Comment on Kaeman - random animation by funkyalien
Wow, great animation! The movements are really smooth.
Question(if you don't mind): Is every sketch, to help create movement, different, or are certain sketches repeated?(I saw one of those flipbook comics once and some of the slides were the same)
Question(if you don't mind): Is every sketch, to help create movement, different, or are certain sketches repeated?(I saw one of those flipbook comics once and some of the slides were the same)
It depends, really. In the case of this one, every sketch was different, but if he were to go back to the same position or part of him didn't move then I'd just use the same sketch (or part of the same sketch).
Often a lot of frames in an animation may look the same, but chances are that there are subtle differences between them so that when they're played together it looks like things are still moving slightly.
In the case of a flipbook though, I'd guess that if frames were actually the same it's so that the action of the character actually stops - so that the character holds for a moment before moving again.
Often a lot of frames in an animation may look the same, but chances are that there are subtle differences between them so that when they're played together it looks like things are still moving slightly.
In the case of a flipbook though, I'd guess that if frames were actually the same it's so that the action of the character actually stops - so that the character holds for a moment before moving again.
Great, thanks. Sorry to bother you again, but how many sketches does a second of animation take?
Usually 12 or so. Animation runs at 24 frames per second, but each drawing is usually held for two frames. That's all that's really needed (and feasable in terms of actual production) since it all runs together smoothly enough.
Yeah, I've heard about the 24 frames per second somewhere....thanks! Do you use tracing paper or something similar when drawing? (co's I don't know how you're supposed to keep the character in the same postition on the papers) I'm really sorry if I'm bothering you with these questions, because my sis and I are pretty interested in animation. This is the last question.
Don't worry about the questions, I'm happy to answer them 
I tend to use normal printer paper. Getting a light weight of paper makes it easier to see through the sheets. If I'm using this I have to punch some holes into it, and the requires a special kind of hole punch thta you only really get access to in animation studios.
The actual method of keeping the paper aligned is by using something called a peg bar which fits into these holes and holds the papers in place.
The punch itself is a few hundred dollars, but the pegbar costs about $5-10. You can get pre-punched animation paper with rules out the cost of the punch, it's it's designde for use in animation so you can see through more sheets.
As for the actual drawing; you place the paper on a lightbox - which illuminates the sheets from the back, allowing you to see through them. It's not absolutely necessary to have one, much like it's not to have the paper hole punched etc, but it certainly makes working much easier and smoother.
There are other options of you can't afford the equipment or don't have space for it. Programs like Flash, Toon Boom and Easytoon (free GIF animation program) let you do it all digitally. It's much easier to work with these if you have a Wacom tablet as you'll be able to draw into the program with a pen (stylus) rather than a mouse, but either one is workable.
I'd actually recommend looking up some animation books on Amazon and such. The best one that comes to mind is The Animator's Survival Kit by Richard Williams (who worked on Who Framed Roger Rabbit). That'll teach you just about everything you need to know about ainmation, and then some.
I tend to use normal printer paper. Getting a light weight of paper makes it easier to see through the sheets. If I'm using this I have to punch some holes into it, and the requires a special kind of hole punch thta you only really get access to in animation studios.
The actual method of keeping the paper aligned is by using something called a peg bar which fits into these holes and holds the papers in place.
The punch itself is a few hundred dollars, but the pegbar costs about $5-10. You can get pre-punched animation paper with rules out the cost of the punch, it's it's designde for use in animation so you can see through more sheets.
As for the actual drawing; you place the paper on a lightbox - which illuminates the sheets from the back, allowing you to see through them. It's not absolutely necessary to have one, much like it's not to have the paper hole punched etc, but it certainly makes working much easier and smoother.
There are other options of you can't afford the equipment or don't have space for it. Programs like Flash, Toon Boom and Easytoon (free GIF animation program) let you do it all digitally. It's much easier to work with these if you have a Wacom tablet as you'll be able to draw into the program with a pen (stylus) rather than a mouse, but either one is workable.
I'd actually recommend looking up some animation books on Amazon and such. The best one that comes to mind is The Animator's Survival Kit by Richard Williams (who worked on Who Framed Roger Rabbit). That'll teach you just about everything you need to know about ainmation, and then some.
I already have a tablet; I'm more interested in hand-drawn animation. But thanks a lot for the tips.