ANI 421: Animation Mechanics, Syllabus, Fall 2014

Instructor: Steve Socki; email: ssocki@cdm.depaul.edu

Office: CDM 511; hours: Mon & Wed: 2:30 4:30 pm
Course Summary
A graduate level class that covers classic hand-drawn techniques in the art of
animation including transformational animation, squash and stretch, anticipation and
overshoots, walk and run cycles, and various techniques used by artists over the past
century. The students complete weekly assignments that focus on learning these
advanced skills and then apply these to their own personal animated projects.

Course Description
Students in this course will rigorously investigate the foundational aspects of
animation through traditional and digital methods. Basic principles, including timing,
spacing and the abstraction of movement, will be analyzed and questioned through
experimentation. Students will experience how the process of making work can be
used to generate emergent ideas, and be challenged to push the art form beyond the
accepted conventions.
This class will focus on the abstraction and caricature of how the world works. We will
use simple hand-drawn animation in Flash to explore the methods developed by
traditional and experimental animators. Each weeks class will follow a similar
schedule:
Critique of homework assignment
Discussion of readings, viewings and concepts/techniques
In-class exercises exploring concepts/techniques
Assignment of homework assignment, which will incorporate concepts/techniques
explored in class
The animation concepts, techniques and exercises will include as many of the
following as we can fit into the quarter:
Bouncing ball
Arm point
Punch
Jump
Follow through
Overlap
Lifting
Toppling objects
Straight ahead
Pose-to-pose
Walks
Expressive walks
Breaking the joint
Sneaks
Runs
Winged flight
Quadrupeds
Vibrations
Takes/accents
Fire
Smoke

Water
Explosions
Wave and whip motions
Each topic will begin with a discussion and demonstration. Then everyone will work
through the process in class. After this well look under the hood to see how each
principle works and how to make adjustments, and then try it out.
The reason were using hand-drawn Flash is because its the fastest way to visualize
the concepts while allowing for easy adjustments. Were not focusing on the drawing
(stick-figures will work), but on the principles that can be applied across all animation
methods and media.

Learning Goals
Hands-on knowledge of the animation foundational concepts, including timing and
spacing, staging, weight, anticipation, observation, squash and stretch, and arcs.
Appreciation of the pedagogical value of classic animation exercises, including the
bouncing ball, sack of flour, and walk cycle.
Familiarity with basic animation processes, including straight-ahead, pose-to-pose,
extremes and in-betweens, morphing, ease out and ease in.
Experience with the timing and spacing of effects animation.

Texts
Required Text: The Animator's Survival Kit (ASK), Second Edition, by Richard Williams.
Recommended: Timing for Animation, Second Edition, by Harold Whitaker and John
Halas.
Recommended: Tezuka School of Animation, by Tezuka Productions
Online Videos: We are lucky to have the entire Richard Williams Animation
Masterclass videos available for you to watch online. This is an incredible resource
that passes down the craft developed during the golden age of Disney and Warner
Brothers, and you will be expected to watch these videos outside of class to prepare
for lectures. Richard Williams Animators Survival Kit Videos
http://cdmflash.cdm.depaul.edu/coltube/movie

Proposed Schedule
Schedule Most classes will follow the same schedule. Well start by critiquing the
previous assignment. Then we'll discuss the next topic and watch animations that
show it in depth. You will do an in-class version of the assignment, which well then
view, and critique. Well then discuss the larger project, which in most cases youll
have one week to complete. The final project will be assigned over 2 weeks, and is
due at the final critique. This plan may change in response to the needs of the class
(you). SCHEDULE This schedule is subject to change throughout the semester and will
be adapted to fit the needs of the students.
9/15 Morph Animation, Pose-to-Pose Styles
9/25 Squash and Stretch
9/29 Anticipation and Overshoots (Accents)
10/6 Follow Through and Overlapping Action
10/13 Walks
10/20 Jumps and Runs, Weight Shift

10/27 Fire, explosion, lightning

11/3 Smoke, water, wind
11/10 Repeating Cycles
11/17: FINAL CLASS _ ATTENDANCE MANDATORY Meet at normal time
GRADING:
Project 1 = 10 points
Project 2 = 10 points
Project 3 = 10 points
Project 4 = 10 points
Project 5 = 10 points
Project 6 = 10 points
Project 7 = 10 points
Project 8 = 10 points
Project 9 = 10 points
Participation and Attendance = 10 points
TOTAL

