Hi, I bought Anime Studio because I thought it would help me create a South Park style cartoon for me and my friends. The only thing is, the cartoon I want to create has to be done in a month, so I really don't have time to learn everything there is to Anime Studio.
Can someone help me create a South Park Character? I've searched for a bit in these forums, but none of it has been really helpful for what I need (most of the ones I found believe that you have a basic understanding of how Anime Studio works and can create a good cartoon on your own, while the tutorial itself is just to improve those methods).
Create a South Park Character?
Moderators: Víctor Paredes, Belgarath, slowtiger
The first thing you need do is define what you mean by "create a South Park character". Do you mean a character that looks exactly like one in the cartoon? Or do you mean in the style of South Park?
And if the latter, what exactly does that mean? It will help you tremendously to define what it is about the cartoon that you are trying to emulate.
I've never seen the show, but from commercials it looks like it's a cutout style animation -- AS excels at this. But the bigger problem is that even if someone could create such a character for you that's only one tiny part of the process. You need to learn to animate in AS, and that's where the true work (and talent) come in. Plus, without having created the character yourself you won't be able to do much useful with it -- the creation process is how you learn how to animate.
Quite frankly, you haven't nearly enough time to do anything ambitious in a month. That's about enough time to learn AS fully, and during that time you can create a little animation (say 30 seconds or so), but I wouldn't expect to be able to do much more than that (at least if you expect it to be something that folks will want to see :>)
And if the latter, what exactly does that mean? It will help you tremendously to define what it is about the cartoon that you are trying to emulate.
I've never seen the show, but from commercials it looks like it's a cutout style animation -- AS excels at this. But the bigger problem is that even if someone could create such a character for you that's only one tiny part of the process. You need to learn to animate in AS, and that's where the true work (and talent) come in. Plus, without having created the character yourself you won't be able to do much useful with it -- the creation process is how you learn how to animate.
Quite frankly, you haven't nearly enough time to do anything ambitious in a month. That's about enough time to learn AS fully, and during that time you can create a little animation (say 30 seconds or so), but I wouldn't expect to be able to do much more than that (at least if you expect it to be something that folks will want to see :>)
I mean in the style of South Park. I don't want someone to create a file for me (I found a file like that, didn't work too well, didn't know how to apply textures correctly, it would appear white instead of letting the background color appear) unless its a blank character that already has textures and stuff added in, with the source file for the texture.The first thing you need do is define what you mean by "create a South Park character". Do you mean a character that looks exactly like one in the cartoon? Or do you mean in the style of South Park?
Basically all I want is a simple tutorial, or a template South Park character. When you say emulate, do you mean animation?And if the latter, what exactly does that mean? It will help you tremendously to define what it is about the cartoon that you are trying to emulate.
Animation isn't a problem. I've had experience animating in other programs (especially 3d animation). Its only drawing and creating the character that is the problemI've never seen the show, but from commercials it looks like it's a cutout style animation -- AS excels at this. But the bigger problem is that even if someone could create such a character for you that's only one tiny part of the process. You need to learn to animate in AS, and that's where the true work (and talent) come in. Plus, without having created the character yourself you won't be able to do much useful with it -- the creation process is how you learn how to animate.
If you only have a month and need that whole time for production... forget it. What i would do in that case would be to take a week of that month and LEARN Anime Studio. Do all the tutorials, read the help files... practice practice practice... ask questions here. Do that for a week.
There are no shortcuts to producing an animation with any tool. You have to know what you are doing with the software.
Your only hope to use AS to do a project in one month is to learn AS first... at least the bare essentials to create a cut out style character and animate it. Even if you "do it wrong" or in an inefficient way it won't matter if you get the project done.
After that you should be a pro.
You are looking for shortcuts to learning that don't exist.
-vern
There are no shortcuts to producing an animation with any tool. You have to know what you are doing with the software.
What does this mean? How much time DO you have to learn about Anime Studio? How do you know what you you need to know about it? Start with the basics. Do the tutorials, read the help.I really don't have time to learn everything there is to Anime Studio.
Your only hope to use AS to do a project in one month is to learn AS first... at least the bare essentials to create a cut out style character and animate it. Even if you "do it wrong" or in an inefficient way it won't matter if you get the project done.
After that you should be a pro.
You are looking for shortcuts to learning that don't exist.
