Hand-drawn animation

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V36LpPkwJ7I

In an effort to understand the mechanics of hand drawn animation, I’ve chosen the linked video for critique.

Stylistically, it pays great attention to detail (such as perspective, value, and shape). Pacing works well in the manner that it’s a fluent story. Voice acting is pretty good, certain characters could have more fitting roles. He ties computer graphics well with his hand-drawn style (such as the bottles, Capri-sun, computer screens). Some of the animation doesn’t transition smoothly, but it doesn’t hinder the concept or the execution. It only really bothers me when there are overseen details that correlate to function, such as stationary tires on a moving car. If you scroll through the animation while it’s paused, you see certain shapes overlapping when they aren’t supposed to. As stated earlier, this isn’t that bothersome since it’s got a hand-drawn feel. Certain mistakes actually serve to add to the aesthetic.

Whilst in movement, this isn’t a concern, so I take it for a grain of salt. Certain design elements, such as repetition/proximity, are employed well when creating concepts such as speed or mundane tones. Value is handled well since it’s done in greyscale.

The animator does a great job attaching emotion to the main charactor, generally done in the facial features. I’m assuming things like pupils, opacity faded clouds and camera-zooms were done in after-effects, or a program similar.

Critique 9/24

http://lookslikegooddesign.com/telephoneme-motion-mk12/

The video in critique is a long, well composed video. Stylisticly, it's amazing how well the 3-D rendering, audio and 2-D design relate. The introduction starts fast and grabs the attention of the viewer by using something common (the count-down) but introducing new elements for your focus. Sound modulation works well as the video is distorted itself. They added shadows really help pop the images as well.

Moving from 3-D to photo, we're put into 2-D design again. The transperency and colors work great, serving their purpose to overwhelm the viewer. The linework really moves the viewer's eye along with the camera as well. The typography is simple, but matches the retro vibe of the entire composition. My concern is that they pick peculiar words at times. The way sound modulates the typography is really interesting though.

Towards the two minute mark, the video begins to fall apart conceptually. This may have been done on purpose, but I feel it's too much for too long. They begin overlapping 3-d on top of photography, while simultaneously bringing on the colors that were originally attention grabbing. This works simliarly to yelling at someone for their attention, then screaming the entire conversation.

Overall, the video is strong, but goes on too long. There are so many elements your mind gets exhausted attempting to break it down, so the pacing is racing the entire video. Hierarchy is respected and broken with knowledge.

Excercise 1

Labarynth Chase Critique

http://lookslikegooddesign.com/animation-marcel-ziul/

This video is one depicting a chase, though my biggest fault is that it doesn't provide any real curiosity as the the intent of the storyboard. Why is the chase happening, why is there no real start or end, only a snippet of the middle? Conceptually, it is lacking and appears to be more of a project along the lines of reaching a certain stylistic aesthetic.

A very nice, drawn style, marrying that of old graphic novels with a contemporary feel. Stylisticly, the whole composition works well.

Hierarchy proves strong, working well on the Z axis through many overlaps. Typographically, it's simple, but there is little fault concerning scale of the communicated portions.

The construction of the typography is nice, paced well and consistently with it's flickering.

Pacing is fairly well, but as it is a chase I feel like there could be more energy. Most importantly, the cars don't look completely fluid in their turns or movement. This is an aspect of detail that would really bring the entire piece to a new level, as the cars attempt to strike realism otherwise.

"Labarynth Chase" is a bit obvious of a title, too see and say. Craft is handled pretty well, it's clean and functions well, certain mechanical/physical details aside.

"Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo."

20th birthday was possibly the best of my life
Bonnaroo was an awesome experience
I love every one of my friends, and I wish everyone was blessed enough to meet them
Lord of the Rings rules.
Yes, I am a complete bum and i feel very guilty about it.


"Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo." is a grammatically correct sentence used as an example of how homonyms and homophones can be used to create complicated constructs.
12" x 15"

inspired by Jordan Buckley, insanity, and good tattoos.

Out of all my lines and hours, my least favorite is the super bold ugly Hancock

A

Thirteen ways of looking at nonsense

Above my clouded thoughts, the sun attempts to smile.
A dancing breeze serves to quench,
(see Egyptians; Nile)
as I sit along this wooden bench
-waiting for love to find me.

See, I'm a big man now, growing taller by the day,
and I can't fall victim to lonesome's say.
I shoo the birds, chirping away,
can't they see I'm waiting today?

A girl, fine and pretty, sits down beside me,
praising the sunfilled day.
Shoo I say, and she too chirps away
Can't she see I'm waiting for love today?
shoo, I cry, shoo, go away!

Above my weathered thoughts, the moon attempts to hope
a rain of daggers serve to drench,
(see Juliet; elope)
as I sit along this rotten bench
-waiting for love to find me.

See, I'm an old man now, breaths shorter every day,
and I've fallen victim to my own dismay,
I shoo the leaves, withering away,
can't they see I'm waiting today?

A woman, fine and pretty, sits down beside me,
praising the beauty of storms today,
Shoo I say, and she too withers away
Can't she see I'm waiting for love today?
Shoo, I weep, shoo, go away!

(King is an hour glass of blood. xxtreme.)

Title is in regard of thirteen ways of looking at a blackbird by Wallace Stevens, of which I highly suggest if you're bored and have some pennies of thought to spare.

Life has been hectic in the past few weeks to say the least, and I'm currently trying to balance life, school, and some hobbies. I could write a thousand meaningful words right now, and still not make a point. That's what I'm trying to fix.

You know when you listen to a song, a movie, or just anybody and it strikes you as oddly personal? Those times somebody next to you is talking to their friend but it feels as if they were talking to you? I was driving to school about two weeks ago, listening to the radio, and a guy was talking about how his dad had asked him "so what did you do for yourself today?" when he was focused more on work than living.

That same day, a girl in my English class came to class in her torn canvas shoes. I asked her where she had been last class, and she said it had been too nice of a day to sit inside. So what did she do? Stood outside and blew bubbles.

Yesterday was a perfect day so I skipped school to climb trees. The fact I found the best climbing tree I've seen in a long time coupled with the muddy grin of Spartacus made every second of not sitting on a computer worth it.

Ever since, I have asked myself the same question before I've gone to bed. It's not a selfish question, you need that sort of mental comfort to spread joy into everybody else's life. This is my new mission, going to bed with at least one clear moment of a blissfully personal moment. Whether you do this by helping a stranger, skipping a class to blow bubbles, or climbing trees, it doesn't matter. Life's short, take every second by the horns and gallop to the end, possibly attempting to not structure expressions as lame as that one. What I'm trying to ask is, what have you done for yourself today?

A princess young, and a queen old. My 80 dollar digital camera can't really illustrate color too well, but I suppose it's the gist of it. I could list a bunch of excuses as to how it came out and why its slightly unfinished, but that wouldn't get me further than a three legged horse on a zip line.

You're correct, that made no sense.

A homework assignment that was difficult, but fun nonetheless. We had to do all uppercase, and Fraktur is a germanic display font. So instead of the letters looking like the raktur they were all on "ye olde acid"