Since childhood, the animation series and animated films have been a constant throughout our three vines. But there will be many images in motion, there are great teams of artists and people with talent that fans all need to enchant the viewer during a certain time. L'assignatura, will analyze the fonaments, theories and techniques because the student continued to be able to animate and not become a mere spectator. I know the methodologies that have been used in the animation studies, to realize the great animations of the 20th century and that these have become the pillars of the current animation and VFX industry.
In this way, the course will consist of a theorethical part and an additional practice, both exercises are simple on the student, and will be able to understand and apply the principles of traditional animation starting from the analysis and the drawing.
Titular Professors
Prior knowledge of Blender is required.
The objectives of the course are to introduce students to the fundamental concepts, theories, and essential techniques of animation, fostering a critical perspective that goes beyond the simple role of spectator. The course aims for students to become familiar with the methodologies used in major 20th?century animation studios and to understand how these have become the foundation of today’s animation and VFX industry. Through theoretical sessions and practical exercises, students will learn to analyse and apply the principles of traditional animation through drawing. The final objective of the course is to enable students to integrate animation processes and techniques into their own projects and to create 2D animations within a digital production environment.
Topic 0. Grease Pencil. Understanding and technical aspects of Blender’s Grease Pencil tool.
Topic 1. Animation: concept and origins. Introduction to the discipline of animation, starting from its beginnings and explaining the theory of 24 fps.
Topic 2. Timing and Spacing. Diagrams for representing them. The essence of animation. Without time and space, animation cannot exist. How to represent them. Types of keys.
Topic 3. The 12 Principles of Animation. We will study and apply the technical conclusions reached by the animators of the 20th century. Thanks to these principles, animations gain charisma, aesthetics, plasticity, and elegance.
Topic 6. Final Project: Short Film. We will learn the pipeline of a project and produce a short film.
It works through different active teaching methodologies and project-based learning. Although there are Master Classes, the demonstrative and practical ones predominate. These are carried out by the students individually with the continuous supervision of the teacher. At certain moments of the syllabus, learning based on problems and exercises is applied, so that the student has to face situations that make him leave his comfort zone. In this process, the student has to think about solving more complex situations by merging various techniques and applying the theory. At the beginning of each session, any doubts that resulted from the previous practice or session are resolved. Afterwards, the theoretical-practical part is discussed so that students have the knowledge and tools necessary to develop the approaches and achieve the new goals Didactic activities are offered with specific audiovisual material to become familiar with the technical vocabulary and develop their professional growth through practice and experience.
At the beginning of the course, the exercises that make up the continuous assessment of the entire semester and the route to follow to achieve the purpose of the subject are presented. At the beginning of the most important practices there is a reception of preparation, and at the end, a closing to draw conclusions and learn from mistakes. Throughout the course, the student receives individual and group feedback to evolve and have the opportunity to rectify, improve their work and have constant growth in their learning.
Several partial practical assignments will be carried out, corresponding to each of the topics covered in the course.
In order to assess whether the student has achieved an adequate level of the objectives set for the course, different continuous assessment activities will be used, with an approximate weekly frequency.
The objectives of continuous assessment are to help students keep up with the course and develop an effective working method, enabling them to assimilate the content, which is delivered progressively, and to achieve good academic results. Continuous assessment also makes it possible to evaluate the students’ daily work, so that their final grade does not depend solely on the completed practical assignments.
All submissions must comply with the established guidelines and deadlines. Otherwise, the instructor may refuse to accept the submission, and it will be marked as Not Submitted. The minimum grade required to be averaged into the final mark is 4. Grades below this threshold will not be included in the average and must be resubmitted in the July resit period.
Any student who does not complete a practical assignment or assessment and it is verified that the work was completed by another student is violating the plagiarism policy. This is classified as a Very Serious Offense with Premeditation. The student will receive a 0 for the assignment and a Not Presented for the course. In addition, an academic disciplinary process will be initiated for all involved students.
The instructor reserves the right to modify the assessment system in extraordinary and justified cases, agreed upon between the student and the teaching team. The assessment board will apply the regulations, taking into account the student’s progress and academic performance. Consult the plagiarism policy on the campus website.
The assessment will evaluate the student’s understanding and application of the fundamental principles of animation through practical exercises and individual assignments. The student’s ability to appropriately use the processes and techniques of both traditional and digital animation will be taken into consideration. The quality of the drawing, the coherence of movement, and the ability to analyse animated references will also be assessed. Active participation in class sessions and consistency in completing tasks will be key elements. Finally, the student’s ability to produce functional 2D animations within a digital production environment will be evaluated.
Williams, R., Animator's Survival Kit , Faber and Faber, Lonson 2009
Thomas, F. Johnston O., Illusion of life , Hipéryon, 1997
Bendazzi, G., Cartoons. 100 años de cine de animación , Ocho y Medio, Madrid 2003
Silver S., The Silver Way , Design Studio Press, 2017
Catmull E., Creatividad S.A , PRHGE, Barcelona 2014
Additional bibliography or supplementary material will be provided for each topic when necessary.