Chaos Frames Logo

A quick discussion of multi-plane cameras, jointed characters, and clay bodies and how they translate to digital workflows.

  • Definitions

  • Multi-plane Camera
    A setup that uses multiple layers (or planes) to create a sense of depth and perspective in animation. Each layer can be moved independently, simulating realistic foreground, midground, and background motion. (Disney 1937)
  • Jointed Characters
    Characters built with joints that allow for articulated movement. This can be done using cutouts or stop-motion figures with movable limbs, providing flexible and lifelike animation control.
  • Clay Bodies
    Characters sculpted out of clay that can be animated by manipulating the clay frame by frame. The flexibility of clay allows for organic, fluid motions that are ideal for stop-motion animation.
  • Digital Workflows
    The process of bringing analog animation techniques like multi-plane setups, jointed characters, and clay bodies into digital formats. This can include digitizing frames, editing, and adding digital effects or compositing to enhance the animation.
  • Cascading Rules of your World
    The unique set of guidelines that define the universe in which the animation takes place. These rules can include the physics of movement (e.g., gravity, weight), natural forces, color schemes, character designs, and the overall style. Establishing the "rules of your world" helps maintain consistency and immersion in the animation.

Create a simple jointed character by cutting out paper parts.
then animate your character expressing a trait or working toward a purpose.

  1. 1. Cut out body parts
    Use black paper to cut out simple body parts (head, arms, legs, etc.).
  2. 2. Puncture at joints
    Puncture small holes where the joints will be (shoulders, elbows, knees).
  3. 3. Insert brads
    Insert brads (paper fasteners) into the holes to create movable joints.
  4. 4. Build a simple rig
    Once assembled, you’ve created a simple rig with jointed movement.
  5. 5. Animate your character
    Move the limbs and joints to animate your character expressing a trait or action frame by frame.

Need help choosing an action or emotion?

Example of this style: Lotte Reiniger - The Adventures of Prince Achmed (1926)

  • Definitions

  • Rigging
    The process of creating a skeleton for a character or object so it can be animated, with control over its joints and movements.
  • Forward Kinematics (FK)
    Animation method where you move each part of a character's body step by step from the parent down to the child joints (e.g., moving the shoulder to move the arm).
  • Inverse Kinematics (IK)
    Opposite of FK; you control the end part of a chain (like a hand or foot), and the rest of the body adjusts automatically.
  • Creative Kinematics
    An intuitive, freeform approach to rigging and movement in analog animation. It allows for flexible, intuitive motion and rigging/control system - ideal for artistic exploration in mediums like stop-motion, clay, or paper animation.

At the end of this section I'll Demo: After Effects Puppet Tool

Create a walk cycle for your character using paper or drawing.

1. Choose a trait or emotion to express.

2. Easiest if your character has arms and legs, knee joint and elbow joint will help.

3. Add a mark, pattern, or variation to one of the legs and one of the arms so that we can tell them apart.

4. Snap a frame for each position, imspried by the guide below.

7. We will just need maximum 10 frames for the walk cycle loop.

More

- Try exaggeration and variation.

- Adding and removing a frame here and there to ease and speed.

- Consider: arcs and how kinematic rigging.

Simple

More Complex

Check out this demo (notice the joints).

Build part your character with clay, indicate structure with line, move and photograph (animate).
The goal is to experiment with volume and motion as you track the structure lines.

  1. Create your character
    Use white clay to form a simple character. It can be abstract or representational.
  2. Add contour lines
    Draw contour lines on the clay character using black markers. These lines will help track the structure as you animate.
  3. Animate the character
    Create an animation interpreting LOL or a moment of discovery: I had no idea".
  4. Explore creative kinematics
    Focus on tracking the contour lines as your character moves to explore volume, mass, and organic movement.

At the end of this section I'll Demo: After Effects 3D Space and After Effects Particle Systems.

Working together: experiment with the Multi-plane camera setup.

Tell a one-word story in the world you rule.
Choose and express a word (or mulitple): verb or feeling.
Use characters you have built, paper, & colored sand (particles).
Simulate gravity, wind, or other forces that exist in your world (rules).

Need help choosing a word?

Explore and experiment with the tools and techniques we've covered. Below are resources and tutorials to help guide your animation process.

Motion Graphics & Animation

Explore Adobe After Effects for advanced motion graphics and animation:

After Effects - Adobe

After Effects Tutorial

Get started with After Effects for animation and motion graphics:

3D Animation

Download Blender for 3D animation:

Blender - Official Website

OpenToonz

Download OpenToonz for 2D animation:

OpenToonz - Official Website

Toonz Tutorial

Learn how to use Toonz for your animation:

Browser-Based Animation Tools

Use this browser-based tool for simple animations:

Wick Editor

Mac & iPad: Procreate

Create stunning hand-drawn animations and illustrations using Procreate for Mac and iPad:

