Animation Technology
Abstract of Animation Technology :-
Anime, style of animation popular in Japanese films. Early anime films were intended primarily for the Japanese market and, as such, employed many cultural references unique to Japan For example, the large eyes of anime characters are commonly perceived in Japan as multifaceted “windows to the soul.” Much of the genre is aimed at children, but anime films are sometimes marked by adult themes and subject matter. Modern anime began in 1956 and found lasting success in 1961 with the establishment of Mushi Productions by Osamu Tezuka, a leading figure in modern manga, the dense, novelistic Japanese Comic book style that contributed greatly to the aesthetic of anime. Anime such as Miyazaki Hayao’s Princess Mononoke (1997) are the modern equivalent of the epic folk adventures once filmed by Japanese masters such as Mizoguchi Kenji and Kurosawa Akira. At the turn of the 21st century, anime began to attain wide international popularity with the Pokémon television series and films such as Miyazaki’s Spirited Away (2002), winner of an Academy Award for best animated feature film.
computer animation, also called computer-generated imagery (CGI), form of animated graphics using computers that replaced both “stop-motion” animation of scale-model puppets and hand-drawn animation of drawings. Efforts to lessen the labour and costs of animation have led to simplification and computerization. Computers can be used in every step of sophisticated animation — for example, to automate the movement of the rostrum camera or to supply the in-between drawings for full animation. When a three-dimensional figure is translated into computer terms (digitized), the computer can generate and display a sequence of images that seem to move or rotate the object through space. Hence, computer animation can simulate highly complex motion for medical and other scientific researchers as well as for feature films.
Introduction of Animation Technology :-
What is Animation ?
The word animation is generated from word ‘anime’ Which meanse life. Animation is the rapid display of sequence of images of 2-D and 3-D artwork of model positions in order to create an illusion movement.
Animation is a method by which still figures are manipulated to appear as moving images. In traditional animation, images are drawn or painted by hand on transparent celluloid sheets to be photographed and exhibited on film. Today, many animations are made with computer-generated imagery (CGI).
Animated images are almost magical in their ability to capture our imagination. By telling a compelling story, astounding with special effects, or mesmerizing with abstract motion, animation can infuse a sequence of inert images with the illusion of motion and life. Creating this illusion, either by hand or with the assistance of computer software, is not easy. Each individual image, or frame, in the animated sequence must blend seamlessly with the other images to create smooth and continuous motion that flows through time.
Traditionally, animation has been created by drawing images at certain key points in the action. These images, known as keyframes, outline the motion for the sequence. Later, the images between the keyframes are filled in to complete the sequence, in a process called in-betweening. For example, to keyframe hitting a baseball, the animator would draw several key moments in the sequence such as the impact of the bat on the ball and the follow through of the swing. The remaining images would be lled in later, perhaps by a different animator.
The most basic computer animation tools assist the process of hand animation by automatically interpolating between the keyframes of images or models. Animation tools have also been developed to composite together multiple layers of an animated scene in much the same way that layers of cels are used in traditional animation. Other more powerful techniques make use of algorithms that render the images from geometric descriptions of the scene. These techniques change the task from drawing sequences of images by hand to using computer tools to effectively specify how images should change over time.
A wide variety of techniques are used in the process of creating a complex computer animation such as Disney and Pixar’s Toy Story (www.toystory.com). These techniques can be grouped into two main classes: two dimensional (2D) and three dimensional (3D). Although there is some overlap between the two classes, 2D techniques tend to focus on image manipulation while 3D techniques usually build virtual worlds in which characters and objects move and interact.
History of Animation :-
J. Staurt Blackton
Some consider him the father of American Animation
Fantasmagorie (1908)
Emilie Cohl :-
· Emilie Cohl draw this animated short in France, but started a second studio in Fort Lee, NJ in 1912 after the huge success the short had in France.
Started to spread his knowledge and style throughout America.
