Degree in Animation and VFX

Become a professional in 3D computer generated imagery, including special effects and 3D artwork. The Degree in Animation at La Salle Campus Barcelona is the first official undergraduate degree program in Catalonia.

Fundamentals of animation

Back to Syllabus

Description
Introduction to the principles of animation. Students achieve the concepts of timing and spacing, weight, gravity, arcs, overlap, secondary action, squash and stretch and exaggerations. We will study the principles of animation through practical exercises with different objects, ball, hips & legs, pendulum. Simultaneously the students learn the basic software concepts of Maya and such as, Maya interface, working with objects, modeling basics, AutoKey keyframing, hotkeys, graph editor editing, tangents, curve cycling, playblasting, lights and render
Type Subject
Primer - Obligatoria
Semester
Annual
Course
1
Credits
6.00

Titular Professors

Leonardo Enrique Pereira Vivas
Professor

Professors

Sergi Espada Garcia
Leonardo Enrique Pereira Vivas
Roger Borniquel Villagrasa
Previous Knowledge
Objectives

RA.01 The student knows the basics of digital animation and the main processes in the creation of 3D Character
Animation.
RA.02 The student knows the principles of animation through practical exercises.

Contents

Lesson 1 Introduction to animation
Lesson 2 The 12 Principles of Animation
Lesson 3 The importance of the Planning in animation
Lesson 4 Introduction to Timing & Spacing
Lesson 5 Anticipation & Squash and Stretch
Lesson 6 The Arcs in the Movements
Lesson 7 Animation Methods Pose to pose and Straight Ahead
Lesson 8 Overlapping Action & Follow Through
Lesson 9 Spline Method. Blocking and Spline
Lesson 10 Weight and Exaggeration.
Lesson 11 Introduction to walk cycle
Lesson 12 Introduction to human locomotion

Methodology

The course will work through various teaching methodologies. At the beginning of each class the concepts and
corresponding theory will be explained, where the teacher will introduce certain basic concepts of the subject and
contextualize the student in methods and strategies of how to apply it in their practical work. In another hour of class,
students will analyze videos and animations of their classmates through dynamic feedback and participatory strategies
in class. Then they will do daily practice. During the practice, the teacher and fellow will support the student.

MD 0: Master Class with the support of audiovisual material.
MD 1: Thought-based learning and criticism.
MD 4: Seminar
MD 7: Flipped Classroom

Evaluation

For the fundamentals of animation, the evaluation is produced from the score obtained in 15 deliverables. It is not
expected to implement mid-terms and final exams. The works delivered during the extraordinary examinations will be
eligible for only 5 out of 10

- The final grade is calculated from the average of the grades obtained in each semester.
- The grades are calculated by weighting the two-semester grades: exercises, practical works for Animation

Evaluation Criteria
Basic Bibliography

The illusion of Life (Frank Thomas & Ollie Jhonston)
The Animator’s Survival Kit (Richard E. Williams)
Simplified Drawing for Planning Animation (Wayne Gilbert)
Timing for Animation (John Halas and Harold Whitaker)
Digital Lighting and Rendering (Jeremy Birn)
Animation Methods: The Only Book You'll Ever Need (David Rodriguez)

Additional Material