ART 378 Art & Motion

WINTER 2015

CSULA

Professor Jim Ovelmen

jim@jimovelmen.com

jovelme@calstatela.edu

 

 

 

LAB HOURS (for working labs outside of class)

 

 

CAL icon for all DUE DATES

PINK icon for all assignment formatting

TRICOLOR icon to return to ovelmen syllabi

Department of Public Safety/Security 323-343-3700

OfficeFA 227,Office Hours (see syllabi page), PhoneExt. 3-4033, Course Length10 weeks + finals day, Meeting TimeTuesdays 4:20am-9:30pm,Class LocationFA 225, Term/YearFALL 2015

*if you would like to meet with me during my Office Hours, Please make an Appointment in the Art Office
 
 

COURSE DESCRIPTION

Animation is the artistic, not the scientific, expression of motion. Students will develop strengths in imagination and visual development with a variety of approaches toward animated artwork and creative composition. Student will focus on the essence of time and spacial relationships. Using physical animation techniques like stop-motion, as well as digital and non-linear animation and compositing tools, student are allowed to explore, yet must complete and present assigned projects. Critical and creative skills are used to expand knowledge and practice when working in groups as well as individually. This course puts theory into practice by focusing on projects as both an individual artist, and as a group collaborator, similar to that of a professional animation studio.

PREREQUISITES: Art 280

INSTRUCTIONAL METHODS

(1) Overview of artistic timing and pacing of animated elements.
(2) Demonstration of creative application of different animation materials and visual choices.
(3) Examination and practice a variety of animated content, from stop-motion and analog animation, to digital techniques and compositing.
(4) Development of critical and creative techniques in expressing the essentials of color, form, space; composition completely within the language of animation and timing.
(5) Execution of projects that give the principles of animated form and visual expression through a diversity of animation techniques.
(6) Presentation of an arrayed environment of visual elements, timing, principles of basic animation such as anticipation, overlap and exaggeration in animation.

STUDENT OUTCOMES
(1) Demonstrate a heterogeneous array of animation methods and techniques, appropriate for creating expressive animation.
(2) Remain informed on materials, textures, and properties of both physical and digital animation supplies.
(3) Practice and research mixed-media combinations in order to create animations.
(4) Appreciate and demonstrate an understanding of creative timing, and distinguish the difference between mechanical and motivated/creative timing.
(5) Produce animations that involve both organic and automatic image sources and materials.
(6) Become a distinguished thinker and chooser of content, and be informed and critical about the nature, meaning, and message of the animation that they create.
(7) Become experienced with working with a group of artistic and conceptual collaborators.


 
STUDENT RESOURCES
 

SUGGESTED TEXTS

Halas, John, Sito, Tom and Harold Whitaker. Timing for Animation, Second Edition
Focal Press, 2009.

Shaw, Suzannah. Stop Motion: Craft Skills for Model Animation, Second Edition (Focal Press Visual Effects and Animation)
Focal Press, 2008.

Furniss, Maureen, The Animation Bible: A Practical Guide to the Art of Animating
from Flipbooks to Flash, Abrams, 2008

Furniss, Maureen. Art in Motion, Revised Edition: Animation Aesthetics
Indiana University Press, 2008.

Maestri, George. Digital Character Animation 2, Volume I: Essential Techniques
New Riders Press, 1999.

Taylor, Angie Design Essentials for the Motion Media Artist: A Practical Guide to
Principles & Techniques
, Focal Press 2010.

Faber, Liz and Helen Walters. Animation Unlimited: Innovative Short Films Since 1940 Harper Design, 2004

McCloud, Scott. Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art . William Morrow Press, 1994.

