Graphics Reference
In-Depth Information
Space Layout for
The Animator and the Seat
by Eric Drobile, Ringling College of Art and Design
the character to run around the desk, creating a barrier between the character and
the chair, stopping the action.
Too often, beginning animators create their locations from something they have seen
or something they know. They then move the characters to the props rather than posi-
tion the props where they are needed for the story. They waste valuable animation
time making the character move around obstacles or walk or run great distances—
movements that with good design are avoidable. Analyze fi rst the function of the space,
the action that takes place, where the camera will be placed, and then design for
maximum effi ciency.
Defi ning the Mood of the Piece
What is the mood you want to create for your piece? Is it night or day? Are we in a happy
place or a scary place? What is the atmosphere, the weight of the air, the temperature of
the space? As soon as the fi lm fades up from black and begins, an impression, emotion,
feeling, or dramatic effect is created by the texture, color, lighting, and design elements of
the location.
Texture.
Everything in a location has a texture—the hard surface of a desk; the smooth-
ness of a fl ower petal; the coarseness of a brick street. Texture is the fabric, material,
fi ber, grain, pattern, fl exibility, or stiffness that gives a tactile surface quality to the objects
in the world. The amount of texture defi nes the level of detail and reality in a scene. The
more texture and detail present, the closer to reality the scene becomes for the viewer.
