University of the Arts Continuing Education Animation (motion graphics) offers a medium of storytelling and visual entertainment, which can bring pleasure and information to people of all ages everywhere in the world. ~ Walt Disney Course Title Motion Graphics + Illustration Course # CE 1551 Credit Hours 3 CE Semester Fall, 2011 Prerequisites CE 2407 Adobe Illustrator or equivalent experience Class Meetings Wednesdays; 7pm 10pm October 5 December 14 Course Website http://www.onetoo.org/teach/motiongraphics_fall2011.html INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION Instructor E-Mail Address Chad M. Dravk chad@onetoo.org COURSE DESCRIPTION AND OBJECTIVES Course Description Adobe Flash is not only a popular tool for professionals in the world of web design, but illustrators, motion graphic artists, and character animators can take advantage of Flash s unparalleled ability to render and animate. Learn how to draw, build, and animate original creations using Flash s complete suite of drawing tools. Explore the creation process of Flash s symbols (reusable objects), tweening, and the popular symbol-based cut-out style of animation as well as hand-drawn techniques with the Wacom tablet. Also, learn to use Flash as a valuable tool for creating digital illustration, both on its own and in conjunction with its vector-based brother, Adobe Illustrator. Student work is exported in various formats for print, web, and TV. Students are required to provide their own Wacom Intuos3 Grip Pen - Tablet Pen ZP501E. Course Objective Students will learn how to illustrate, and create motion graphics/animation with Flash. They will learn about the aesthetics of design, motion and sound. By constructing user interactive projects, students will be challenged to think in a nonlinear way. Students will learn to use a combination of logical reasoning, critical thinking, and artistic creativity. Student Learning Objectives Upon completion of this course, students should be able to: Illustrate using Flash's vector-based tools Manipulate graphics and shapes Differ the advantages and disadvantages of using bitmaps Animate symbols and shapes Learn the structure of Flash files and optimization strategies Know basic ActionScript 2/3 techniques for simple interaction and animation Assess and critique solutions for visual communications Deliver a message effectively with illustration and/or animation on the web Abide ethical behavior regarding copyrighted material and images Storytell with images, animation and sound Instructional Methods Demonstration Exercises Tutorials Studio assistance Evaluation of Student Learning Outcomes Students will be assigned a series of exercises designed to incorporate tools and techniques taught in class. Exercises will then be critiqued to determine aesthetic achievement and growth, along with demonstration of technical topics covered in class lectures and examples. In these exercises, students should demonstrate competency in various facets of illustration and motion graphics with Flash.
COURSE POLICIES Attendance and Class Participation Academic Integrity Attendance is required. This is NOT a distance learning class. Being in class is an integral part of the learning process. The course is designed to allow you to learn the subject effectively - in the most quick and efficient manner I know - through a series of exercises, demonstrations, and coaching from moi. Up to five excused or unexcused absences are allowed with no penalty. I don't care why you miss class it doesn't concern me. It does concern me, however, if you miss more than five, for you will receive a failing grade. All classes will have an optional 10-minute break at the end of each hour (so two, 10- minute breaks for a typical studio class). Beyond these breaks, if you are more than 10 minutes late, leave more than 10 minutes early, or are gone from class for more than 10 minutes for breaks, you will receive a "late". Three "lates" = one absence Students who withdraw from a course must do so in writing. Nonattendance does not constitute an official withdrawal. Students are expected to follow the Code of Academic Honesty as described in the college catalog. In particular, plagiarism is a serious offense. It is the theft of work, words and/or ideas from another person. It not only includes copying from books, articles, paintings, sketches and/or the Internet, but copying from other students work as well as having another student do the work for you. Yes, of course you can be influenced heavily, but get your own style. If you plagiarize any part of your assignments, you will get a zero for that assignment. There will be no appeal. To have ACT 48 Activity Hours for this course reported to the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) you must complete and return the CE Request for Activity Hours Submission Form to the UArts Continuing Studies Office and meet all requirements outlined by the PDE. ACADEMIC SUCCESS CENTER (ASC) The University of the Arts reserves the right to cancel classes due to low enrollment, reschedule any course or to change the instructor. If a cancellation should occur, students will be notified prior to the start of classes and will have the option of taking another course or receiving a full refund. The University is not responsible for supplies that may be purchased in advance. COURSE MATERIALS Item Wacom Intuos3 Grip Pen Tablet Pen ZP501E Removable Storage External Hard-drive USB Flash Drive (4GB or higher) B&H TigerDirect.com NewEgg.com Best Buy TigerDirect.com NewEgg.com Where to Find
