Introduction to 3D Computer Animation

Dr. Midori KitagawaUniversity of Texas at Dallas

Arts and Technology Program

1. History: Pioneers of animation2. Principles of animation3. Types of 3D computer animation4. Future

Outline

J. Stuart Blackton (1875-1941)Winsor McCay (1867-1934)John Bray (1874-1978)Max Fleischer (1883-1972)Walt Disney (1901-1966)

1. History: Pioneers of animation

Father of animation

In 1896 as a reporter/artist for the New York Evening World newspaper, Blackton interviewed Thomas Edison

Became a "rapid-drawing cartoonist" for a series of Edison shorts.

J. Stuart Blackton (1875-1941)

Combined stop motion, puppetry, and live action

Enchanted Drawing, 1900

Humorous Phases of Fanny Faces, 1906

J. Stuart Blackton (1875-1941)

Father of character animation

Already well known for his newspaper cartoons “Little Nemo”, 1905-1914

Winsor McCay (1867-1934)

Gave believability and personality to his hand-drawn characters

Gertie the Dinosaur, 1914

Winsor McCay (1867-1934)

Sinking of Lusitania, 1916

Founder of the animation industry

Reporter for the Detroit Evening News, 1901-

In 1914 Bray’s partner Earl Hurd patented the use of clear cels over background

Hurd and Bray formed the Hurd and Bray Patent Company in 1914

John Randolph Bray (1874-1978)

Turned artistic work into an assembly-line production

With additional patents obtained by Bray, the company monopolized the animation process

The patents expired in 1932

Much of what Bray claimed to have invented have been credited to McCay and others.

John Randolph Bray (1874-1978)

Colonel Heeza Liar’s, 1913

Inventor of the rotoscope

A cartoonist and photographer for the Brooklyn Daily Eagle 

Art director for the magazine Popular Science

Worked at Bray’s studio

Max Fleischer (1883-1972)

Rotoscope

Traces the movement of live actors, frame by frame

Max Fleischer (1883-1972)

Produced the first animation with a synchronized sound track in 1924

Fleischer studio produced Betty Boop, Popeye, and Superman cartoon series

Affected by the Hays Code in 1934

Max Fleischer (1883-1972)

Tantalizing Fly, 1919

Inventor of the family entertainment

Film producer, director, screen writer, voice actor, animator, entrepreneur

Greatly influenced 20th century American culture

Walt Disney (1901-1966)

Father of Mickey MouseSteamboat Willie

(1928) was not the first Mickey Mouse cartoon produced or released

Not the first sound cartoon either

The first sound cartoon that achieved wide commercial success

Walt Disney (1901-1966)

“Disney’s memory belongs to the public; Max’s to those who remember him by choice.” (Heraldson, 1975)

History: Pioneers of animation

Created by animators at the Walt Disney Studios in the early 1930’s

Helped to transform animation from a novelty into an art form 

Still todayGuide production and creative discussionsTrain young animators better and fasterApplicable to 2D/3D computer animation as

well as traditional hand-drawn animation

2. Principles of animation

From Illusion of Life: Disney Animation

by Ollie Johnson and Frank ThomasSquash and stretchAnticipationStagingStraight ahead

action and pose to pose

Follow through and overlapping action

Slow-in and slow-outArcsSecondary actionTimingExaggerationSolid drawingAppeal

Principles of animation

Principles of animationSquash and stretchFollow throughTimingSlow-in and slow-outSecondary actionArcs

AnticipationStaging

Physics Aesthetics

Presentation of action

Production methodsStraight ahead action

and pose to pose

ExaggerationSolid drawingOverlapping actionAppeal

Physics

Squash and stretchFollow throughTimingSecondary actionSlow in and slow outArcs

Principles of animation

While many real world objects, e.g. a rock, have little or no flexibility most organic objects, e.g. a human body, have some flexibility in their shapes

When an object moves, its movement indicates the rigidity of the object

Squash and stretch

No matter how squashed or stretched out an object gets, its volume should remain constant

Squash and stretch

Termination of actionNothing stops at onceWhen the main body of a character stops all

other parts continue to catch up it, such as arms, long hair, clothing, floppy ears, and a long tail

Follow through

Follow through

Timing, i.e., the speed of an action, gives meaning to movement, both physical and emotional meaning

Timing affects the perception of mass of an object

 

Timing

Timing gives meaning to movement

A character looks first over the right shoulder and then over the left shoulder. Varying the number of inbetweens can imply:

0: hit by a strong force and its head almost snapped off1: hit by something substantial, .e.g., frying pan2: has a nervous twitch3: dodging a flying object4: giving a crisp order6: sees something inviting9: thinking about something10: stretching a sore muscle

