This project focuses on adapting to the animation basic techniques that students must apply in order to produce a more emphasized, high quality animation later in the year, and also become more flexible in order to show individual styles/interest through the projects. We were introduced to new applications such as DSLR Cameras, Tascam Audio Recorders, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Animate, Adobe Premiere Pro, Adobe After Effects, Adobe Audition, Avid Pro Tools, WordPress, and Google Apps.
Poem Photo/Recording
For this assignment, we were challenged to take our Free Verse and Ekphrastic poem and use Adobe Photoshop as well as Procreate in order to create an image and voice recording/sound effects that allows us to convey a stronger message in the poems.
From this production, I focused on how I can emphasize the words of my poem, so I valued mainly on the visual symbolisms and the calming sound effects and music to represent my tone; solitariness and nostalgia.
Haiku Poem
In this project, we were assigned to write a haiku poem based on the conceptual statement that we received, and choose a background image that represents the poem. Then, we were asked to put the poem into a video using Premiere Pro with our narratives and sound effects.
From this project, I learned to use Premiere Pro in order to visually demonstrate the poem and deliver the message as strong as possible, which I want to incorporate what I learned from this project later on in the year for other assignments as well.
Elements & Principles of Art
In this project, we were assigned to further study on the different elements and principles of art, where we took famous artworks from various artists to show the techniques and elements used in the art piece and make it into a single slide show.
Animation
In this unit, we were challenged to learn the basic skills and fundamental techniques of animation, where we experimented with individual projects such as Zoetropes, Phenakistoscope wheels, Flip books, as well as direct techniques. We also did a group project, Exquisite Corpse.
Zoetrope Strip- We were assigned to show our fundamental skill of motion by drawing a walk/movement cycle on strips of paper, and then record the final product on our cameras.
In this project, we used a zoetrope spinning device in order to record on camera. The cylindrical object in the picture is the spinning device, and we set the camera into the frames( windows) on the device to record the loop. We place our zoetrope strip into the device, aligning each frames with the windows of the device. Then, we spin the device for the loop effect.
Exquisite Corpse- In this project, we were assigned of a key frame with a simple geometric shape, and the goal was for each student to draw clips of animations for two of the assigned key frames. As for the final product, we put all of the students’ clips together into a short animation video.
Flip Book Video- In this project, we were asked to draw about 120 frames for the flip book, where we use simple shapes in order to express certain emotions/themes. My theme was the ” overwhelmingness”, or a flood of many emotions mixed together.
Direct Technique- This was one of the major projects we had in this unit, where we chose two direct techniques and apply it to create two short animation clips. This project helped to better understand and practice the basic skills required to animate something. I chose white board and charcoal.
Phenakistoscope Wheels- In this project, we were assigned to section a circle paper into 16 frames, and draw motions that eventually will loop when digitized. Similar to Zoetropes, this project helps us learn the basic movements for animation.
Reflection:
Throughout the first unit, I learned of not only the standard and basic skills of animation, but also helped me to discover what I was good at and also lacked of, in terms of knowledge and techniques. It also helped me find what kind of style I was interested in and wanted to continue with later on in the year.