What’s a reversal in animation?

Reversal in Animation

In most cases, people get puzzled when they hear a new word in their profession. In many instances, some newbies in animation have always marveled at how some terms seemed dangerous in the field. Hence, in this article, we are going to learn what’s a reversal in animation and help you get to know it and perform it. Caution it doesn’t mean getting pork instead of cucumbers.

In animation, a reversal generally refers to an arc or line of action through the body mirroring into its “opposite” shape. Mostly in body forms when performing chores or making any movement that requires you to change your position and form to the exact opposite.

To demonstrate this in real life and apply it to a drawing, check the example of lifting a luggage box from the floor, the body will bend in successive moves which you will require to capture in your animation, hence the idea of a reversal so as to reveal the power and immensely help the animators learn the working mechanics of the body of their subjects.

When a subject is lifting that luggage box you will need to capture each move in an arc so that the work is smooth and clear. The first step the subject will do is allow the box’s weight to fall on their tummy and most likely later onto the waist and that will make them shove down. This forces the shoulders to relax and come down a little then the weight will rest onto his legs as the spine bends and that makes the subject stable as the hips projects forwards and they will not fall down.

In this simple successive explanation, now you can try other reversals like greetings, picking stones, or stretching hands out.

It’s important to note that it will be improper to jump into making a reversal without visualizing how it goes and recoils or observing real-life situations.

Key Things You Need To Succeed As An Animator

Succeed As an Animator

When you are new to any game, you need to learn the rules of the game and play it right. Similarly, when one is new in the animation world, there are also several laws that one has to learn in order to ensure that he/she fits properly in that field. Also, this entails the aspect of trying something new each time, improving your skills, and knowing your people. Below are some of the key things that will help you become a successful animator:

Master your craft:

This means understanding your work very well. If you take it as a joke then it will not play well with you. Animation as a career demands a lot more than just being born talented; it’s good if you always try to improve your skills. That will make you known and a favorite amongst all your peers and competitors.

Be ready to share:

There’s an old saying that ‘it’s in giving that we receive’ apparently that’s very true. In the animation world if you don’t share more often with others you will not learn something new. It’s easier to learn more things when you engage those ones in the industry and be ready to be corrected or show how something is done.

Be an observer:

A great animator should be a keen observer; this will help you get many ideas for your projects. Let the world around you be your center of creativity, you will realize that in each outdoor activity, a shot is discovered, a move, or a character is born. Therefore getting to the outside and observing will be of great help.

Be an actor yourself:

This is possible for everyone out there who does animation. When you make yourself one of the characters of your work, there’s the likelihood of you detailing everything well as you know yourself and how you act in each set of emotions or situations. This also will allow you to travel to your dreamlands on the animation aspect by putting your dreams to be your projects.

Last but not least don’t lose focus, this is the greatest treasure that will propel you to greater heights as it makes you be patient and determined to reach your goals as an animator. Here you can explore some great works done by professional animators.

For more Contact Us Nowinfo@prayananimation.com

Why Learning Cartoony Animation Makes You a Better Animator?

Why Learning Cartoony Animation Makes You a Better Animator

In the animation world, for one to thrive and be successful as an animator, one needs to be creative, competitive, innovative, and hardworking just to mention but a few. However, this does not come on a silver plate and it means that one has to face some exposure to different animation sectors and even meet with potential animators to learn from them.  Additionally, proper practice and optimism are key to this. Since time immemorial, many animators have been defining their way to the best animators’ panel simply by learning Cartoony animation. Hence this article explains why learning cartoony animation makes one a better animator.

To begin with, cartoony animation is important to animators and makes one a good animator because it renders one to caricature and movements of its kind. This is one of and most common ways of creating art. To elaborate this, by learning cartoony animation one is exposed to caricature movement which enables one to give skilled artistic touches to an animation that amps it and makes it special in some manner.  As a result, as a good if not the best animator, you need to exhibit high and creative caricature in your animation just like in cartoons.

Additionally, cartoon animation makes one versatile. This means that by learning cartoony animation as animators our design minds and third eyes are opened to movement possibilities that we never thought of their existence. Furthermore, we will be able to exhaustively explore and make use of 2 frame anticipation as well as pop up your character from one point to another on the screen with a minimal number of frames. This makes one a smart animator among many.

