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Making Anime: Create Mesmerising Manga-Style Animation with Pencils, Paint and Pixels
Make your own anime with this unique introductory guide to Japanese animation. You'll learn every stage of the animation process from scripting and storyboarding to preparing and distributing your film. Everything is clearly explained with step-by-step tutorials and packed with color screengrabs, stills and artwork illustrating every technique and
process, including: hand-painting characters and backgrounds on to separate cel layers; working with 3D graphics; using digital pen-and-tone techniques. Apply the core style elements and visual language of anime to your own work and learn to: simplify characters without losing their impact; create exaggerated facial expressions; use shadows and shading for dramatic effects; and add lip syncing and speed lines to convey movement. Every stage of the animation process is explained from scripting and storyboarding to preparing and distributing your movie. Richly illustrated in color, the step-by-step tutorials show you how to hand paint characters and backgrounds onto separate cel layers, use digital pen-and-tone techniques and work with 3D graphics. You'll master the core style elements and visual language of anime and create exaggerated facial expressions and use shadows and shading for dramatic effects.
Contents:
Introduction
- Anime Style
- Stylistic Techniques
- Planning your Animation
- Animation Basics
- 3D Anime
- Preparing and Distributing your Anime
- Index and Credits Table of Contents - Long INTRODUCTION: (2 pp) ANIME STYLE (12 pp) The style of Japanese anime has evolved and developed over half a century, creating a multitude of different visuals yet still sharing some fundamental core style elements
See the difference between different types of anime, and how digital techniques have been integrated into modern titles
TOPICS: Anime essentials Cel painting and digital cel style Variations on the anime style Classic anime vs modern anime 2D vs 3D Background art STYLISTIC TECHNIQUES (16 pp) Many techniques have become the mainstay of Japanese animation, and as such have become part of the style and symbolic of the type of animation
There is a broad combination of techniques, some developed decades ago in order to make the most out of small animation budgets, and others developed more recently in order to capture and accentuate the action and drama prevalent in this type of animation
Using these simple methods you'll be able to add an essence of anime to your work, while keeping production manageable
TOPICS: Colored speed lines Image panning (+examples) Still image with blowing hair/clothes (and mouth moving) Sparkling light Moving particles Glossy eyes on stills Ultra speed-blur on limbs during action PLANNING YOUR ANIMATION (32 pp) Before starting the production of your animation, you need to plan everything clearly, so that your time isn't wasted
From the script writing and storyboarding to making sure your characters are suitable and practical for animation, there's a lot to consider before you start rolling out any frames
TOPICS: Script writing Storyboarding Character design?designs suited to animation ANIMATION BASICS (26 pp) Before jumping into heavily stylized methods, it's a good idea to get the basics of animation down, so that you have a foundation to build upon
Even a few very simple animations can be used to great effect, and you'll discover which digital file formats would be most suited for your idea
TOPICS: Animation software Onion skinning Keyframes Basic movement Making a simple walk cycle Anime-style lip syncing File Formats: Flash, GIF, and AVI explained APPLICATION OF STYLE (22 pp) Your characters can be brought to life in an anime style using an effective range of icons and effects in order to capture emotion in a quirky and effective manner
The following step-by-step guides will help you to introduce these ideas into your own anime production
TOPICS: Using speed lines to enhance the action Introduction to Animated Visual Grammer Sweatdrops and other facial symbols Exaggerated facial expressions Use of shadows and shading for dramatic effect Chibi and super deformed characters 3D ANIME: (22 pp) 3D graphics have revolutionized the production of film and television, and anime is no exception
Usually focusing on stylization over realism, there have been many effective applications of 3D in an anime style, varying from semi-realistic to mimicking 2D effectively
TOPICS: Soft shaded 3D Cel shaded 3D Mixing 3D into 2D Moving 2D elements with 3D PREPARING AND DISTRIBUTING YOUR ANIME: (10 pp) Once your animation is ready, you'll want to find a means to share it with the world
Thanks to the Internet and the popularity of home computers, it's now very easy to get your creation seen
This section runs through how to get your production seen by the masses
TOPICS: Tips for putting your file online Viral marketing?distribution through email ?word of mouth? Short-film web sites
Brief Description:
Dealing with Japanese animation, this book covers every stage of the animation process from scripting and storyboarding to preparing and distributing your film. It contains color screengrabs, stills and artwork illustrating every technique and process.
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