When we were young we grew up with these cartoons. We watch them mostly for entertainment but when we were young we really didn’t think about how they were made. If you are reading this then you are curious about how these cartoons were made.
The Fun Part: Importance of Learning the Fundamentals
Most people don’t like starting out. We have the urge to just be good at something but we can’t really automatically do that. Now the basics are the key to everything we do.
What You Need: Basic Animation Tools and Materials
Getting started with animation you don’t need the most expensive items. Your phone will do just fine if you are comfortable with drawing on that phone. You can even just draw in a sketchbook. You won’t be able to really see your animation come to life by drawing in a sketchbook but you can definitely practice getting down the practice of drawing the same thing just a tiny bit different each time. Now if you really want to invest into animation I would recommend starting with a tablet that is compatible with a pencil. Then you download apps like roughanimater or flipaclip. I have used these programs myself and they aren’t too bad to help you get started!
I Like To Move It! : Understanding Movement and Timing
Timing in animation is key! You want to express the difference between someone going slow or fast. The difference between a gun being fired or a feather falling. All these have different timing and it’s good to realize that. Movement between someone walking and jogging all depends on what you draw in between the drawings. How many frames you draw in between each motion is important because it brings the animation together
It’s About The People: Character Design and Animation
Character designs. This is up to you and how confident you feel about drawing that character many times. To start off I will draw a simple character that is not too hard to draw and just work on the animation process. Stick figures are easy but when you practice more I would suggest using a charter so you can learn the body movement of the clothes and facial expression while animating.
Once Upon A Time: Creating a Storyboard
Storyboarding is considered one the most hardest animation jobs. This skill requires you to draw out the scene and how it would lead to the next scene. As a beginner I feel like you shouldn’t focus on the drawings themselves but how each and every scene is laid out. Draw your story with simple stick figures just to get the story done.
What’s That I hear? : Sound Design in Animation
In the beginning sound isn’t too important so I wont get too much into it. Creating your own sounds for your animation solely depends on the animation itself. You will definitely need to get created. For now I would suggest finding a free sound that you could practice animating too.
Practice Doesn’t Make Perfect, But Helps You Improve!
Practice is important and many others will agree with me. Once you learn these basics, learn how to put them all together. That final piece will show how far you have grown. Putting it all together will also show you what you really need to work on.
The End Or Is It?
Now this might seem like a lot of information, it’s necessary for you to learn more about anything you are trying to learn. Once you learn to teach something then consider yourself a master. Learn these things thinking that you will teach them. This will help carry the information with you. Though it’s hard getting started, feel free to take courses on many platforms that offer them. You are your biggest motivation.