Last but not least, with cartoony animation, animators are able to be equipped with the fundamentals of animation design. This is because the cartoony animations seem to operate under rules that are different from the naturalistic movements. Therefore, spending time and learning cartoony animation makes one comfortable in moving along the spectrum starting from realistic to caricature movements.  This also enables one to learn and identify the importance of movement whether in the wild take realistic refinement or anything close to the above.

From the above, we are able to point out the benefits of cartoony animation to animators who decide to learn and get it. Therefore, in order for you to perfect your animation skills as an animator through cartoony animation, do not hesitate to contact us simply click the Contact Us button for a quick response.

What not to do as a New Animator?

What not to do as a New Animator

Someone once said that if you join a game, you need to study the rules first then you play your best. Similarly, when you join the animation world, you have to understand its rules first then you perform your best. This means there are some things and acts that you are not supposed to do as a new animator in order to propel your breakthrough. Therefore, this article clearly explains what you are not supposed to do as a new animator.

First and foremost, as a new animator, you are not supposed to talk. That’s hilarious. When dealing with the studio or organization hierarchy or even the senior animators, you need to keep your mouth shut. This is because; in a meeting, almost nobody would like to hear your opinion or critique, and furthermore, you are not supposed to defend yourself or even interrupt when you’re taking notes. To elaborate, as a new animator, you are still new to the animation environment and hence you have not learned the stripes and the politics of the same place. Hence you need to take time and learn before you start yapping around.

Secondly, as a new animator, you are not supposed to rush your work instead take time and ensure you submit a quality service to the client. At first, you might be subjected to pressure and time refrains but in the end, the quality of your work is what will be voted for. Hence it is advisable to avoid compromising your quality for the quantity of work done. Additionally, if you cannot work with fast and quality then avoid fast and middling. As a new animator, better be slow but sure.

Moreover, do not complain or be pessimistic. As a new animator, your work is unsteady enough hence you need to avoid enemies who can be brought about by badmouthing coworkers or backbiting the studio life in general. Besides, avoid gossiping, humming, judging, and complaining. Being on the positive side and avoiding bad companies will strengthen your reputation and at the same time improve your work efficiency.

Additionally, do not take criticism at a personal level. As a new animator, you have to know when someone criticizes your work; he/she is not targeting you personally. Instead, we have to love honest and no-hold-barred critics since they help us grow in one way or another. Last but not least, you have to be open during a critic else you will find yourself stagnating at one point in your profession.

In addition, do not isolate yourself. Wherever place, you will be do not form a cocoon of solitude but instead, seek advice and comments about your work in a respectful manner from other coworkers. You need to be socially open and friendly to other colleagues. If you find yourself stuck in one way or another seek assistance quickly and instantly rather than later. This will help you cultivate a good relationship with your workmates.

In conclusion, as a new animator, you have to observe the rules of the studio and work environment and work according to perfection in your work and satisfy end results. This will help you to gain other people’s confidence and hence trust over something and you will find yourself automatically suited in any work environment.

Stepped and Spline Blocking in Animation

Stepped and Spline Blocking in Animation

When designing animation, especially 3D animation, there are many steps that are involved. One of these steps is blocking which tends to put many animators in the dilemma of which specific method to use. Blocking is a technique used in animation in which key poses are shaped in order to set up the timing and placement of characters and props in a given specified shot. There are different methods in which blocking can be achieved some of which are stepped and spline blocking as discussed below.

Stepped Blocking

In Stepped blocking the animation curves of the blocked shot do not provide interpolation between the animation poses. This method is significant because it communicates big ideas and general clarity through the keys and breakdowns. Additionally, the main purpose of blocking using this method is just to verify and prove the concept. Moreover, by using the stepped blocking method, the animator is forced to think in terms of poses, beats and tremendously explains the large ideas.

Some of the advantages of working with this method are that it is normally faster and gives one the option of correcting and rectifying mistakes as early as possible. This means that if any change is necessary it is easier to do it in the rough state.

However, its main disadvantage is that it is difficult to add more information to market your idea by keeping it simple and clear.

