Studio Brief 2: A Moving Image

For a good way to introduce us to the prospect of having to make our own moving image. We got into groups and broke down what the process would look like using simple shapes and movements. In the one we created below the hands represent a slow moving image; the arrow would be a fast moving image, also the arrow considers how we can use the space by going off the page aswell; the explosion shape is showing how you can play with size and scale; and finally the square is a metamorphosis as is evolves into a rectangle. I think doing this today did in fact really help me. To begin I struggled to get my head around what we were doing but as we were making it I gradually understood and now I can see clearly. 

In preparation to our induction to the Dragonframe software I have picked one of my motifs to make into a moving image with. After listing a few ideas I have decided to go for the poison bottle with bubbles floating above. I wanted to go for a very simple moving image to learn with as I know that I do struggle when it comes to learning new computer programmes so will learn better if I simplify what I am trying to create.  

Here I drew a few different poison bottles to help me decide which one would look best. 

Next I have tested out different colour combinations and textures to help me figure out which poison would look best in the moving image. 

I decided to test out on some tissue paper to see what kinda of effect it would give. I also had a piece of paper underneath the tissue and think that it has come out with a really lovely effect. however, I don't think that this effect would work with what I want to create as there is too much white space. But will remember this in future. 

I really liked the texture of the tissue paper so wanted to investigate a bit more with some other colours. The photo on the right was where I placed the tissue paper on a light box as thought that it might make the colours illuminate and be more vibrant. It did do that however through photograph this didn't translate well and in fact made the colours look dark. 

I decided that I definitely want to go for the colour purple but wasn't sure which colour to combine it with. In the end I have decided to go for red; this is because I feel that red clashes better with the purple which makes it a lot more eye catching. In addition, red also connotes death and murder which is the message I am trying to portray. Whereas, orange and purple seem to blend to well and look a bit duller together than the red and purple. 

Finally I combined my colour choice with the chosen poison bottle. Which I think looks more like a test tube but think that it works best. Though I think that I next want to test out what it would look like if I cut out the shape of the bubbles and poison as I think that it would look a lot neater and less blotchy. 

I found an App to create animations on so I made a little practise one to get a feel for it. 

Dragon Frame induction animation

This is a thumbnail storyboard of how I want my practise animation to be. I am keeping it very simple as I don't to make anything too confusing for the induction.  

I drew out lots of little practise mugs using references from images and chose which one I liked best to use for the animation. 

In preparation for the induction I made all the parts that I would need. I made some more colour for the poison using Brusho like I used before to make the poison and cut them into the shapes of the pouring. I made this below so I could visualise how the pouring would look. In addition I made the mug using newspaper as it looked a bit too simple in just fine liner, I felt that the news paper added a bit more quality to the overall look. Also, I chose to use newspaper over any other texture/paper because I felt like it related to the story of what the animation is telling - Pouring poison into a coffee mug which therefore someone will be murdered which is a typical topic to appear in a newspaper.  

Using my App I wanted to have an idea of how I wanted it to look like before I make it on Dragon Frame. 

Our next task is to create a 48-60 frame animation using the lightbox to help us draw each frame. And then we will put them onto Dragonframe and After Effects. 

First I drew out in thumbnail my idea of what I want to have in my animation and how I want it to go. 

Next, I have made slightly bigger thumbnails as I wanted it to be a bit clearer for myself to see. 

Throughout I was using the App to get an idea of what it will look like. 

This is a quick drawing of an idea that I thought of after so I wouldn't forget. But now looking back on it I think I am going to leave this idea. 

I began my light box drawings using fine liner. I drew 24 frames but really felt that they weren't good enough. I feel like they look very plain and flat and rather dull. Also, I think that the quality of the drawing could be better. 

So next I have started again and drew them using pencil. I have taken a bit more time on the drawings. I have drawn 6 frames but I'm still not happy with them and think that they need bringing to life more. 

Proposal 

I intend to Propose: 

A 60 second animation that sets the scene/mood of Agatha Christie's book The Mysterious Affair At Styles. 

The content will focus on: 

All of my motifs will be involved in some way. Begin with the candle in the dark to set an eery mood. Then that will form into the magnify glass to suggest a mystery which then zooms into an eye (unknown to who the character is, not to give anything away; which also reinforces an air of mystery). This then forms into the poison bottle which then is poured into the coffee cup. 

I will be aiming to communicate: 

My aim for my short animation is to communicate the main plots of the book. 

To an audience of: 

Any fans or readers of Agatha Christie's work.

Looking back at the thumbnails that I created I think what made them look more engaging was that I had colour involved too. I have decided to go back to the 24 frames that I had made originally and add colour into them to see if that improves them. 

I am so much happier with having colour within the frames. I think that using pencil crayons work really well as they add a lot of added texture and movement to the animation. I have gone for a black background as I want to keep the intangible mood of mysteriousness, eery and dark.  

 Very pleased with the progress that I have made today. Here is an animation that I made on the App of todays work: 

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