Gertie the Dinosaur (1914)
Comedian Winsor McCay even got to interact with Gertie as the bit became a part of his act
Did several stand-up comedy animations
Felix the Cat (1919)
1 st animated movie star to be merchandised
His animated shorts were called “Feline Follies
Alice’s Wonderland (1923)
Laugh-O-Gram studios in Chicago made this live action film that combine animation and a live action film.
Studio closed down later that year due to bankruptcy, and the owner of the studio moved to California and opened another studio, Walt Disney Studios
Steamboat Willie (1st release- July 29th, 1928 & 2nd release-Nov. 18, 1928)
Disney’s second animated short with Mickey but is 83rd overall
1st well known animated short with synchronized sound
Sound was added for the second release, with the first release being silent
Finding his Voice (1929)
Fleischer Brother’s production, out of New York City, a group that went on to create characters such as Ko-Ko the Clown, Betty Boop, Pop-eye and Superman, to name a few.
1 st Animated short with vocal words matching the mouth
Fleischer Brothers were also the first to do 3D landscape (multiple cels to give the appears of depth)
One of the companies downfalls were that they were very edgy of the 1920’s and 30’s, with overcrowding, sexually suggestive content and frequently nightmarish scene
Flower & Tree (1932)
· 1 st Technicolor animated short
· 1 st animated short to win an academy award
Animated shorts became popular after the introduction of sound, that “talkies” were being produced at an alarming rate by several different places. The biggest fight for popularity came from the Fleischer Brothers, Disney Brothers and the Warner Brothers.
WarnerBrothers :-
· Wanted the spotlight so bad that they would steal animators from Disney to increase the production of the shorts.
· The Warner’s would call their shorts either Merry Melodies, which would be primarily music based, or Looney Tunes (sometimes misspelled to say Toons)
O Characters included Bosko the monkey (1930), Porky Pig (1935), Daffy Duck (1937) and Bugs Bunny (1940)
§ Bugs was originally introduced in 1938 as “Bugs” the Bunny cause he kept bugging Porky on his rabbit hunt, but Warner brothers deny that that is the first appearance of bugs.
§ Also is believed to be the nickname of the first created of the rabbit · The Warner brothers were also big in helping keep spirit high when the US was involved in the war, by helping to sell bond and to make fun of the enemy in World War II.
J. Stuart Backston
The First animated work on standard picture film was Humonorous Phase of Funny Faces (1906) By. J.STUART BACKSTON.It features a cartoonist drawing faces apparently coming life.
The First animated work on standard picture film was Humonorous Phase of Funny Faces (1906) By. J.STUART BACKSTON.It features a cartoonist drawing faces apparently coming life.
Charlies — Emile Reynaud
The history of film animation in the 1890 s with the earliest days of silent films and continues through the present day. The first animated film was created by CHARLES-EMILE REYNAUD, inventor of the praxinoscope , An animation system using loops of 12 pictures.
Types of Animation :
(a) Traditional Animation :-
Photos of the drawings were first drawn on paper.
Each drawing differs slightly from the other to create an illusion of movement.
The drawings are traced or photocopied onto n transparent acetate sheets called cels.
The cels were them filled inn with paints in assigned colors or tones on the side opposite the line drawings.
The Completed character sels are photographed one by one onto motion picture film against a painted background by a rostrum camera.
traditionally animated feature films :-
The Lion King :-
(b) 2D (Two Dimentional) Animation :-
2d Animation figures are created or edited on the computer using 2D bitmap graphics or created and edited using 2D vector graphics.
Tis includes automated computerized version of traditional animation techniques such as of tweeining , morphinig , onion, skinning and interpolated rotoscoping.
The impact of 2D techniques can be as spectacular as the addition of the film character ET to a shot of the moon or as subtle as the removal of the guide wires used to suspend Superman. These techniques contribute a great deal to computer animation by providing the tools used for blending or morphing between images, embedding graphical objects in video footage, or creating abstract patterns from mathematical equations.
Morphing refers to animations where an image or model of one object is metamorphosed into another. In Michael Jackson’s music video Black or White, the animators at Pacic Data Images (www.pdi.com) created morphs between people with strikingly different facial characteristics. This work is remarkable because the faces in the intermediate images appear natural and humanlike. Unfortunately, morphing is labor intensive because the key elements of each image must be specified by hand.
