12.1 The Storyboard
Figure 12.2
In this case, the Storyboard depicts a Character walking in a Scene. The components of the
Scene are The Character and the Scene Background consisting of a line, representing the
ground or grass, and a tree which gives a visual reference to the Character's movement during
the animation.
The Character will be Drawn in different Poses at different positions in the Scene to produce the
illusion that the Character walks across the computer Screen in the Animation Scene.
To assist in Drawing the Character in the different Poses a Reference Image will be used as a
Tracing Template.
Tracing and posing a stick figure, as demonstrated in Chapter 11 shows a basic concept for
animating a Character but to generate a more sophisticated Animation a little more work is
required. Animation requires getting organised and staying organised as the work develops.
To reinforce the concept of Posing Strokes at different Frames alternative methods will be
demonstrated. There are numerous techniques for Animating, therefore, you will have to
determine which is best suited for your application.
With practice you will be able to freehand sketch a Character in different Poses at different
Frames in the Animation Timeline but for now, use a Pose from the Walk Cycle Reference Image
as a template to get started (see Add Image Chapter 8 – 8.3). In this exercise the procedure will
be to make a sketch of a Character then modify the Sketch at different Frames in the Timeline
followed by firming up the Sketches for the final product.
Figure 12.3
Walk Cycle Image
The Sketch (Tracing) may be
a Stick Figure or an Outline
or consist of Strokes and
Fills.
The Scene
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