Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
In as much as one doesn't have to be an artist to be a successful computer animator,
having a foundation built on traditional art concepts and principles is definitely of value.
If you are truly serious about the field of animation, I would recommend that you consider
taking at least a few art courses somewhere along the line in your training.
Even if you can't draw, learning more about proportion, composition and color and design
are all well worth your time and effort as you seek to improve your level
of skill. Traditional art concepts teach you that a
properly designed image has certain elements that lead to its satisfying appearance,
whether it's hand drawn or taken with a camera or created on the computer.
A well-designed image is typically organized around a center of interest
and staged in a way that makes it easy for the audience to quickly identify what's the
most important element in the shot. It's also not perfectly symmetrical, so you
will typically find varying levels of size and proportion throughout the picture.
A well-developed image also has balance, so that no one part of the scene feels too heavy
or overweighed in relation to the other areas of the image.
Well-designed pictures have overlap, meaning that some things are positioned more to the
front of the scene, while others are located closer to the back.
This works wonders in creating a greater sense of depth and dimension.
And a well-developed image should certainly incorporate the correct use of color and light,
which would be seen as two of the most important tools in creating the proper
mood or feel for a scene. If you're animating a project, you should
also do your best to incorporate different camera angles in telling your story,
using the eyes in your scene to convey the proper attitude and psychological framework
for your narrative. And by all means, create realistic movement
in everything you do by incorporating the principles of animation that we'll be
learning more about in the Max 2009 Beyond the Basics title.
Always remember, there is a trick to this stuff; a good image, a good animation engages
the viewer. It has impact,
and it gets the audience thinking and your ability to create a well developed,
well organized image could very well be the difference between
you calling animation a hobby or a profession. Always remember that and use every important
art concept and principle that you can pick up to your advantage.
You'll be glad you did.