Want to become a pro. animator!!!!!!!!

[realsnake]

Well i want to be a professional cartoon designer and animator just like ppl here doing jobs as freelance or working group and i really need help on the subject where to start and what r the requirements of the media, companies or clients. Is it better to work online or locally?
I've already covered some basic aspect of TV, DVD authoring using books....
I'm giving 3 to 4 hours to my daily practice and Really need help on this topic plzzzz....

[heyvern]

You might want to go to school for this. Most of the courses probably focus on "3D" but you would still get education in general animation concepts.

I am not "in the biz" but from what I understand most animators are hired and fired for projects as they come along. You work on a project till it's finished then wait for something else to come along.

Or you could try to get hired by a studio that always has ongoing projects and needs full time animators.

The key right now though is to continue PRACTICING. Study animation every chance you get. Buy books on animation techniques and theories, squash and stretch, motion arcs, etc. Learn how to DRAW REALLY WELL. Take life drawing courses or sit in the park and sketch people (just don't drool and make weird noises when you do this or people run away. )

-vern

[realsnake]

I've already attended a 3d studio max class(only for 1 month out of 4 though:lol: ) and it really helped on some perspective views of 2d animation scenes.. oh yes thats right i should join some 2d animation school and thanks for the tips. One another thing, is it ok to capture some shots of real life'n try to convert, no draw them in cartoony style shuch as live motion of water, rocks, pound, ppl's walk cycle there r countless other things and i cant describe them all.... Anyway and what is the most common 2D animation software (other than flash) used by prof. these days?
thanks again..

[heyvern]

Using "captured" video as a "replacement" for animating probably is not a good idea unless that is the "style" you want. It can look "fake" or stand out from everything else. I think what you are talking about is called "rotoscoping" in 2D animation. "tracing" live footage. In 3D this would be called "motion capture". It sometimes gets negative responses.

As far as the most popular program, from what I understand most studios aren't going to care what program you use. They would be more interested in your skills as an animator. Anyone can learn software fairly quickly but having the animation skills first is more important.

If you want to do research on other programs besides Anime Studio feel free. I don't know about any others since I use Anime Studio.

-vern

[slowtiger]

Becoming an animator in the real sense of the word will take years. No matter wether you teach yourself, attend classes, study at Sheridan, or learn on the job: to become a good animator it takes a lot of time and practice.

Don't submit yourself to a single program, unless you want to be a one trick pony for the rest of your career, or be a highly specialised wizard - but what will those specialists in Orc-army-animation do when Orcs are not fashionable anymore?

Get the right books from your library, and draw. Every day. Learn to observe, to imagine, and to project your imagination onto paper. No software can help you with that.

Get a super8 camera and animate whatever you can put under the lense. Alternatively use a video capture software and a video cam. This is for learning the importance of frames and spaces, and for developing a sense of timing.

[realsnake]

Using "captured" video as a "replacement" for animating probably is not a good idea unless that is the "style" you want. It can look "fake" or stand out from everything else. I think what you are talking about is called "rotoscoping" in 2D animation. "tracing" live footage. In 3D this would be called "motion capture". It sometimes gets negative responses.

As far as the most popular program, from what I understand most studios aren't going to care what program you use. They would be more interested in your skills as an animator. Anyone can learn software fairly quickly but having the animation skills first is more important.

If you want to do research on other programs besides Anime Studio feel free. I don't know about any others since I use Anime Studio.

-vern

I'm not talking about using video as replacement and tracing, what i mean is to simulate the real world physical machanics in anime style, for example water waves and there current flow, real world reflection and shadows etc...observing the real life physics.

[realsnake]

Becoming an animator in the real sense of the word will take years. No matter wether you teach yourself, attend classes, study at Sheridan, or learn on the job: to become a good animator it takes a lot of time and practice.

Don't submit yourself to a single program, unless you want to be a one trick pony for the rest of your career, or be a highly specialised wizard - but what will those specialists in Orc-army-animation do when Orcs are not fashionable anymore?

Get the right books from your library, and draw. Every day. Learn to observe, to imagine, and to project your imagination onto paper. No software can help you with that.

Get a super8 camera and animate whatever you can put under the lense. Alternatively use a video capture software and a video cam. This is for learning the importance of frames and spaces, and for developing a sense of timing.

I've Studied Flash MX bible especially the cartoon animation chapter and it helpeed me alot and i remember someone wrote an article on cartoon animation and he said make your eyes like a camera obsering the life and saving it to your memory(that is brain), project it on a paper and then on computer...thanks

[BunyanFilms]

studying things like water and ripples and the like are great if you want to FX animation however I would recommend taking up a life drawing class if you want to start learning about motion. Most animation has characters so knowing how to move a character through space and how body mechanics works in invaluable.

[deserata]

You should probably also read through this thread, if you want to get an idea of what the job is really like from someone who's been in the business for a while already.

Warning: it will probably destroy most idealistic expectations you may have.... but I feel like this is good to know about sooner rather than later if you really want to take the professional track.

[realsnake]

I've already read it and i was disappointed a little bit when i read it almost 5 months ago....i wasnt thinking of completley going into anim. biz but must say this that i'm an animation maniac like 'matt2001' said in hist post at awn "The beautiful thing about animators is we LOVE to do what we do", also
i'm going in another biz and besides i'll be having lots of spare time so i'll do my animation work on that time.

THANKS for reminding me that article...

[Kadoogan]

Hi, I have posted this elsewhere on this forum, but to maybe save you some time looking...

http://www.karmatoons.com/drawing/drawing.htm

This is a great free mini course in drawing and animation. I have paid good money for books with less info.

Hope that helps - all the basic steps are covered.

[realsnake]

Nice Job, cartoon course in real cartoony way, i'm reading it now....