I am lucky enough to work with some insanely talented upcoming 2D and 3D artists. Seeing what they do and observing their thought process inspired me to come up with this entry.
Growing up, my favorite thing to do was watch cartoons. Still is. Scooby doo my favorite, looney toons, the old cartoon network shows. It was all for entertainment at first obviously, but later I came to be utterly intrigued by how they were created and as if the universe heard my cry of curiosity, I began working with animation artists.
I think of cartoons as a different world. A world with its own laws, inhabitants and its own creators (human beings).
Like everything else, there is a method to the madness.
- [dropcap]Story[/dropcap]-line. The “When, Where, What, Who and How”. It is the most mentally involving and maybe the only one that happens throughout the production process.Changing this, adding that, getting rid of those. Etc. Once step one is done perfectly, everything else becomes a walk in the park.
- [dropcap]Design[/dropcap] the characters and environment then put them together. From a short 1-2 minutes trailer (the one above), this took many days. It usually depends on the complexity of what is aimed for at the end. The longer you intend your film to be, the longer this step will take.
- [dropcap]Sound[/dropcap] was introduced in animation by cartoonist legend, Walt Disney when Walt Disney studios produced SteamBoat Willie with a synchronized soundtrack in 1928. Since then, there are no more limits on sound in animation. Voice overs, background music, sounds from objects, etc. For instance, there are countless music and sound libraries on the internet used as the source for sound in animation. This has even become an industry on its own.
SteamBoat Willie
These are vague explanations on the steps that go on behind the scenes in creating animation/ cartoons.
I think this is probably the most creative field out there and the best part is that it is controlled by a person’s imagination. Meaning no rules or limits. It is also the fastest growing industry.
Technical details coming soon… Look out for the next article.
Animation Evolution
Till the next time. Xoxo
