One Minute Animations: 2011

Introduction

Welcome to One Minute Animations. I have started this blog to have a place for people to post their solutions to the animation problems I will set up. You will be limited to no more than 1440 frames total for your solution. This is to encourage you to not spend very much time on getting something elaborate, but rather to polish a very short piece and show how you solved the problems so everyone can learn from one another.

Currently I am limiting the type of animations accepted to hand-drawn 2D (classic) style and Stop Motion (ok if they were drawn with a graphics tablet and computer, just no 3D work such as Maya).

For example, I will post a simple problem like the classic “Flour sack jump” to show squash and stretch, or a walk cycle — how far can you take it? How many variations can you come up with? Which one was best? You are encouraged to comment on all the submissions, but keep the critiques positive (which does NOT mean you can’t say something doesn’t work, just that you can’t do it in a mean-spirited manner). The idea is to help everyone raise their personal bar and become better.

Unfortunately Blogger will not let others post videos to the blog -- I have to do it. So email me the video(s) you wish to post and make sure to put ONE MINUTE ANIMATION SUBMISSION in the subject line so I can see it above the spam. If you don't, I can't guarantee it will get posted. Also give me some time to post it, I do have a life, you know. Send your submission to mshellabarger@hotmail.com.

If you have an idea for a problem to post, send it to me at mshellabarger@hotmail.com.

This vlog is a companion to my LiveStream "Crazy 4 Animation" teaching page. You can see it at Crazy4Animation

Thank you and go animate!

Martin Shellabarger

Friday, April 1, 2011

Bowling Ball, Basket Ball and Balloon

Another exercise from my former professor, Steve Segal at AAU, this teaches proper timing to express the characteristic of the mass of an object.

Animate a bowling ball, a basket ball and a balloon being dropped and bouncing a few times. You may add any interesting business you can come up with.

Here is my solution to the exercise:

Saturday, March 26, 2011

New LiveStream channel on Drawing, Animation and Old Masters' techniques

I have a LiveStream channel which was devoted to old masters' painting and drawing techniques, so I have decided to add an animation channel too. Check out MartindeMadrid's channel on www.LiveStream.com. (Right now there is nothing on it, but I will be correcting that as soon as I get a new video camera.) The URL will be:
http:\\www.livestream.com/crazy4animation?t=510960

Friday, March 25, 2011

Flour Sack Jump (WIP)

Flour Sack Jump

This problem was inspired by one given to the Animation Principles and Pipelines class at AAU by Steve Segal.

Squash-and-Stretch

This problem is designed to help you understand the animation principle of "Squash-and-Stretch." If you do not know what that means, Google "Squash and stretch" + animation.

Using a simple half-filled flour sack as the only character, make it jump onto, then off of a box. You may include any other kind of business you wish. You are encouraged to push the envelope in what happens as long as you keep the character a simple half-filled flour sack.

Send me your video at mshellabarger@hotmail.com. BE SURE TO PUT "ONE MINUTE ANIMATION SUBMISSION" AS YOUR SUBJECT LINE IN THE EMAIL (IN CAPS) SO I CAN SEARCH FOR IT!

You must not exceed one minute running time (1440 frames at 24 fps on "ones", or 720 if shot on "twos" or an intermediate number of frames if a combination of ones and twos -- just so the total running length is not more than one minute -- it can be less if you wish).

DO NOT send .AVI files, they take up too much space! I suggest you put them into QuickTime (my preference), Flash or MPEG 3 format.

If you have questions, write me at the same email address (mshellabarger@hotmail.com).