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Art3780

Art & Motion

 

ART & MOTION

 

Instructor: Jim Ovelmen

Office: FA227

Office Hours: listed here

Class Day/Time: TUESDAYS 11am-3:20pm

Prerequisites: Art 2800

Course Fee: None

Tel: 213-323-4033
Email: jovelme@calstatela.edu, jim@jimovelmen.com

     
 

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.

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.



 

GRADING and ASSIGNMENTS

Attendance/Participation %15

Artist Report/Museum Visit %5

Project#1 %20

Project #2 %25

Project #3 %35

Missing more than 5 classes, consecutively or not, is an AUTOMATIC FAILURE.

PREREQUISITES

ART 2800

(login CSULA account first)

UNIVERSITY POLICY


Information on student rights and responsibilities, academic honesty, standards of conduct, etc., can be found in Schedule of Classes (http://www.calstatela.edu/classschedule/) under Policies and Procedures.

 

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)


Reasonable accommodation will be provided to any student who is registered with the Office of Students with Disabilities and requests needed accommodation.

Any student with any learning disabilities (i.e., reading, speaking, and/or writing impediments) that might affect his/her performance in this class is encouraged to notify me in writing at the beginning of the SEMESTER identifying the specific nature of such disability.

dropbox instructions

Maya Tutorials on LYNDA.COM

 

 

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

 

 

 

    REQUIRED SUPPLIES

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)

 

   
  COURSE OUTLINE
Thurs, Jan 24

 

intro:

Professor Jim Ovelmen:

Ovelmen video bio

Ovelmen at Klasky Csupo

Ovelmen on VIMEO

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

 

Thurs, Jan 31

glass-shooter

Continue practice

form 2 or 3 groups

(in class) glass down-shooter practice

begin project#1

THE WILD ALTERCATION due beginning of week7

(20% of grade)

 

-past student work video

-past student work images(login to CSULA account first)

Spring 16, Winter 16, Spring 17

 

 

 

 
 

 

 

Terry Gilliam, Monty Python Animations

 

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

 

   
 

Thurs, Feb 7 (visting faculty attends)

 

continue work on project#1

down-shooters

After Effects Demonstration

Using Camera in After Effects (basic)

After Effects Keyboard Shortcuts

 

 

 

 

 

 
 

Co-operation Creed

Research Assignment

 

 

 
 

Thurs, Feb 14

 

 

down-shooters

continue work on project#1

 

 

 

 

 

 
 

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

 

 

 

     
 

Thurs, Feb 21

 

down-shooters

continue work on project #1

Research Assignment

     
 

Thurs, Feb 28

 

down-shooters

continue work on project #1

 
 

 

 

Research Assignment

set-shooter

 

     
 

Thurs, Mar 7

project #1 is due

begin project #2 Pixilization Liberation due beginning of week10

(25% of grade)

-past student work (login to CSULA account first)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Research Assignment

 

   
 

Thurs, Mar 14 (visting faculty attends)

 

 

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

 

 

 
 

Thurs, Mar 21

 

 

 

 

 

 
 

 

 

Research Assignment

 

   
 

Thurs, Mar 28

 

Present Project#2, Pixelization

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

 

Begin Project #3, due Final's Day

"Psychedelic Musical"(35% of grade)

-past student work (login to CSULA account first)

click for project rules

click for project content

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

making flying things

motion blur

using video reference

Alfonso Estrada, lighting

NO CLASS NEXT WEEK April 4th

 


 

 

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

using video reference

Alfonso Estrada, lighting

Allison Shchulnik

mound

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

 

Thurs, April 11

continue to work on Project#3

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

Thurs, April 18

 

continue to work on Project#3

 


 

 

 

 

Thurs, April 25

 

continue to work on Project#3

 

 

 

 

Thurs, May 2

 

continue to work on Project#3

 

 

 

Thurs, May 9

 

 

continue to work on Project#3

 


 

WEEK 16 - FINALS DAY

Thursday, May 16, 7:30pm-9:30pm, FA 225

*time is determined by University Requirements, if class enrollment is full, time may go over with presentations.

Present FINAL PROJECT PRESENTATION

Project #3 is due

 
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). 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 4 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

*Level of Challenge

*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

Attendance/Participation %15

Artist Report/Museum Visit %5

Project#1 %20

Project #2 %25

Project #3 %35

 

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 BEGINNING OF CLASS.