tB

Animation Tips and Tricks, ch03

This chapter talks about Reference Materials and how you really shouldn’t live without it. Shawn talks about using photography, film, books, comic books (very underrated), and, most important, real life. He points out that, for example, if you’re going to animate birds flying, perhaps one of the best references is the film “Winged Migration.” He also points out that 98% percent of animators use reference materials and that using it is NOT cheating. The key he says, is to STUDY the reference and to try and understand what you’re looking at. Understand the dynamics and physics and anatomy of the person or animal your referencing. Look at it over and over and over and over again until you understand the underlying workings of what’s happening. THEN make sure you take notes and/or sketch what you’ve seen, what you understand, and what you want to do with it. He emphasizes the STUDYING of reference and applying your art or style to what you’ve gained from studying. That’s growth. DO NOT COPY he says, for if you do it will be apparent.

Finally, he also emphasizes that we as animators should not shy away from shooting footage of ourselves acting out the performances we want to animate. And to perform it over and over again until it feels natural, it is then that we’ll have a good, true to life reference.