Spline Blocking

On the other hand, the spline-blocking technique helps the animator assume a vivid understanding of who the characters are and how they are supposed to move. Hence this method allows one to work organically and straightforwardly. This is important because it enables one to know how the animation is going to work right immediately from the blocking stage.

In addition, with the spline method, the computer usually interpolates for you and hence you are able to get a clear grasp of how the timing of the animation is going to be. In the event that it does not satisfy the animator, he/she is able to shift the keyframes without playing the full animation. This helps in focusing on the posing rather than the animation.

Consequently, with the spline method, it is easier to fix things like following through and overlapping actions. This gives the significance of the method as you can get 70-80% of the way right in your first pass and hence finishing the shot can be a little bit easy.

The disadvantage is that it is easy for one to be distracted by the exclamation of the keyframes when one should only focus on the timing.

In summary, for an animation to be complete it can be blocked in any method above according to the animator’s preference. Hence if you need your animation to be blocked in either method, simply contact us for the same.

Trends in animation to expect in 2018

Trends in animation to expect in 2018

It’s one of the high times in years, 2018 it carries a lot of energy in all sectors from action movies to high-end dramas. This has not left behind the animation industry, it had good times back in 2017, and still, up to this time, there are high hopes that it will do better than last year as they are a one-of-a-kind niche.

1. Merger of Giants- in animation we have giants who have created a name for themselves such as Fox, Disney, and Blue Sky. These giants have had good times in the past and now they are aiming to make it into the same playing field with other players like Netflix; with that ambition, a merger of Disney which has a dominant of animated characters and Fox’s of the mainstream will make a one of a kind. The mergers this year will bring good work to the viewers who have an unquenchable thirst for thrilling animations.

2. YouTube will no longer be a platform of choice for creators- YouTube in most cases isn’t a friendly place for creators to launch their products. This is because of hard economic times and depending on ad clicks relies solely on the mercy of Google algorithms. Other content creators have sought other hosting services like Vimeo, Kickstarter, or Patreon which will help them have a share of the market and create a return on their investments.

3. Child animation on the crisis? – In the past years the general public was very unaware of the effects of what children watched on their tabs or phones. In recent times the adults and parents woke up to the fact that the kids are exposed to the negative effects of social media and hence a lot of backlashes are expected from the parents and adults. Therefore, animation studios have to devise a way of dealing with the backlash or make losses.

4. More Adult Animations- back in 2017 Netflix made a debut in adult animation by releasing Castlevania it was a success and now the second season is on the way. This is one of the few examples of how even adults love animations, though primarily they were meant for kids. Though much of it is available on subscriptions, still this year promises greatly as this is one of the boon niches.

5. 3D CGI losses to 2D CGI- 3D CGI animations have enjoyed their share in the last 24 years, and most people have been exposed to them almost in every movie. In an attempt to cut costs and still provide the same quality companies have started to shift to 2D CGI and its improvements have surpassed those of the 3D CGI. This does not mean that 3D CGI is dead but it’s time for it to transform into better forms.

Times have changed and it’s really important to create high-quality trending animations and comic books with limited time. Prayan Animation is always updated with the latest trends and technology to serve the best quality output. Contact the Prayan team to learn more about our services and team.

Five questions that each creator needs to ask themselves.

Five questions that each creator needs to ask themselves

Creators like everyone else desire improvement and make something different out of what they have been doing in previous times. This desire cannot be achieved if they cannot realize who they are, who they can become, and what new they can develop. These five questions will help one to evaluate them easily and come to realize their potential apart from the assumed one.

1. What was I doing a year ago?

This is one of the simplest questions that one will need to ask themselves as it triggers one to look back into their journey of creating content for a market. Was I too much into comics? Was I immersed in hand-drawn graphics or in the streamlined distribution of content? By understanding fully your past one can engage further to explore.

2. Am I still growing?

In this world full of competition, growth is another aspect that a creator cannot avoid, simply who you were a year ago doesn’t matter; what you now count a lot and it’s very significant. Those intense times when you feel like doing more are very useful as they push us into doing more than what we imagined, there’s no comfort zone for creators unless you keep pace with the rest and hold your share.

3. What makes me unique?

Every time I do ask myself “What is that thing that only I can do?

