Animation Online
Have you ever watched a cartoon or played a video game where the animation of characters captivated you so much you wanted to create your own? If so, it’s time to immerse yourself in the world of animation. Meet the industry players such as directors, animators, and 3D modelers. Develop your story by exploring design, the 12 principles of animation, creating a storyboard, and leveraging the tools of the trade. Let’s bring your story to life with animation!
It’s time to start animating like the pros! In this hands-on course, you’ll immediately start exploring the software Blender, your gateway to 3D modeling, computer animation, and postproduction procedures used in the film industry. Discover 3D modeling and animation of characters. Explore the basics of human anatomy and form to apply rigging, joints, and texture. Examine rendering and lighting effects and how to apply sound. And discover careers so you can start using your new skills right away.
When enrolling in the full year option of this course it will be delivered in two semesters. Transcripts will reflect each semester separately
Unit 1: Basics of Animation
· Trace the origins and early history of the art of animation
· Explore how the eye and brain process moving images
· Compare the differences between past animation techniques and current animation technologies.
· Understand the 12 principles of animation that form the foundation of animation
· Apply two principles: squash and stretch and straight ahead action
Unit 2: Hand-Drawn Animation
· Understand the history of hand-drawn animation
· Recognize common forms of traditional animation that are still in use today
· Apply the elements and principles of design
· Identify differences between the two most common forms of hand-drawn animation: Disney animation and Japanese anime
· Explain the effect of animation on today’s society
Unit 3: Camera Animation and Camera Angles
· Recognize the common camera angles used in animation
· Compare the effectiveness of different camera angles and what they contribute to the mood of the animation
· Explain camera movements used in animation to emphasize the effects of different camera angles
· Tell a story through visuals and dialogue—in short, make a live action video!
Unit 4: The Computer Animation Industry
· Understand the basics of computer animation
· Explain the challenges faced by creators involved in major movies or video games and how they solve them
· Describe how films and video games are created from start to finish
· Identify the intricacies of post-production and other aspects involved in the of creation of motion pictures and video games
· Judge the impact of technology on the business of animation
Animation 1 Midterm Exam
Unit 5: Digital 2D Animation
· Describe the Tupi user interface
· Apply a basic understanding of Tupi’s tools
· Create an animation cycle with a moving background
· Explain one of the most important principles of animation: timing
Unit 6: Animated Emotion
· Explain the rules governing motion in the world of animation
· Understand different styles of acting and expressions
· Develop your message to the audience through planning and management
· Communicate your message through expressions
Unit 7: Visual Storytelling
· Understand the three-act script structure
· Classify different types of story patterns
· Identify the importance of story in animation
· Give characters depth and personality
· Create storyboards for animation
Unit 8: The Tools We Use
The ever-growing number of tools used in both the video game and film industries seems to increase by the month. Each tool extends the boundaries of the cutting-edge technology used to confound the minds of amazed audience members—which includes skeptical professionals who you might well think had already seen it all. In this unit, you will be introduced to the core tools that form the foundation of video game and film production and learn how to apply them for the purposes of your own animation.
· Understand traditional and digital tools used in the industry
· Recognize how each tool is vital to specific stages in the production pipeline
· Identify common file formats used in the industry and why they are chosen over other formats
Animation 1 Final Exam
Unit 1: Introduction to Blender
· Navigate Blender’s interface
· Demonstrate a basic understanding of 3D modeling
· Perform the basic steps required to create computer animation
Unit 2: Jumping into 3D Animation
· Recognize the different types of 3D animation
· Explain kinematic animation
· Demonstrate the concept of F-curves in speeding up and slowing down animation
· Navigate the graph editor used in 3D animation
· Apply the following principles of animation: anticipation, pose to pose, and slow in/slow out
Unit 3: Introduction to Modeling and Texture
· Explain the basic principles of 3D modeling
· Understand the basic principles involved in texturing 3D models
· Apply materials, displacement maps, and textures to 3D models
· Use basic modeling tools to create complex objects from primitive ones
Unit 4: The Basics of Bath Render
· Understand the rendering process, including anti-aliasing, multi-passes, and channels
· Explain the basics of lighting effects and create a system to light up a scene
· Adjust render settings to create the desired effect or the final look of a model and/or an animation
· Render an image and batch render an animation
Animation 2 Midterm Exam
Unit 5: Introduction to Rigging: Joints and Weights
· Construct a skeletal joint system in Blender
· Recognize the basic functions of joint orientation and how joints move an object like a humanoid character
· Understand the relationship between the joint system and the “skin” of a 3D model
· Produce an animatic that is crucial to the production of computer animation
Unit 6: Human Anatomy Form
· Identify both the facial and body proportions of a human
· Describe the basic anatomy of the human body
· Discuss the importance of poses in an animation and how they communicate emotion
· Create exaggerated poses using a functional character rig
Unit 7: Connecting Sound to Animation
· Identify basic sound elements in movies and video games
· Describe the basics of sound editing in Blender
· Explain how lip-syncing is created
· Combine images and sound
Unit 8: A Career in Animation
· Create a portfolio and demo reel to present to potential employers
· Describe concerns related to intellectual property and copyright law
· Find training opportunities and develop your networking skills
· Learn how to maintain an established business relationship
Animation 2 Final Exam