= 100 points

A = 100-93, A- = 92-90, B+ = 89-87, B = 86-83, B- = 82-80, C+ = 7977, C = 76-73, C- = 72-70, D+ = 69-67, D = 66-63, D- = 62-60, F = 590

Animation Concepts for ANI 421, Fall 2013

Morph Animation: A type of straight ahead animation in which one shape evolves
into another shape with some kind of artistic direction.
Straight Ahead Animation: Spontaneous process of animating from one pose into
another. Less concern with number of in-betweens, allows for a more natural flow of
action.
Pose-to-Pose Animation: Animation that is first created with a sequence of key
poses that are then inbetweened. This is a more practical approach to commercial
animation production that carefully considers timing and action.
Key poses: A piece of animated art that shows an extreme action.
Inbetween: The individual pieces of animation art between two key poses.
Squash: An exaggerated shape that suggests weight by distortion due to a force.
Stretch: A shape that is elongated moving into or out of a stretch pose.
Moving hold: A pause in animation in which drawings continue to cycle but no
action takes place.
Antic: (Anticipation) An action that precedes a much faster or larger action, such
as a hammer moving back to strike a nail.

Overshoot: The action that continues after a large force is applied, such as the
hammer moving a little past the nail and then settling.
Arc: The imaginary path of action a shape follows. Animation is built upon a series of
arcs.
Slow out: Moving slowly out of a key pose in a non-linear way to suggest natural
action, such as a hammer moving forward to strike.
Slow in: Moving slowly into a key pose; often used with antics and usually preceeds
a hold.
Delay or lag: Creating a sense of natural action by delaying part of an object
moving, such as a characters hair following through after they turn their head.
Online Teaching Evaluation
Evaluations are a way for students to provide valuable feedback regarding their
instructor and the course. Detailed feedback will enable the instructor to continuously
tailor teaching methods and course content to meet the learning goals of the course
and the academic needs of the students. They are a requirement of the course and
are key to continue to provide you with the highest quality of teaching. The
evaluations are anonymous; the instructor and administration do not track who
entered what responses. A program is used to check if the student completed the
evaluations, but the evaluation is completely separate from the students identity.
Since 100% participation is our goal, students are sent periodic reminders over three
weeks. Students do not receive reminders once they complete the evaluation.
Students complete the evaluation online in CampusConnect at
http://campusconnect.depaul.edu
Email
Email is the primary means of communication between faculty and students enrolled
in this course outside of class time. Students should be sure their email listed under
"demographic information" at

http://campusconnect.depaul.edu is correct.

Academic Integrity Policy

This course will be subject to the faculty council rules on the
Policy

Academic Integrity

Plagiarism
The university and school policy on plagiarism can be summarized as follows:
Students in this course, as well as all other courses in which independent research or
writing play a vital part in the course requirements, should be aware of the strong
sanctions that can be imposed against someone guilty of plagiarism. If proven, a
charge of plagiarism could result in an automatic F in the course and possible
expulsion. The strongest of sanctions will be imposed on anyone who submits as

his/her own work a report, examination paper, computer file, lab report, or other
assignment, which has been prepared by someone else. If you have any questions or
doubts about what plagiarism entails or how to properly acknowledge source
materials be sure to consult the instructor.
Incomplete
An incomplete grade is given only for an exceptional reason such as a death in the
family, a serious illness, etc. Any such reason must be documented. Any incomplete
request must be made at least two weeks before the final, and approved by the Dean
of the College of Computing and Digital Media. Any consequences resulting from a
poor grade for the course will not be considered as valid reasons for such a request.
Resources for Students with Disabilities
Students who feel they may need an accommodation based on the impact of a
disability should contact the instructor privately to discuss their specific needs. All
discussions will remain confidential.
To ensure that you receive the most appropriate accommodation based on your
needs, contact the instructor as early as possible in the quarter (preferably within the
first week of class), and make sure that you contact the Center for Students with
Disabilities (CSD) at:
Student Center, LPC, Suite #370 Phone number: (773)325.1677 Fax: (773)325.3720
TTY: (773)325.7296