Kindem, Gorham. The Animator's Survival Kit, Expanded Edition: A Manual of
Methods, Principles and Formulas for Classical, Computer, Games, Stop Motion
And Internet Animators
, Faber & Faber; Second Edition, 2009

Mattessi, Mike. Force: Dynamic Life Drawing for Animators, Second Edition
Focal Press, 2006

White, Tony Animation from Pencils to Pixels: Classical Techniques for
the Digital Animator
Focal Press, 2006

Laybourne, Kit. The Animation Book: A Complete Guide to Animated Filmmaking-
-From Flip-Books to Sound Cartoons to 3- D Animation
Three Rivers Press, 1998

Harryhausen, Ray and Tony Dalton A Century of Stop-Motion Animation: From Melies to Aardman, Watson-Guptill 2008

Curtis, Brian Drawing from Observation: An Introduction to Perceptual Drawing
McGraw-Hill,2nd edition, 2009

Stewart, Mary Launching the Imagination
McGraw-Hill,4 edition, 2011


   

technical

STOP MOTION

Dragonframe

Dragonframe, tutorials, tutorials2, website

AFTER EFFECTS

Short-form tutorials VideoCopilot tutorials

ART MATERIALS

Blick

Pearl

Stats (decor)

cerebral

FILM FORUM

this week

website

brown paper tickets

MOCA

website

LACMA

website

REDCAT schedule , website

SUNDANCE

website

ANN ARBOR FILM FESTIVAL

website

INDEPENDENT ANIMATION

independent short work

lists of artist

ONLINE ART/ANIMATION

beautiful decay

vimeo

design boom

youtube

UK animation

CalArts Experimental Anim

short of the week

Erick Oh

animation world network

 
     
REQUIRED SUPPLIES
     

DICK BLICK 44 South Raymond Avenue Pasadena, CA 91105
(626) 795-4985

scissors, item: 57037-1005

19"x25" Black Canson Art Paper (50 sheets) item: 11273-2002

fadeless Art Paper, (Apple Green) 24"x12 feet (roll) item:12915-7172

white foamboard, Pkg of 12, 16" × 20", item: 13202-9006

white artist tape, 3/4" item: 24124-1034

Polymer Clay, assorted colors (Staedtler Fimo)

exacto knife, item: 57409-0000

white glue

cutting matte, 8½" × 12", item: 57522-7512

Portfolio (red wallet), 20" × 26", item: 15105-1001

Acetate bags, 10-pack, 14" × 16", item: 16969-1004

zipper bag, 12" × 16", item: 16974-2016

14"x17" Strathmoore 100-st Sketchpad (about $12)

9"x12" Canson Field Sketchbook (about $13)

Prismacolor box of 12 colored pencils ($12)

Plastic Art Box 12x5x6" (about $5)

at the STUDENT BOOKSTORE or OfficeMax, etc.

4 Gig Flash Drive

100-200 Gig External Drive

5x8 Blank Index Cards, 100-pk (about $6 each) (2-packs)

 

 

GRADING

 
                                                     
COURSE OUTLINE (SUBJECT TO CHANGE)

Friday, Jan 9th

intro:

Professor Jim Ovelmen: Jim Ovelmen video Bio

CSULA animation program: video

Stopmotion Animation at CSULA: video

Co-operation Creed

glass-shooter

form 2 or 3 groups

(in class) glass down-shooter practice

 

 

 

 

Lotte Rienger

Adventures of Prince Achmed, full

Anthony Lucas

Mysterious Geographic Explorations of Jasper Morello

Trim

Andy Kennedy

Accumulonimbus

Allison Shchulnik

mound

David Lee

Experimental Japan

Digital Analogue

Igor Skaletsky and a drummer Evgeniy Labich

Piece

Atyp & Si Begg

Permission to Explode

La Cena

Research Assignment

 

                                                   
 

Friday, Jan 16th

glass-shooter

begin project#1 THE WILD ALTERCATION (20% of grade) due beginning of week4

In "THE WILD ALTERCATION" You may artistically interpret this phrase, and come up with your own approaches and ideas to drive your animation.

There should be some kind of conflict, problem, dramatic event, or situation that is presented, or solved in the artwork, animation or the (implied) story.

