First off, I draw every day. What I’m looking for now is a way to perform simple pencil tests to see my drawings in sequence – animate. I grew up wondering what I could do with my art and finally got that “aha” moment last year when I saw Ratatouille. It was the Lasseter-esque realization that animation was a legitimate job!
After a bit of research I feel swamped with options, so to anyone who animates or has animated traditionally (not sure if I’m ready for 3-D, plus I need some groundwork), how can I get a good pencil test without spending a ton of money on materials? I have a regular video camera, editing software, and two average scanner/printers.
There’s digital. I can scan papers into the computer and sequence them on Plastic Animation Paper (free download) rather than buy ToonBoom or Flipbook. I heard that you have to attatch a peg bar to the scanner and the scanner has to be at least 11 by 17, $150 minimum. See CaptGeorge’s post on filming animation at Animation Show Forums
Then there’s film. I can’t afford any 16 mm camera, and I don’t want to make a short film anyway. The Lunchbox is supposedly a great pencil test converter, cost unknown, and Tapptoons is a free pencil testing site that lets you import scans, video, or digitally draw into the program.
Plastic Animation Paper looks like a cheap and interesting way to do it. I’d need a Wacom tablet, preferably a large, expensive one. Does anyone animate this way with a drawing tablet? Is it preferable to filming?
Excluding PAP, every application requires basic animation materials like animation paper, pegs, a light table and a decent scanner. I don’t know where to start except by making a huge investment when all I want is to see my drawings in motion! Please reply; I’m open to any suggestions. Thanks!
Well, I don’t animate and don’t have a real interest in doing so as a job (but animation isn’t the only job at Pixar ), but I do know the basics. And animating with a Wacom tablet is a great way to do it.
It is much easier and cheaper to keep things digitally, and you can draw new frames easily by reducing the opacity of the frame before the one you are drawing, then drawing the new frame (similar to a lightbox). Plus, there are many great vector-based programs (Flash and the like) that will help speed up the process of traditional frame-by-frame animation through motion tweens. And copying is obviously much easier when done digitally.
That said, drawing on paper is probably a bit quicker for just pencil tests, if only because you are just quickly sketching the frames rather than actually creating a final project.
So here’s what I would suggest:
Storyboard on pencil/paper
Draw a couple of rough tests with pencil/paper in sort of a flipbook fashion
Scan some of the frames from step 2 into the computer then rework with the Wacom
That should get you a desirable result cheaply (approx. $300, depending on the size of your Wacom. If you do get one, be sure to buy off of Amazon. They have huge discounts on Wacom tablets). [spoil]As for software, I would recommend Flash because of it’s ease of use even for beginners and it’s reliance on vector graphics which are easier to work with. Plus, you can output it to a format that is compatible with most computers.[/spoil]
My two cents. This is all coming from the guy who wants to work in software engineering/programming, so I’m sure I got some things wrong Best of luck!
Edit: Actually, Plastic Animation Paper looks like a great way to animate. I’d go with that and a Wacom.
Once upon a time there was a magical program called Mirage, made by Bauhaus Software. For unknown reason (or at least unknown to me) they stopped making the program. My thoughts are they went out of business. It’s a dirty shame because it’s the best 2D animation software I’ve ever used. Better even than flash for that authentic pencil and paper look. If you can find a copy anywhere, buy it! it may not be cost efficient, but it’s well worth it.
Cool, I’ve got to look into these programs. I’ve got the cruddiest one, (whose name escapes me - it’s on the lappy) and I’ve always wanted to figure out how to line up the pictures easily … I’m starting with 2-D before I even dream of doing 3-D - had a program for it before, but it wasn’t the best. I forget it’s name.
I own a [non-Wacom] 9x12 inch tablet, and I must say that having the tablet be as big as my primary monitor is a BIG plus. I used to use my mom’s 6x8 and there’s barely any comparison between the two. Just consider for a moment how much easier it is the trace large pictures (that you’ve hand-drawn on paper or otherwise) with a larger tablet. You’re not just paying for extra surface area, you’re also paying for the larger tablet’s ability to pick up on fine movements of the hand (due to scale) and the ability to draw on a more true-to-life scale.
i used flash. it’s pretty good, has this onion-skinning option which allows you to see the previous frame.
not to mention, a lot of companies are starting to use it as professional software (think cartoon network, and tv series)
plus, it’s always handy to be able to use if, especially if you want a site to pimp yourself!
If you mean actively doing animation for money, then yeah, I’m sure there are. I’ve had a few jobs already, both with 2D and 3D. Nothing spectacular, but I am actively freelancing. School and not having a lot of experience are probably the main things keeping me from more work.
Warning:
When you do get out there expect a lot of people to write you off because your new at the business. They either don’t want you, or want to use your work for free because “it’s good experience”. Always always have a personal contract before you take a job. Verbal agreements means zip, nada, squat. Work is work is work. If you do it, you should get paid for it.
), but I do know the basics. And animating with a Wacom tablet is a great way to do it.
Best of luck!
I’ve got the cruddiest one, (whose name escapes me - it’s on the lappy) and I’ve always wanted to figure out how to line up the pictures easily … I’m starting with 2-D before I even dream of doing 3-D - had a program for it before, but it wasn’t the best. 
I forget it’s name.