Procreate - Official Website

Resources from Episode 1

  • 1906
    First recorded instance of stop-motion animation by J. Stuart Blackton in "Humorous Phases of Funny Faces."
  • 1926
    Lotte Reiniger, a German filmmaker, creates "The Adventures of Prince Achmed," the oldest surviving feature-length animated film using silhouette animation.
  • 1928
    Walt Disney introduces synchronized sound in "Steamboat Willie," featuring Mickey Mouse.
  • 1933
    Noburō Ōfuji, a Japanese animator, releases "The Dance of the Chagamas," using traditional cut-out animation techniques.
  • 1937
    Disney releases "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs," the first full-length animated feature film.
  • 1940s
    Experimental animations by Len Lye (New Zealand) and Norman McLaren (Canada) redefine the boundaries of animation.
  • 1956
    Soviet Union's Soyuzmultfilm Studio releases "The Snow Queen," a classic animated film that influences global storytelling in animation.
  • 1960s
    Experimental animation emerges, with artists like Len Lye and Norman McLaren pushing boundaries.
  • 1980s
    Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli's rise in Japan with groundbreaking films like "Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind" (1984).
  • 1995
    "Toy Story" is released as the first feature-length film created entirely with CGI by Pixar.
  • 2000s
    The rise of 3D animation and digital tools expands the medium, while traditional and stop-motion styles continue to thrive.
  • 2010s
    Increased diversity in animation styles and global reach, including Japanese anime's influence and resurgence of 2D animation techniques.
  • 2013
    "The Tale of the Princess Kaguya," directed by Isao Takahata, combines traditional hand-drawn techniques with modern digital tools, receiving global acclaim.
  • 2020s
    Animation continues to evolve with new technologies like virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and AI-based techniques.

J. Stuart Blackton - Humorous Phases of Funny Faces

Winsor McCay - The Sinking of the Lusitania

Lotte Reiniger - The Adventures of Prince Achmed

Walt Disney - Steamboat Willie

Noburō Ōfuji - The Dance of the Chagamas

Walt Disney - Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

Soyuzmultfilm - The Snow Queen

Len Lye - A Colour Box

Hayao Miyazaki - Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind

Pixar - Toy Story

Isao Takahata - The Tale of the Princess Kaguya

  • Straight Ahead Action and Pose to Pose
    Two techniques for drawing animation sequences: one frame at a time (straight ahead) or planning key poses first (pose to pose).
  • Arcs
    Natural movements tend to follow arched paths, not straight lines.
  • Exaggeration
    Enhancing actions to make them more dynamic or convey emotion more clearly.
  • Squash and Stretch
    Giving a sense of weight and flexibility to objects.
  • Timing
    The number of frames for a given action, affecting the speed and mood of the animation.
  • Anticipation
    Preparing the audience for an action, like winding up before a jump.
  • Slow In and Slow Out (Easing)
    Adjusting the spacing of frames to create acceleration and deceleration for smoother motion.
  • Follow Through and Overlapping Action
    Realistic movement continuation after the main action, like a tail following a cat.
  • Solid Drawing
    Anatomy, weight, and form.
  • Appeal
    Characters should be interesting and engaging, whether through design, personality, or movement.
  • Atmosphere and Mood
    Use color, light, and shadows to create a specific atmosphere that enhances storytelling.
  • Spatial Awareness
    Consider the depth, scale, and positioning of elements within the scene to guide the viewer's attention.
  • Animate a Simple Object
    Choose an everyday object and imagine it coming to life. How does it move? Does it have a personality?
  • Looping Cycle
    Create a short looping animation, like a ball bouncing or a bird flapping its wings.
  • Metamorphosis
    Animate one object transforming into another, like a flower turning into a butterfly.
  • Follow the Line
    Draw a line across the paper and animate a character or object following it.
  • Animate an Emotion
    Choose an emotion and create an abstract animation expressing that feeling.
  • Animate a Simple Action
    Capture simple actions like a jump or wave, focusing on exaggerating the movement.
  • Use Charcoal Textures
    Experiment with different charcoal textures and animate transitions between them.
  • Frame-by-Frame Doodle
    Start with a doodle and expand it across multiple frames into a larger scene.
  • Animate Sound
    Create an animation that matches the rhythm or mood of a sound clip.
  • Personify an Inanimate Object
    Animate an inanimate object like a piece of charcoal or a raindrop with a personality.
  • Play with Shadows
    Animate the movement of shadows rather than objects themselves.
  • Draw from Memory
    Animate a simple memory from childhood, like a balloon floating away.
  • Reverse Animation
    Start with a completed drawing and animate it backward to its original state.
  • Exquisite Corpse Animation
    Collaborate with another student to create an animation together.
  • Animate a Natural Element
    Focus on natural elements like water flowing or leaves blowing in the wind.
  • One-Minute Story
    Create a simple animation that tells a story in just one minute.
  • Interactive Animation
    Create an animation that interacts with the edges of the paper.
  • Animate a Charcoal Erase
    Use an eraser as a drawing tool to create an animation.
  • Texture Transfer
    Rub charcoal over a textured object under the paper and animate over the texture.
  • Limit the Frames
    Create an entire animation using just 5-10 frames.