This question really needs seriousness in tackling: there are as many creators like you out there and as much you can keep up to their pace, it’s also good to cut yourself from the rest by providing something unique from the rest. In that way you could have cut competition in half and taken your market share, take things that you are really good at seriously as being good isn’t all about your one thing but a sum of all your input.

4. What skill do I need to learn next?

Being a creator needs constant improvement, and this does not apply to bettering your acquired skills but also adding a little more on top of what you know. In a nutshell, each skill you add to your life will lead you to a good path as you never know where you will land the next day. Take time off your normal schedule and discover another skill that you can perfect and don’t be forced to learn but do it out of your own will as part of exploring new heights.

5. Do I enjoy what I’m doing?

This is a mother of all questions as it digs deep into the heart of the creator’s work and life. Enjoying what you do creates an environment good for growth; this is because in each set of loving what you do, that feeling of boredom and being burdened disappears, and as a creator rise to new heights of success

Prayan Animation is a good and clean example of creating great talents in the animation industry.

Animation techniques for Beginners

Animation techniques for Beginners

It’s very weird to go head straight into animation without knowing what to expect and what it entails, the techniques used, ways of distributing your content, or what software/hardware to use. Instead of heading direct to YouTube for more info here is a guide to help you cover a lot and learn quickly.

Flash Animation

These are vector-based animations that are made using Adobe Flash, an animator needs to create enough frames and ensure that the movements are not jerky. A full-blown flash cartoon resembles a Cel animation highly. This can be seen on my little pony.

Rotoscoping

This is capturing realistic human movements through drawing on film footage of live characters. Rotoscoping is considered to be one of the funny animation techniques used by animators as it’s like cheating. This is not true considering other Films like Walking Life (2001) it impressed almost everyone even those who criticized it, this is because it was so complicated that one could not consider it as a rotoscope animation. In rotoscoping, a little artist’s impression converts it to be one of the classiest works.

Cutout and collage animation

This is one of the simplest animations mostly used in TV; literally cut-out animation uses puppets that have been cut from the drawing paper and have been painted of which then they are loosely arranged and their shots are taken again and again after being repositioned. In another version, collage is added to this form of animation to bring a different texture and taste as these are real photos cut off from magazines and books.

3D CGI Animation

CGI refers to Computer-generated Imagery, this is one of the popular forms of animation as it provides realistic texture in designing backgrounds or even in movies to make characters where they used models. Although the 3D CGI in the past required special programs to run, nowadays things have been made easier and you can make one from the comfort of your sitting room. In addition, 3D CGI requires a lot of time and clarity when detailing a character so as to make it seamless and believable.

With the above tips hope you will start your journey well and achieve the best.

Are Comic Books an Effective Way for Education?

Are Comic Books an Effective Way for education?

This is one of the subjects that has caused an uproar and debates all over the world, as other people refer to being juvenile. In the real sense, why would one call such a work of art juvenile of which someone took time to craft and fine-tune each detail so as to pass information? This is the fundamental question that one has to ask in each forum since these graphics are part of art which encompasses music and dance.

When we look at comics from a wider perspective we find that they aren’t only used to represent fables and other fun stories but also they have penetrated into the teaching arena. This is because children and most people tend to remember what they have seen more, than teaching a whole science class with theory and a few diagrams as they are engaging. Therefore the comics are able to deliver their effectiveness through the following:

A. Engage the students with the language and the graphics at the same time. This is because they tend to motivate and support those ones who struggle to read and by the end of it they understand a concept they were having a hard time with.

B. The comics in their real representation present a bulk of information within a very short time and one can actually use them to recover on lessons that they were not present. The graphical representation plays well with the text to provide the relevant meaning. This helps to simplify complex issues in subjects such as math, science, and social studies.

C. Enhance high memory retention. Memory retention is high and that’s very important, just like when narrating a superhero story to fellow kids: the comics for different subjects make learning easier as the kids can recall the pictures and the wording of each step as they were amazing, what happens next is discovering a great bank of knowledge.

Also before one familiarizes themselves to read texts well let them follow the story line of the comic and they will understand better and verbalize it later. Therefore with the benefits of comics, it’s highly advisable to use them to enhance the learning process and achieve better results. Why wait to contact the best comic book creators in India?