Digital Illustration II – Illustration and Time Based Media.
Course Objective
Building upon the design and illustration skills developed in IDEA 277, we will continue our exploration of creating both commercial and conceptual imagery using digital tools. We will also begin to implement those skills within time based graphic media. Time based media (film, animation, motion graphics, sound and music) have become more integrated into our daily media experience. The richness of user experience that these mediums provide suggests that their use and prevalence will only increase. The designer and illustrator who has a good understanding of these mediums will have broader career and employment opportunities. However, even designers and illustrators who plan to stay within the confines of static media will need to have some understanding of what “new media” requires. By the end of the course students will be able to plan and prepare sequential storyboards, as well as executing their own “motion” artwork.
INSTRUCTIONAL OBJECTIVES
Upon completion of this course, successful students will be able to:
• utilize the vocabulary of motion design
• understand how motion expands storytelling
• understand how motion and animation are handled within a digital workspace
• utilize motion within their other design work.
• create a short animation as a solution to a creative problem.
assignments
This course contains 2 assignments, graded as per the Evaluation Profile. Detailed project briefs will be given in class. Students who are absent when assignments are given out are responsible for obtaining projects briefs and meeting all project deadlines.
week 1 Sept. 14 - Introduction to Motion Design
Lecture/Demo: The Vocabulary of Motion
• Discuss the properties of motion and the ‘Principles of Animation’.
• What are the types of animation (limited, character, typographic, infographic, etc.)
• The implementation of motion for the artist/designer
• Brief history of Motion Design
• Prepare and import some illustrator and photoshop files into After Effects.
Class Exersize: Import files into AE
Assignment 1:
Create a short animation (30 – 60 seconds long) using the Keyframes created last term.
Due Week 6.
week 2 Sept. 21 – Basic Animation with After Effects
Lecture/Demo: Animation Demo.
• What is a ‘composition’ and how do I make one?
• Working with AE’s timeline.
• Introduction to keyframes and interpolation.
• Explore timeline properties (TRAPS)
• Navigating AE’s panels and workspaces.
Class Exersize: Create short animation using single timeline.
Review Assignment 1.
week 3 Sept. 28 - Animating Type
Demo – Kinetic Type
• Create simple kinetic text animation with AE on a single timeline.
• Applying the principles of animation.
• Explore ease in/out property.
Class Exersize: Create short typographic animation.
week 4 2 Oct. 5 – The Power of Nested Animations
Demo – Combining multiple timelines
• What are nested animations and why are they so powerful?
• Creating nested compositions within After Effects
Class Exersize: Create short animation using multiple timelines.
Review Assignment 1.
week 5 Oct. 12 – Shapes and Masks
Lecture/Demo:
• Shapes and their properties in After Effects
• Creating masks in AE
• What are Track Mattes?
Class Exersize: Create short animation using masks.
Review Assignment 1.
week 6 Oct. 19 – Lights Camera Action.
Assignment 1 Due.
Lecture/Demo: Introduction to Cameras, Lights and 3d space
• Explore Shadows and Materials
• Rendering a movie from AE.
Class Exersize: Create short animation using cameras in 3d space.
Review Assignment 1.
week 7 Oct. 26 – Critique
Assignment 1 Critique.
Lecture: Infographics
Assignment 2: Details to be provided.
Due week 13
week 8 Nov. 2 – Importing Multimedia Files
Demo: Bringing Multimedia into AE
• Importing Audio into AE
• Importing Video into AE
• Motion Tracking
• What is Keying?
Class Exersize: Import a movie and modify it’s properties.
Review assignment 2
week 9 Nov. 9 – Intermediate Animation
Demo: Animating in AE
• Introduction to spacial interpolation
• What is the Graph Editor?
• Parenting and character animation
Class Exersize: Create short character animation.
Review assignment 2
week 10 Nov. 16 – Working in 3d Space
Lecture/Demo: Controlling 3d Space
• Introduction to Null Objects
• Controlling a Camera in 3d space
Review assignment 2
Class Exersize: Import 3d files into AE.
week 11 Nov. 23 – The Power of Effects
Demo: Using effects in AE
• Introduction to the effects palette,
• Controlling color within AE
Class Exersize: Create short animation using using effects.
Review assignment 2
week 12 Nov. 30 – Creative Techniques
Assignment 2 Due.
Demo: Advanced animation in AE
week 13 Dec 7 – Assignment 2 Critique
week 14 Dec 14 – Portfolio Reviews
Course evaluation
Assignment 1 – 25%
Assignment 2 – 25%
Assignment 3 – 25%
Assignment 4 – 25%
