Digital Imaging Self-Evaluation

Alyssa Hess

Self-Evaluation:

Honestly, I think my final project went very well. It was definitely a challenge that took a long time to create, but ultimately it was a labor of love and I really felt so comfortable making this goal a reality. I think I got a pretty interesting video out of my initial drawings. Everything seemed very scattered for a while and it was hard to envision a final product but I was so proud of the fact that I was able to take an original character and make it move on screen. I gave it emotions; a personality. I only wish that I had made it smoother, but because of the time restraints, it was the best I could do. For this reason , in the future, I would like to add slides to my original sequence to really get the smoothest animation possible. I’d also like to get my own sound recordings to give my character the voice and mannerisms that I’d foreseen prior to starting this project. 

Digital Imaging Final Animation

Digital Imaging Final Production Log

Alyssa Hess

Digital Imaging Final

Production Log

I have been fascinated by cell animation ever since I was kid, since old Disney movies were done that way. The original idea I had for my project was to do my own 2D animation of a cat sleeping, waking up, chasing a mouse, and then going back to sleep. However, due to the time constraints, I had to change my concept. The new concept I came up with wasn’t terribly different but the new sequence involved the same cat sleeping, waking up because of a buzzing fly, sneezing, and then falling back asleep again. Unfortunately, I knew little to nothing about animation before starting this project, so I researched Robert Crumb, a cartoonist popular in the 60s and 70s to get a better understanding of the artistic processes and styles that go into animation. In order to create my final project, I first drew 84 slides by hand using micron pens. I traced over each image I drew, very slowly adding in new movements and actions to avoid choppy end footage. From there, I scanned in my images to Photoshop so I could edit them and make them the same. This would be vital in putting together the final project. Then I uploaded the images using Photoshop’s animation tools and included sound effects. Finally, I exported the file and rendered the video. Fortunately I didn’t encounter too many problems while during my project and I was very pleased with the end result, though if I had had more time, I would have wanted to make the animation less choppy.  

Digital Imaging Final Research Component

Alyssa Hess

Digital Imaging Final

Research Component

I. Robert Crumb

Humble Beginnings:

-          Robert Crumb was an American cartoonist born in Philadelphia on August 30, 1943

-          He had one brother named Charles who proved to be a major influence on Crumb’s work because of his love for comics

-          Crumb often felt like an outcast in school and sought comfort in drawing

“I was one of those social rejects, but then, you know, a lot of people were — nothing unusual about being an outcast in high school.”

            Illustration:

-          Crumb’s family moved to Delaware in 1956, and Crumb lived there until 1962, when he moved to Cleveland, Ohio

-          Crumb found a job with the American Greetings Corporation

-          He began slowly, working as a color separator, but was then promoted to commercial illustrator for the company

-          Crumb’s artistic style largely went unappreciated by the American Greetings Corporation, who preferred him to draw more appealing characters

-          Crumb admitted to taking L.S.D when he started working in Cleveland and claims that during that period he created his best characters and learned a lot about his drawing style

“My boss kept telling me my drawings were too grotesque. I was trained to draw 'cute' little neuter characters which influenced my technique, and even now my work has this cuteness about it.”

         

                   Fritz the Cat:

-          Crumb’s first major cartoon was one called “Fritz the Cat”

-          He had created the character as a teenager and was approached by Ballantine Books to make a comic using Fritz the Cat

-          Feeling that the cartoon was a failure, Crumb swiftly ended it

Mr. Natural:

-          During the seventies, Crumb moved to California where he introduced some of his best characters, one of which was named Mr. Natural

-           Mr. Natural was a bald man with a long, white beard, who wore a yellow robe and big red shoes

-          Mr. Natural was a mystic and a guru who lived a humble life without many material possessions

*(another famous cartoon by Crumb was Angelfood McSpade, a stereotypical African American woman portrayed as a nymphomaniac)

II. Animation:

For my animation, I drew 84 frames for my cartoon “Clyde” by hand using micron pens and sketchbook paper. I then scanned in the images to Photoshop and edited them, making each frame the same resolution and size. Then I used the animation tools in Photoshop to organize my frames. Finally, I added sound clips and exported the file.