Embedding graphical objects into an existing image allows new elements to be added to a scene. For example, the ghosts in Casper and many of the dinosaurs in Jurassic Park were computer generated and then composited into existing footage (www.lost-world.com). Objects can also be removed from a scene. The bus in Speed ies over a gap in a partially constructed bridge The gap was created by digitally removing a span from footage of an intact bridge. Both the processes of embedding and of removing objects are made more difficult if the camera is moving because the alteration must be consistent with the changing viewpoint.
Mathematical equations are often used to create abstract motion sequences. When the values of the mathematical functions are mapped to color values and varied with time, the motion of the underlying structures can be quite beautiful. Fractals, such as the one shown in Figure 1, are a well-known example of functions that create attractive patterns. Morphing and the generation of abstract images from mathematical equations can be generalized for use in 3D. All of these 2D techniques can be used either on their own to create an animation or as a post-processing step to enhance images generated using other 2D or 3D techniques.
2D animated feature films
(a) 3D (Three Dimentional) Animation :-
Digitally modeled and manipulated by an animator.
Other techniques can be applied such as mathematical functions or fire /water effect and use of motion capture.
To manipulated a mesh , it is given a digital skeletalre that can be used to control the mesh.
Many 3D animation are very believable and re commonly used effect for recent movies.
The 3D animation definition that describes its most common usages is: the process of creating three-dimensional moving images and placing them into a digital environment. These objects are generated in software designed specifically for 3D animation. Such programs allow 3D Animators to create the illusion of movement needed to bring objects to life.
The process of giving movement and life to these objects is divided into three main parts: modeling, layout and animation, and rendering.
Modeling is the stage in which the objects or characters are generated. This can be done either by using a modeling tool or by scanning real objects into a computer. Both techniques are incredibly useful, and offer different benefits. By creating a model completely on your own, using a tool, you have much more control over the entire look of it. Scanning real world objects into your computer, however, saves a lot of time. No matter which method is used, textures must be added to the object or character before moving onto the next stage. Textures allow for a more realistic look, and give the model some personality.
Once the models are completed, they are moved into the layout and animation stage. Here, they are positioned and animated into a particular scene. First, a layout must be determined by creating a set and adding objects into it. Then, the objects and characters must be animated by assigning animation variables. From there, models within the scene can be given life through either keyframing or motion capture.
The final stage, rendering, is where the scene is generated into the finished image. This is done using specific software, as the process of rendering is not something a typical computer could handle. A project can be rendered to favor more realistic results, or can be rendered to apply a particular art style. Either option depends on the project and its requirements, as well as general visual preference.
Each of these stages of the process requires a lot of planning and work. 3D Artists will spend a lot of time on the entire process, ensuring that each model is tailored to their clients’ expectations.
3D animated feature films
Animation Software :-
Maya
Z- Brush
Blender
Maya :-
Maya is a 3D computer Graphic Application which is used in the development of video games, 3D applications, animated films, TV series, and any visual effects. This software can create heavy models, which help us give Ultra 3D effects that create a realistic view at the user end.
The complete name is Autodesk Maya, but it is shortened to “Maya”. This software was previously created by “Alias Systems Corporation”, but Autodesk took all rights under its name. It runs on Windows, MAC OS, and Linux as well.
What can you do with Maya?
It is usually used in the Film industry to create animated movies and cartoons and give special effects to any video. This software gives us a wide variety of scope to create live models that give actual live 3D effects. A candidate who learns this software can make games that are now a trend in the market of playing new games. Also, he can play the role of the cameraman in any kind of short movie, TV serials, movies and advertisements.
