Animation Fundamentals

Catalog description

DART 204 Animation Fundamentals (3) Introduces time-based animation fundamentals along with core skills and knowledge necessary for producing animated work. This course focuses on creative work that is grounded in fundamentals and engages students in studio-based research methods to advance their skills and critical competence in time-based media. Students are introduced to core skills and knowledge necessary for producing animated works that communicate ideas, enhance user interface and interaction, and inspire critical reflection. Through a series of animation exercises students apply visual digital concepts in the creation of original animated projects that are further enhanced by critical responses to screenings and discussions of key texts about animation. Initial exercises cover animation principles and tools, creating assets, production planning, layout and composition, keyframes, transformation and deformation, and interpolation. Character animation design and development, rigging, asset preparation, cameras are covered, along with various forms of interface prototypes such as interaction design, wireframes, interface elements. Students are also introduced to typography, sound design and Foley, motion design, color, masking, post effects, and color grading. Later in the course, students also develop a series of more ambitious animation projects using an iterative design process that further develops their digital competencies and creative and critical capabilities in time-based media.