This course introduces the fundamental principles of animation. Students will master core concepts such as timing and spacing, weight, gravity, arcs, overlapping action, secondary action, squash and stretch, and exaggeration. These principles will be studied through practical exercises animating different objects, including a ball, a pendulum, and hips & legs. Simultaneously, students will learn essential software skills in Maya, covering the interface, object manipulation, basic modeling, Autokey keyframing, hotkeys, Graph Editor navigation, tangent types, curve cycling, playblasting, as well as basic lighting and rendering.
Titular Professors
Professors
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- Introduce students to the technical and artistic fundamentals of digital animation.
- Understand and apply the 12 principles of animation through practical exercises.
- Master the concepts of timing and spacing, weight, gravity, arcs, overlapping action, secondary action, squash and stretch, and exaggeration.
- Develop skills in animation planning using techniques such as sketchbooks and video reference analysis.
- Learn to use software tools such as Photoshop and Maya for 2D and 3D animation.
- Apply animation methods including Pose to Pose, Straight Ahead, and Layered Animation.
- Create personality walk cycles and basic human locomotion.
- Understand the importance of good posing for character animation.
- Develop analysis and feedback skills through reviewing one's own work and that of peers.
Lesson 1: Introduction to Animation
Lesson 2: The 12 Principles of Animation
Lesson 3: The Importance of Planning in Animation
Lesson 4: Introduction to Timing and Spacing
Lesson 5: Anticipation and Squash and Stretch
Lesson 6: Arcs in Movement
Lesson 7: Animation Methods: Pose to Pose and Straight Ahead
Lesson 8: Overlapping Action and Follow Through
Lesson 9: Spline Method: Blocking and Spline
Lesson 10: Weight and Exaggeration
Lesson 11: Introduction to Walk Cycles
Lesson 12: Introduction to Human Locomotion
Each session will begin with a theoretical introduction where the instructor will explain key concepts and contextualize them within practical strategies for application. Subsequently, students will participate in a collaborative analysis of peer animations and videos, engaging in dynamic feedback sessions. This will be followed by daily practical exercises. During these hands-on sessions, both the instructor and teaching fellows will provide individualized support to students.
The primary methodologies include:
MD 0: Master Class: Lectures supported by audiovisual materials.
MD 1: Critical Thinking and Analysis: Learning through critique and reasoned discussion.
MD 4: Seminar: Structured group discussions and presentations.
MD 7: Flipped Classroom: Preparation of theoretical content before class to prioritize practical activities during sessions.
The subject follows a continuous assessment model based on the submission of in-class exercises and practical assignments. Mid-term and final exams are not planned.
Failure to submit or pass any of the exercises will result in a grade of NP (Not Presented) in the FINAL grade. The student must retake the failed exercise in the regular or second call (resit) assessment period.
If any project receives a grade below 4, the student will be required to go directly to the second call (resit). In this second call, all failed projects, as well as any other with a grade below 5, must be retaken and passed.
The final grade is calculated from the average of the grades obtained in each semester.
Grades are calculated by weighting the scores from two semesters based on exercises and practical animation projects.
If more than 50% of the submitted assignments or evaluative tests receive a grade of NP (Not Presented), the subject cannot be recovered and must be repeated the following academic year. This will be considered a failure to meet the requirements of continuous assessment.
Students who, without justification, do not attend 70% of the classes forfeit their right to the final assessment and to the second call (resit). They will be required to repeat the subject the following academic year.
Submissions in the second call (resit) will be assessed without review sessions or individualized feedback, as this phase is exclusively for recovery purposes.
The final grade is calculated from the average of the grades obtained in each semester, weighting the scores of exercises and practical projects according to the percentages assigned to each activity.
- Birn, J. (2006). Digital lighting and rendering (2nd ed.). New Riders.
- Gilbert, W. (1999). Simplified drawing for planning animation. Brainstorm Publications.
- Halas, J., & Whitaker, H. (2009). Timing for animation (2nd ed.). Focal Press.
- Johnston, O., & Thomas, F. (1995). The illusion of life: Disney animation (Revised ed.). Hyperion. (Original work published 1981).
- Palamar, T. (2015). Mastering Autodesk Maya 2016: Autodesk official press. John Wiley & Sons.
- Rodriguez, D. (2012). Animation methods: The only book you'll ever need. CreateSpace.
- Williams, R. (2009). The animator's survival kit (Revised ed.). Faber & Faber.)
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