about 'people' 'humans', just ordinary looking ones. But I turned around thinking about what if characters I made wasn't human and that is where 'Poro' came from. A creature. Nothing to fierceful looking, but a cute looking thing with a temper.

But the story starts off with everything all normal and nothing out of place, then it bursts into a fantasy land. That is where I thought the creativity can explode.

The Location starts off in the train station because I was brainstorming in the train, so that was the first idea. But because I wanted to create the creature, I had to think of an appropriate scenery where it can make its appearance in a believeable scenario.

The unfinished image on the right is to show my attempt in reality, doing something that relates to my life and that is 'basketball'. However, because ideas are exploding in my head, I left this image half done and started with my script.

Story Outline (Script)

TRAIN STATION

Kace rushes directly to the gates just before the train is about to leave, he is late! Today was his project hand-in, he can't miss the morning class!

He caught up with the train just in time as the whistle is blowed for depature.

As he steps into the train his surrounding becomes unfamiliar.

Kace: What the---- ?!

Just before Kace begins to panic and trying to finish his sentence, he realises he is descending from the sky. Somehow Kace is in another dimension. Kace begins to panic.

ANOTHER DIMENSION

Kace: (frightened) Ahhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!

Kace becomes confused and paranoid at the same time he is extremely frightened for the sudden change of events.

Kace: (panics) Why?! What did I do wrong to deserve such a bad start today?! Ahhhhhhh!!! I am sooo going to fail in my Science Project!!! Nooooooo!!!!

Suddenly a voice is heard from behind Kace.

???: Why are you falling? And shouldn't you be caring about staying alive instead of some kind of 'Scene Poopoo'?

Kace tries to adjust his head to identify the voice.

His vision comes directly to a 'furry' looking creature, as if it is a cuddly toy, floating in the air, puzzled. Kace panics more.

Kace: (panics) What the hell?! What the hell are you?! Why are you floating?! Where am I?!

???: (offended) Eeek! Why are you asking me so many questions?! Why are you being aggressive?! Don't get aggressive with Poro! Poro dislikes it!

Kace: (cries) I'm sorry! But I'm falling down! I might die!!!! I need help!!!! I don't wanna die! There's so much things I haven't done yet! Mama! Papa!

Poro: (confused) Huh? Don't you have the ability to fly? You're a strange one, never seen your kind before. What are you? Do you have a name?

Poro looks at Kace's clothes.

Poro: Your skin is weird...

Kace: (looks around with fear) Erm... I'm Kace.... erm... I can't fly... um... It's not skin, it's clothing I have...

Then Kace's sight eventually reaches below, he realises he is close to falling onto a platform.

Kace: (frightened) Oh my god!!!!! I'm gonna die!!!!!! Holy---

Just before Kace finishes his sentence, a huge force is grabbed onto Kace's shoulder. And before Kace realises it, the speed from descending from the sky begins to slow down. As he is slowly ascending instead. Poro was avoiding Kace from falling!

Poro: (struggling) Geez! How much do you eat?! And why are you heavy when you're just stick and bones?! Why can't you just fly?! Um... Hello?!

Kace becomes unconscious due to all events and panics too much...

Character Profile 2

Name: Poro

Gender: Male

Age: ???

Occupation: ???

Personality: Quick-tempered, fragile, clusmy, stupid

Rules: Always clusmy and easily offended.

Appearance: A small flying creature that looks like an everyday cuddly toy.

Character Plot: Within its world, Poro encounters a boy falling down from the sky. So Poro appraoches it asking the boy why he is falling from the sky. Poro then took long enough to realize that the boy does not have the ability to fly or any other ability known. Poro ends up saving the boy.

Character Profile 1

Name: Kace

Gender: Male

Age: 16

Occupation: High School Student

Personality: Clusmy, paranoid, friendly, well-mannered.

Rules: Always paranoid.

Appearance: Innocent looking, well represented.

Character Plot: Kace was running late for high school, as he jumps on the train. But as he steps into the train, he steps into another dimension. Paranoid as he is, he gets all worried trying to get out of this world.

Very random

I started sketching a character close to reality (non-fantasy). An energetic youth with spikey hair holding a baseball bat in a rude posture^^

Not confirmed whether he'll be part of anything yet, but a sketch that is non-fantasy like. Probably something you'll see in daily life (most likely of America and not in Scotland).

A perfect example of being related to my daily life, is the fact the guy is wearing a 'Superdry' t-shirt, I'm not familiar in fashion myself, but in my day-to-day life I see a lot of guys wearing this brand.

And for the baseball bat? Well, I wanted a cool posture, it'll be cool if he was holding a 'samurai sword' (katana), but how often will you see someone holding that in a daily basis? Heh.

Because I wanted to base most things in Scotland, I was going to relate the character with a sport that is easily identified in UK. And in the posture I wanted him to be in, he must be holding some sort of 'club', but however, I couldn't think of anything other than a 'baseball bat' at the time. I could've used either a 'cricket bat' or a 'hockey stick'. But geez, a cricket bat will look soooo "UNCOOL"! Hockey stick.... maybe. Hehe.

I'll post the image up in a moment^^