Tag Archives: technique

The Lost Art of Rotoscoping

Rotoscope by Max Fleischer, patent drawing from 1914.

This is a guest post by Olivia Lennox.

Animation has come a long way since the days of the first cartoon motion pictures in the early 1900s. It’s come so far in fact that it’s difficult to believe it started as a few hand-drawn images on a page. Compare and flick book to the trailer for Pixar’s upcoming movie Brave and you’ll get the idea. But here we are, in a world where computer generated imaging has quite literally taken over the world of animated film: when was the last time Disney released a ‘2D’ movie in their original style? It’s been some time indeed.

NFB launches PixStop a new Stop-Motion Animation iPad app

iPad screenshot of PixStop in action

Made for ages 10 and up, this iPad Animation app is available FREE for fun or education, whether you’re an animation novice or fan. It is available now on iTunes.

Sylvain Chomet Animating (2006)

Sylvain Chomet discusses his approach to animating. This is an excerpt from the BBC documentary “The Secret of Drawing”. It starts with a brief history of animation followed by animator Sylvain Chomet talking as he animates. The work shown is an early test animation for “The Illusionist”.

Gulp – The making of by Aardman (2011)

More behind the scenes views of Gulp, Aardman’s world record breaking short, on location at Carmarthenshire’s Pendine Sands in South Wales. It reveals what went in to making such a complex film away from the controlled environment of a studio.

Learn How to Draw Winnie the Pooh (2011)

Disney animator Mark Henn shows us how to draw Winnie the Pooh. Mark has worked on The Little Mermaid, The Lion King and Princess and the Frog.

Don Bluth’s Animation Class

Don Bluth of Don Bluth Entertainment, Dublin, Ireland, has presented mini-seminars on animation for the benefit of his staff. The following article is based on a recording of one of these seminars. Shapes: Exercise and Impact. A character, regardless of what he is made out of, is going to stretch and snap to some degree.… Read More »

Psychology for the animator – Mind over pencil

Animation, like any art form, is a medium for presenting ideas. A lot of psychology is concerned with the study of communication, the way we perceive the world around us, how we attend to it, and how we process and react to sensory stimuli. Some understanding of psychology can thus help animators when communicating their… Read More »

Bernie Kay: Scriptwriting for Animation

He reveals his methods Interview by David Jefferson Bernie Kay has written scripts for a number of children’s animated TV series, including Bananaman, Telebugs, and The Pondles. He came over from America quite a few years ago and got a lob in an advertising agency. That is where he got his training as a writer,… Read More »

Bernie Kay: Scriptwriting for Animation – Page 2

DJ: I suppose that because a line can change its meaning depending on how it is delivered, you have to make sure the artist understands your intention. BK: Yes, but you have to be flexible as well. Sometimes you’ve written a line, recited it aloud – on your own, of course -and you know how… Read More »