Thursday 26th November 2009

Today we started to do a mini animation out of five frames. We had to draw our images first, then we used tracing paper to trace our images to produce an image that will loop. Then we took a photo of each frame. Now we need to project the pictures on the wall and draw them on big pieces of card. Then paint the images the colour that we want, then take a photo of each one moving along the wall. It is meant to be a pea getting stabbed by a fork. When the photos are played it will look like an animation.

Here is an example that Steve has done:

Stage 1: Create five frames that loop

Using tracing paper produce an image that will loop.
There are two ways to loop the frames:

1. Frame 5 will go back to frame 1 and start the sequence all over again. (1,2,3,4,5 > 1,2,3,4,5 etc.)

2. The sequence will go in reverse after frame 5.
(1,2,3,4,5 > 4,3,2,1 > 2,3,4,5 etc.)

Stage 2: Upload into Photoshop
Using a stills camera, Photo Booth or a scanner.

Stage 3: Create the images
In Photoshop centralize the drawings and save as jpegs.

Stage 4: iStopMotion test
In a new Photoshop project set up the looping sequence.
Make the motion travel from left to right on the screen.
Save (As) each stage as a jpeg and import into iStopmotion.
(Main menu > Movie > Import Images)
Test your animation.

L3 JUMP LOOP TEST from cmdiploma on Vimeo.

Stage 5: Project the image & draw the frames
Open the 5 jpegs in Preview. Connect your laptop to the digital projector. Copy out the frames on the cardboard sheets using a board marker pen.

Stage 6: Paint the images on the cardboard

Stage 7: Film the loop sequence

L3 ANIMATION LOOP CLASS DEMO from cmdiploma on Vimeo.

L3 ANIMATION LOOP CLASS DEMO from cmdiploma on Vimeo.