HELPFUL BOOKS Title/Author Flash Professional CS5 Bible By: Todd Perkins Amazon Wal-Mart Borders Where to Find How to Cheat in Adobe Flash CS5: The Art of Design and Animation By: Chris Georgenes Amazon Wal-Mart Barnes & Noble Borders Adobe Flash Professional CS5 Classroom in a Book By: Adobe Creative Team Amazon Wal-Mart Borders COURSE CALENDAR AND SCHEDULE Session Day/Date Description 1 Wednesday, October 5 Introduction Let s meet everyone and their interests in the course o Illustrator? Motion graphic artist? Character animator? Understand course objectives and clarify expectations Summary of equipment and facilities Vector vs. raster View clips o Illustration o Motion graphics Example 1, Example 2, Example 3 o Character animation Example 1, Example 2, Example 3 Let s Open Flash Modifying document properties o Movie sizes o Frame Rate Overview of Flash s tools, windows, and interface o Stage and Work Area o Panels Properties Library Understanding and reading the frame-based Timeline o Modifying Timeline display properties
Recognizing different frame types Timeline layers Layer folders and sub-folders Layer stacking order Tool bar o Context-sensitive tools o Context-sensitive Properties Panel Using the Oval and Rectangle Drawing Tool and tool modes o Merge Drawing o Object Drawing o Grouping and Breaking Apart o Fills and strokes o Oval and Rectangle Primitive Tools Text tool o Adjusting font family, size and color o Selecting text and text boxes o Wrapping and non wrapping text boxes o Breaking apart text Exercise: Discuss ideas/expectations for the class, and get familiar with Flash 2 Wednesday, October 12 Illustration Using the Pen tool and the Selection tools to create and modify graphics Strokes, fills and paths Color adjustments o The Swatches Panel o The Color Panel o Applying gradient fills o The Gradient Transform Tool Pencil tool Brush tool Line tool Eraser tool Align Panel Rulers, Guides and Grid Introduction to Symbols o Three types of symbols: Graphic, Button, and Movie Clip Working with layers View: Example 1, Example 2, Example 3 Exercise: Create a logo with a coinciding environment (background, props, etc.) 3 Wednesday, October 19 Motion Graphics Animation fundamentals o Frame by frame animation o Onion-skinning Working with frames on the Timeline o Copying frames o Moving frames o Adding and subtracting frames o Editing multiple frames at once Introduction to Tweening o Classic Motion Tweens o Shape Tweening Using Motion Guides Stopping an animation o Basic ActionScripting 2 or 3?
o Organizing Actions and Frame Labels on the Timeline Animating text o Distribute to layers Alpha transparency Using the Transform panel to dynamically resize objects Moving objects on and off the stage Scrubbing" to preview motion Using the "Test Movie" command to view the movie The Flash Player o Adjusting speed Frame rate Adding and removing frames Easing Understanding the relationship of Symbols and their Instances o Symbol Editing Mode o Edit in Place Mode Organizing movies with Scenes o The Scenes panel o Scene order View: Intro samples Exercise: Create intro With the vector logo and environment created from last class, or build a new one, create a dynamic and visually enticing intro that incorporates a beginning, middle, and end; looping optional. 4 Wednesday, October 26 Character Animation Frame by frame Drawing with the Wacom tablet Inverse kinematics o Bone tool View: Example 1, Example 2, Example 3, Example 4 Exercise: Create and animate a character either by Bone tool, symbols, or frame by frame. 5 Wednesday, November 2 Audio Importing audio files o Audio file formats o Accessing information about imported sounds Syncing o Event o Start o Stream o Stop Assigning Event Sounds to frames Repeating and looping Importing longer sounds (music files) Using the built-in editor to edit the sound envelope Sound quality, file size and compression Stopping and starting sounds with ActionScript Character lip-syncing View: Example 1, Example 2, Example 3 6 Wednesday, November 9 Exercise: Create a short (30sec max), animated piece along with a soundtrack and/or SFX. Publishing & Working w/illustrator Publishing Flash files for the web o Publish settings o Format Settings
o Flash Settings o HTML Settings Working with bitmaps in Flash o Importing bitmap graphics Accessing information about imported graphics File types, JPEG, GIF and PNG, and when to use them File size considerations Preparing bitmap graphics in other applications Illustrator, Photoshop, Fireworks Importing graphics from Photoshop and Illustrator o Import choices o Importing layers o Importing objects as pre-named movie clips View: Example1 Exercise: Create an animation using bitmap images Use images from web as animation subject(s) Use Photoshop (bitmap) and/or Illustrator (vector) to prep and create images Create a beginning, middle, and end; looping optional 7 Wednesday, November 16 8 Wednesday, November 23 9 Wednesday, November 30 10 Wednesday, December 7 11 Wednesday, December 14 Final Project Pre-Production If not already in progress, students will choose an idea for their final project and begin pre-production Keep it short, i.e. 30-60sec o Brainstorm o Write script o Storyboard Final Project Production Students will continue working on their final project o Build scenes, characters, and/or backgrounds o Animate Final Project Production Students will continue working on their final project Final Project Post-Production Students will continue working on their final project o Finalize animations o Add SFX, music, and/or titling o Export Final Critique Students should have their final piece ready o Review and critique Resources Discuss the range of local and national resources available The schedule and material in this syllabus may be updated or changed upon the instructional needs of the course and any changes in UArts schedules. Created by: Chad M. Dravk Last updated: 09.07.11 Maintained by: Chad M. Dravk