Timing

Timing affects the perception of mass of an object

The slower the object moves the heavier it looks

 

Timing

Spacing of inbetweens at extremesSoften the action and make it more life-like

 

Slow-in and slow-out

Without slow-out

With slow-out

Smaller motions that complement the main action, e.g. hair flows as a character turns its head

Increases the complexity and interest in a scene

 

Secondary action

All actions, with few exceptions (e.g., motion of a mechanical device), follow an arc or slightly circular path

Especially true of the human figure and the action of animals

Arcs

Arcs give animation a more natural action and better flow  

Aesthetics

ExaggerationAppealOverlapping action

Principles of animation

A caricature of facial features, expressions, poses, attitudes, and actions

Makes it more realistic and entertainingNot arbitrary distortion of shapes nor making

an action more violent or unrealistic

Exaggeration

“If a character is sad, make him sadder; if he is bright, make him shine; worried, make him fret; wild, make him frantic.” (Lasseter, 1987)

Exaggeration

Ability to draw weight, volume, and balanceAesthetic sensibility for forms, textures,

lights, and motions

Solid drawing

Animated characters must appeal to the audience.

They don't need to be lovely, cute and nice, but they must be interesting, somehow attractive.

Villains as well as heroes and heroines should have appeals

Appeal

A live performer has charisma; an animated character has appeal

Appeal

Starting a second action before the first action has completely finished

Keeps the interest of the viewer, since there is no dead time between actions

Overlapping action

"When a character knows what he is going to do he doesn't have to stop before each individual action and think to do it. He has it planned in advance in his mind." Disney

Overlapping action

Presentation of action

AnticipationStaging

Principles of animation

Preparation for an action, e.g., when a character is about to jump, he first crouches to gain momentum and the takes off

Prepares the viewer for the action that will happen

Longer anticipation is needed for faster actions

Anticipation

Clear presentation of an idea, where the idea can be an action, a personality, an expression, or a mood

An idea should be unmistakably clear to the viewer

Staging

One idea at a timeA personality should be staged so that it is

recognizable

Staging

Production methods

Straight aheadPose to pose

Principles of animation

Starts at the first drawing in a scene and then draws all of the subsequent frames until the end of the scene

Creates very spontaneous and zany looking animation

Used for wild, scrambling action

Straight ahead

Planned out and charted with key drawings done at intervals throughout the scene

Action, size, volumes, and proportions are controlled than straight ahead

The lead animator will turn keys over to his assistant

Pose to pose

Another way to look at the principles

Principles of animation

Before action Beginning of action

Middle of action

End of action

Anticipation Slow-in Slow-outStaging Follow

throughSquash and stretch, straight ahead, pose to pose, overlapping action, arcs, secondary action, timing,

exaggeration, solid drawing, appeal

Essential for 3D computer animation

Principles of animation

Keyframe animationPixar: Cars (2006), Ratatouille (2007), Wall-E

(2008)PDI/Dreamworks: Shrek (2001, 2004, 2007),

Kanfu-panda (2008)Motion capture animation

Sony: Polar Express (2004), Monster House (2006), Beowulf (2007)

Procedural animation

3. Types of 3D computer animation

Keyframe is a drawing (image) of a key moment in an animation sequence, where the motion is at its extreme

Inbetweens fill the gaps between keyframes

Keyframe animation

In traditional animation, skilled animators draw keyframes; less experienced animators draw inbetweens

In 3D computer animations, animators set up parameter values for keyframes; software interpolates parameter values between keyframes for inbetweens

Every motion is created by animators

Keyframe animation

Different interpolation methods create different timing

 

Keyframe animation

Linear interpolation

Spline interpolation

What is motion capture?

Sampling and recording motion of humans, animals, and inanimate objects s 3D data

Data can be applied to 3D computer models

Motion capture animation

Faster to produce animation than keyframing (if an established production pipeline exists)

Secondary motions and all the subtle motions are captured, providing more realism

Motion capture animation

Motion is generated by a procedure, a set of rules

Animator specifies rules and initial conditions and runs simulation

Procedural animation

Provides more realism in natural phenomena than keyframing

Frees animators from generating complex objects and keyframing a large number of objects

Procedural animation

Used for effect animation for traditional animation and live action films as well as for 3D computer animation

Procedural animation

A combination of keyframe animation, motion capture and/or procedural animation is often used to produce animations

Types of animation

Creating believable digital actorsGenerating interactive animation of realistic

high-resolution models in real time

4. Future

Midori Kitagawa, Ph.D.midori@utdallas.edu