Creating an animated movie.

Posted on | 1/19/11 | No Comments

Creating an animation is a simple but labor intensive process. Be prepared to spend days, weeks, months or even years drawing (either by hand or using a digital application) to make an animation that lasts only a few seconds. While it can be a bit of a hassle it can be a satisfying experience to create an animation like those of Hayao Miyazaki, creator of My Neighbor Totoro, or Walt Disney.

Step 1

Create or find a story that can be done in animation. Keep in mind that it can take as many as 60 cells (drawings) to create a second of image so don't be ambition for your first attempt. Pick something simple and consider not doing an entire story. Instead you can draw a process like a butterfly fluttering around, a dog running or a child kicking a ball.

Step 2

Draw a starting image. This picture should have the main character in a ready position to do whatever it needs to do, so don't draw a man facing left if he needs to walk right, or you will have to draw him turning around. You can draw in pencil but outline the drawing in pen and erase the pencil when you are done to make the image clearly visible for the next step. Label the drawing with a one in a corner.

Step 3

Tape the drawing to your light box, then carefully align a plain sheet of paper over it and tape that.

Step 4

Observe your piece of paper. It should be thin enough to see the previous drawing through the sheet.

Step 5

Draw the next step on this second page using the original drawing as a base. For example if a man is walking, he doesn't go from foot on the ground to foot in the air instantly. You will need to outline the previous drawing and then alter it Infinitesimally. So this second image should be virtually identical to the first except a foot might be slightly turned upward. Write a number 2 in a corner of this sheet.

Step 6

Untape the first sheet and tape the second onto the light box. Create the third page exactly as you did the second. It will take as many as 60 to 100+ drawings for your character to move a few steps so keep the image as simple as possible. Continue adding the numbered finished drawings onto a stack, while using the previous drawing to make the next step until your character has done what it needs to do.

Step 7

Scan each image and save them as labeled and numbered files.

Step 8

Use a movie making program to string the images together in order to make your animation. There are many kinds of animation software with different directions so make sure you know how to use yours.

Pro tip!
Animation becomes more difficult as more details are added. This is why most cartoons do not feature complex shading, detailed leaves and grass or hair that isn't a solid color. While you can take the time to color your animation do not do so until after you have finished using it to draw the next picture. It may also be easier for you to do only simplistic line drawings until you have gotten the skill down.