You may also leave any kind of conflict unresolved.

Do not think LITERALLY, think ARTISTICALLY about the concept of altercation. You may decide to use abstract shapes, and or use dramatic lighting to make this effective.

You should aim for at least ONE MINUTE of animation. You will have the ability later to digitally edit your work.

Here are your production guidelines:

-Using a table, your teammates will place all of their cutout 2D artwork that they have gathered (about 10 pieces per student)

-You will discuss with each other a strategy for animation, and for your team idea.

-You may choose a director or directors in your group. You may choose a cinematographer, lighter, animators, and digital post production people. You must work as a team and with the best efficiency, while maximizing your individual strengths.

-You are expected to work the entire class time (not including break) on your animation. You will also work during the Week 3 class on project#1.

-No paper story board is necessary, but you're expected to use the classroom whiteboard, card supplies, brainstorming ideas, concepts, and team strategy.

-Keep story ideas simple, indeed there need not be a true narrative in your project.

-Project #1 student work sample from 2013

 

 

These are the final requirements of Project #1:

-your team must create about at least a one minute animation

- make good use of lighting, focus, and cinematography elements

-your animation must be artistically and visually engaging, and technically well exposed.

-your team must export a final animation as a HD quick time movie and present to class

-sound is not required but is encouraged.

-Project #1 is due beginning of class, Week 4

 

Research Assignment

 

                                                     
 

Friday, Jan 23rd

 

glass-shooter

After Effects Demonstration

Using Camera in After Effects (basic)

After Effects Keyboard Shortcuts

continue work on project#1

 
     

 

Co-operation Creed

Research Assignment

 

 

 

 

             
 

Friday, Jan 30th

project #1 is due

-groups present Project#1

set-shooter

begin project #2 "Psychedelic Musical"(50% of grade)

Progress Review beginning of class week10

Final Presentation beginning of class week11 (Finals Day)

click for project rules

click for project content

TUTORIALS: (you don'thave to uses characters/figures, but if you do):

making flying things

motion blur

using video reference

Alfonso Estrada, lighting

 

 
 

Artist's Wildly different approaches in stop-motion, the medium is the message.

Allison Shulnik, stop-motion blog Dragonframe

Media Artists (via Joshua Mosley):

Joshua Mosely (Dread), (Cow to Pascal, Rousseau and Dread)

William Kentridge (Automatic Writing)

Kentridge PBS documentary

MUTO by Blu

Tripping on ideas of "Musical"

South Park Movie

Bollywood: Maiya Yashoda, Dola Re Dola, Maar Dala, Munni Badnaam, Hunka Peeni hai

West Side Story

Book of Mormon

Grocery Musical

Horror/Zombie Musical

Thriller, Cannibal the Musical, Max Barskih, Rocky Horror

Baby Snakes

Research Assignment

 

 

 

Friday, Feb 6th

set-shooter

continue work on project #2

Research Assignment

                                                     
 

Friday, Feb 13th

set-shooter

continue work on project #2

 

 
 

 

 

Research Assignment

                                                       
 

Friday, Feb 20th

set-shooter

continue work on project #2

Research Assignment

 

 
 

 

 

 

                                                       
 

Friday, Feb 27th

set-shooter

continue work on project #2

After Effects

 

 


 

Research Assignment

Stopmo shorts

head over heels, head over heels

scintellation, the shrine, out of a forest, much better now, something left

the deep end, fresh guacamole, street of crocodiles, dimensions of dialog, darkness light, mary and max, clip2, trailer

 

 

 
                                                       
 

Friday, March 6th

 

 

 

 
 

 

Research Assignment

 

 
 

Friday, March 13th

progress presentation of Project#2

A presentation of project #2 is to be given by all groups to receive feedback, style, editing, and technique.

