New animation

[bbjohn]

Hi, all! I know I haven’t contributed any new artwork lately. I’ve been busy with work and some other projects. I’ve attached something you may find interesting.

I’m reworking my “Theme Park Guides in Quicksand” video that has had approximately 7,000 views since I posted it on You Tube in July 2009. Among other things, I’ll be adding a sound track, complete with sound effects and some vocal effects.

I’m also adding some new scenes which focus more on Sandy, the tall blonde. I’m going to add more of her legs struggling, including a brief thigh struggle. I’ll leave in the views of Kelly’s legs. She’s the curvey brunette.

The clip shows the moment where Sandy first steps into the quicksand, and includes a small cry of surprise.

The clip illustrates the animation process. The first part is called a “pencil test.” These are the line drawings I made. I scanned them and made a movie of them so I could make sure the animation was working.

After that, I colored the drawings with acrylic craft paints, Sharpie pens, and paint markers. I then transferred them to transparent sheets and scanned them along with the backgrounds. After I made a movie of the colored drawings and the backgrounds, I added the sound and voice effects.

I also had to figure out just where Sandy would be in relation to the overall background. I took some measurements from the scenes which featured the background, figured out where Sandy would be, and then made sure those elements in that part of the overall background were in the background of the close-ups of Sandy’s legs.

I did this clip at six frames per second instead of my usual two frames per second. This creates a more natural, fluid movement. I can get away with using two frames per second on most scenes, but I like to use six on some close-up action. The processor in my clunky old iMac sometimes has trouble with six frames per second.

You can probably see why it takes me six to eight months to make one of these. I love doing hand-drawn animation. Don't get me wrong. I have nothing against computer animation. I have to respect anyone who can use a computer like that.

For what it’s worth, Disney does their animated features at 24 frames per second. A typical feature may have as many as 1 million animation drawings. If you ever wondered why they have so many people working on their animated features, that’s why.

Enjoy the clip!

Big Bad John

[hootersfiend]

A very nice demonstration of hand drawn animation, sir! Well done.

HDA is becoming a lost art...glad to see some folks still carry the torch for it.

[PM2K]

Excellent! Thanks for the behind the scenes glimpse...

[water_bug_62208]

Oh, very nice! I've seen Disney's and Looney Tunes' "behind the scene" efforts in making their cartoons and can appreciate what it took for you to put this together. Thanks for sharing!

[nachtjaeger]

Awesome! Great to see all the work that goes into the finished product.

[Weapon X]

Great news, and cool behind-the-scenes! Just out of curiosity...when this is re-animated, will you be including a submergence or two at the end, or a rescue? If it came down to a poll, I would vote for the submergence...but I would enjoy your product, no matter what!

[bbjohn]

Thanks for the kind words, everyone! It's certainly nice to know one's work is appreciated. I wanted to say I enjoy much of the artwork I see here. We have some talented people on this site.

Great news, and cool behind-the-scenes! Just out of curiosity...when this is re-animated, will you be including a submergence or two at the end, or a rescue? If it came down to a poll, I would vote for the submergence...but I would enjoy your product, no matter what!

Right now, my plan is to end it as I did in the original version, with Sandy and Kelly about to go under, but with a rescue still possible. I could always do an alternate ending where they submerge. I must admit I'm reluctant to do scenes where my characters die (Hey, they're like my kids. I don't want anything really bad to happen to them. ).

I'm planning to do a sequel where they are rescued, but it's still in the planning stages and the cartoon won't be ready for at least a year. Part of the story has Sandy and Kelly discovering quicksand gives them a feeling that has them saying a line from the Warner Bros. cartoons: "We better cut this out. We may get to like it!" I've also decided they will learn something about their boss, who I call Miss Holly, and her interesting relationship with quicksand.

What I could do is write the sequel as a story and then post it in the stories section. I could have that ready in a few weeks. At least I won't keep you all waiting that way.

Big Bad John

[bbjohn]

I've extended the scene a little further. It now includes my first ever synchronization of vocals and animation. Sandy has a predictable response when she sees she's stepped into something yucky. Here, she's annoyed, and probably unhappy she got her shoes and socks dirty. A little later, when realizes she's going in deeper and she can't pull free, that's when she starts to get scared.

I have to show this off, and you folks seem like the right people to show it to. I apologize for the quality, but I had to make sure I could attach it without getting that "The connection was reset" notification.

Big Bad John

[water_bug_62208]

Outstanding! I love that kind of attitude in a gal when she gets her shoes and socks muddy then notices that her feet won't willingly come out. Nicely done!

Thanks for sharing!

[undergrain1]

actually, if you want to submerge your victim, but not sacrifice them, just think of him or her as Cylon #13. They'll be replaced with a new clone that has all the memories of the one that goes under!