The ability to create amazing designs with 3D modeling software like Autodesk Maya can be a great benefit for any graphic designer. Autodesk Maya enables to create photo illustrations and mockups that attract clients. Autodesk’s 3d animation software Maya is simply one of the best versatile and popular software available which you can by through Autodesk reseller in India. Autodesk Maya is an impressive animation software developed by Autodesk that can be used to create almost anything you can imagine. It plays an important role in the 3d visualization and media & entertainment industry. When it comes to high-end 3d computer graphics and 3d modeling software program package, Autodesk Maya is one of application which is considered. With its advanced tools and high-end plugins, Maya software is capable of creating some incredibly impressive 3D Art. Maya provides high-end character and effects toolsets along with increased productivity for modeling, texturing, and shader creation tasks.
ZBrush :-
ZBrush is the most advanced 3D sculpting program out there. What separates it from other 3D tools is that Z-Brush mimics traditional sculpting techniques all done digitally on a computer.
Sculpting in Z-Brush is akin to working with a digital ball of clay, shaping it as if you were working by hand.
The sculpting tools from Z-Brush allow a wide degree of creative freedom. Not only can artists create more organic and detailed models using Z-Brush, they can often arrive at the finished product much faster than with other programs like Maya or 3ds Max.
Developed by Pixologic, Inc., Z-Brush was first presented in 1999 and officially released for PC and Mac in 2009.
Today it is recognized as the most advanced 3D sculpting software on the market. With a large toolset and a wide variety of applications, it’s easy to see why Z-Brush has become such a success.
ZBrush is primarily a tool for sculpting high-resolution 3D models.
Before tools like ZBrush came along, artists had to painstakingly create detailed objects using complex software and methods that made the task cumbersome, maybe even impossible.
With ZBrush artists were introduced to sculpting using a paradigm borrowed from traditional sculpting: a ball of clay.
Inside ZBrush artists can pull, push, squash, scrape, or otherwise manipulate the digital clay just like they were working with the real thing.
The earliest versions of Z-Brush came with 30 brush tools that allowed for a variety of different processes and more control. Using these brushes an artist can sculpt a digital version of almost anything they desire.
Blender :-
Blender is an open source 3D creation suite that supports the 3D animation, simulation, video editing, and game creation.
With Blender, you can create 3D visualizations such as still images, 3D animations and VFX shots. You can also edit videos. It is well suited to individuals and small studios who benefit from its unified pipeline and responsive development process
Who Uses Blender ?
Blender is used for multiple projects of digital computer graphics such as animation, video editing, effects, gaming making, game models making, creative VFX making, image illustration, 3D model printing and many more. It’s a single solution of all such projects in the market, and many MNC’s adopted and are using blender as a primary software for animation and gaming. It contains all tool and features from start to end solution for creating the ultimate unique work for the projects.
Tools of Blender :-
Modeling :-
It is the basis for creating game environments, and animation characters and probes models are designed using the combinations of points, lines and polygons, and their shapes to get the nearest shape of the design and brushes are used to deposit material in required using different deposition quality. Modifiers are automatic operations that affect the object in a dissenting way of editing. We can perform curving, smoothing, and many other effective surface-related edits to blend our model. UV Unwrapping is a must for modeling through which we can apply textures to our models. Texturing can be done using Photoshop or also even UV sculpt to add colors to the models.
Animation
It is a process of adding motions to character with the help of keys; nonlinear animation can be easy, automatic walk cycles can be set, character animation editor is available where we can instantly see the animation on rendered screen with fast rigging options. Mirror functionality easy painting, Skeleton and automatic skinning options, bone and spin making and movements can be interpolated easily.
Rendering :-
Rendering is the process of turning a 3D scene into a 2D image. Blender includes three render engines with different strengths: Eevee is a physically based realtime renderer. Cycles is a physically based path tracer. Workbench is designed for layout, modeling and previews.
References:-
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_animation
https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Blender_3D:_Noob_to_Pro/Quickie_Render
https://learn.toonboom.com/modules/animation-techniques/topic/traditional-animation
https://dreamfarmstudios.com/blog/what-is-2d-animation/ https://unity.com/solutions/what-is-3d-animation https://pixologic.com/
https://www.autodesk.in/products/maya/overview?term=1-YEAR&tab=subscription https://www.blender.org/
Published by :
Mr. Smit Kachhadiya (+91 9429017224)
Email : srkachhadiya1411@gmail.com