This feedback is to be used to improve work with time to make revisions. The most thorough presentation should be given to allow the best feedback. Your 10% of your grade (for The Final Presentation) will be measured upon how your team utilized the feedback given to you today.

continue to work on project #2

 

 


 

FINALS WEEK (week 11)

Present FINAL PROJECT Project #2 is due on FINALS DAY:

FRIDAY, March 20, at 10:00am

 
 
GRADING  

ASSESSMENT PROCEDURES


ATTENDANCE

Attendance is mandatory. Any absences not excused by a note from a doctor or a dean will negatively affect your participation grade (see participation below). I will take roll during every class. If you have an illness or family emergency that prevents you from attending class, you need to contact me as soon as possible (e-mail is usually the surest way). If you are late for class, it is your responsibility to make sure I don't have you recorded as absent. If you miss a class for any reason, whether excused or unexcused, it is your responsibility to contact someone from class to find out what you missed (do this before the next class meeting). You are also responsible for getting copies of any handout that was given out in your absence. After your second unexcused absence, any additional absence will knock 30 points off of your final grade (see Grade Scale below for the points scale for this class).


PARTICIPATION

Your participation will be evaluated using the following criteria:


-Doing the reading assignments before we discuss them.
-Active participation in all small-group work.
-Speaking in class discussions.
-Listening (in the active sense).
Your participation grade will be negatively affected by any of the following (this is a short list):
-Leaving on your electronic devices. All laptops, cell phones, pagers, and other electronic devices should be turned off and put away during class. This includes earphones and earpieces.
-Coming to class late and/or leaving class early.
-Failure to do the homework on time.
-Absences.
-Talking about non-course-related subjects during group activities.
- Talking during video screenings and/or while someone else has the floor.

CLASS POLICIES

Missing even one class is enough to put you significantly behind. Regular class attendance in mandatory. Class attendance is also part of your class participation grade. Arriving on time is equally important. You would be fired in a job you do not show up. The expectation here is similar. You will be considered absent one class period for every two tardies. (more than five minutes late)

Missing 3 classes, consecutively or not) is an AUTOMATIC FAILURE for the class.

Expect to spend from three to six hours a week on your working outside of class. Lab hours will be available and posted by the end of the first week.

Students are responsible for any material missed due to tardiness or absence. Readings, and assignments, and projects are expected at the beginning of class on their due dates.

Late submissions will be lowered one grade per class day late.

student may be able to re-submit any assignment for an improvement grade. The policies are specific to each assignment. Check specific project descriptions for more details.

 
 

 

METHOD OF EVALUATION

Homework assignments will be given points based on accurate completion of assigned readings, assignments and tutorials.

The Midterm and the Final project will graded based on these criteria:

*Quality of Movement/Timing

*Visual Appeal

*Technical Effectiveness

*Originality/Creativity

Each given an equal weight of 20%, to compose your grade for each project

It is, of course, the responsibility of each to ensure his/her work in completed an handed in on due dates (see below)

Critical review of your work will provide the source most assessments. Participation grade includes the extent and quality of the participation in the critiques, presentation of projects and positive interaction with classmates and professional approach toward the class. Students requiring any kind of special assistance should speak with the instructor at their earliest


ASSIGNMENTS

Participation % 20

Artist Report/Museum Visit %10

Project#1 %20

Project #2 %50

 

GRADE SCALE: A 90%-100%B 80%-89%C 70%-79%D 60%-69%F Below 60%

MAKE UP WORK

Late assignments, or absences due only to emergency or illness may be granted leniency only per the instructor's discretion.

Extra Credit:

Students may be able to re-submit any assignment for an improvement points as long as that assignment was turned in the original due date. The policies are specific to each assignment. Check specific project descriptions for more details.

Other opportunities for extra credit are possible involving visiting related exhibits, films, museums, specific research, attending relevant shows or conferences, or related study, etc. Such points are limited and per the instructor's discretion

 

 
                                                       
                             
                     

 

ALL ASSIGMENTS ARE DUE AT THE BEGIINING OF CLASS. CLICK THE CALENDAR BELOW FOR ALL DUE DATES