-vern
Uhm, it's not that hopeless as it may sound. In order to do something southpark-like, you'll have to learn mostly this:
1. Draw your character in separate parts in Photoshop and export them as PNGs with transparency.
2. Set up a bone skeleton and learn how to attach image layers to it.
3. Learn to set up switch layers and how to use them.
4. Animate.
1. Draw your character in separate parts in Photoshop and export them as PNGs with transparency.
2. Set up a bone skeleton and learn how to attach image layers to it.
3. Learn to set up switch layers and how to use them.
4. Animate.
I agree. Ignore the naysayers. [South Park is animated in Maya, incidentally]slowtiger wrote:Uhm, it's not that hopeless as it may sound. In order to do something southpark-like, you'll have to learn mostly this:
1. Draw your character in separate parts in Photoshop and export them as PNGs with transparency.
2. Set up a bone skeleton and learn how to attach image layers to it.
3. Learn to set up switch layers and how to use them.
4. Animate.
If you want to emulate that style, you can do cutouts of real paper, scan or photograph them, (cut out the shapes-that's step 1 above). Bring whatever you want into Anime Studio. You can also add textures to plain fills in Photoshop (or similar) if you want. Once it's in Anime Studio, you're just moving your bits around.
try this: http://www.steveryan.net/Tutorials/Moho.htm and do the bone rigging tutorial. It should get the idea going for you.
Or, give up now. To do South Park, you need a room full of animators using Maya, some background artists, textures applied, lighting and prop people, a producer, director, writers, Braniff Airlines... The list goes on and on. It's so hard to do that they can't even do it themselves
go here too: http://my.smithmicro.com/tutorials/2306.html
I'm not a "nay" sayer. Actually I am a night who says "neet".
What I was trying to get across is that you must learn some basics first. Doing the tutorials should only take a few days to a week to get the basics depending on how fast you learn.
I was up and running with Moho in a few days when I first got it. Took a couple of weeks to feel really comfortable. Your mileage may vary. (I hate abbreviations. )
I will answer all your questions... if you bring me a shrubbery.
-vern
What I was trying to get across is that you must learn some basics first. Doing the tutorials should only take a few days to a week to get the basics depending on how fast you learn.
I was up and running with Moho in a few days when I first got it. Took a couple of weeks to feel really comfortable. Your mileage may vary. (I hate abbreviations.
)I will answer all your questions... if you bring me a shrubbery.
-vern
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synthsin75
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dagnabbit! misspelled "knight". I am usually so careful.
Is it "nee" or "neet"? I looked it up on the web and it seemed to be "nee". Dang. Have to watch the DVD again with subtitles turned on.
Still waiting for the shrubbery... and some more questions about AS. One month... time is ticking. I just hope if I get the question wrong I don't get thrown into the Gorge of Eternal Peril.
-vern
Is it "nee" or "neet"? I looked it up on the web and it seemed to be "nee". Dang. Have to watch the DVD again with subtitles turned on.
Still waiting for the shrubbery... and some more questions about AS. One month... time is ticking. I just hope if I get the question wrong I don't get thrown into the Gorge of Eternal Peril.
-vern
-
technoweasel
- Posts: 16
- Joined: Wed Aug 20, 2008 10:44 pm
Let's look at this picture:
The colours are flat, the shapes are simple, and they have little or no outline.
So, let's think about creating a character like the guy on the left.
You'd have a body and legs on one layer, arms on their own separate layers so they can be moved, a head and hat and whites of the eyes on its own separate layer, and in a group with pupils on its own layer so it can be moved and a switch layer with different mouth shapes, and a switch layer for eyebrow positions.
That's about it as far as I can think. When they walk I think they just kind of hobble without much leg movement.
So, you'd have:
MAIN GROUP WITH EVERYTHING IN IT
HEAD GROUP > BROWS (switch layer) > DIFFERENT BROW SHAPES
> PUPILS
> MOUTHS (switch layer)> DIFFERENT MOUTH SHAPES
> HEAD
BODY GROUP > ARM 1
> ARM 2
> BODY
You could make the body parts PNG's or just draw them in AS with the drawing tools.
* EDIT: I wouldn't use bones for a character like this. I would set the pivot point for the arms somewhere near the shoulder, and set the pivot point for the head group somewhere near the bottom so it looks like it turns at the neck.
The colours are flat, the shapes are simple, and they have little or no outline.
So, let's think about creating a character like the guy on the left.
You'd have a body and legs on one layer, arms on their own separate layers so they can be moved, a head and hat and whites of the eyes on its own separate layer, and in a group with pupils on its own layer so it can be moved and a switch layer with different mouth shapes, and a switch layer for eyebrow positions.
That's about it as far as I can think. When they walk I think they just kind of hobble without much leg movement.
So, you'd have:
MAIN GROUP WITH EVERYTHING IN IT
HEAD GROUP > BROWS (switch layer) > DIFFERENT BROW SHAPES
> PUPILS
> MOUTHS (switch layer)> DIFFERENT MOUTH SHAPES
> HEAD
BODY GROUP > ARM 1
> ARM 2
> BODY
You could make the body parts PNG's or just draw them in AS with the drawing tools.
* EDIT: I wouldn't use bones for a character like this. I would set the pivot point for the arms somewhere near the shoulder, and set the pivot point for the head group somewhere near the bottom so it looks like it turns at the neck.