Heather D. Freeman - The Moving Image Workshop: Introducing Animation, Motion Graphics and Visual Effects in 45 Practical Projects

DEDICATION

For Jeff and Quinn, the keepers of our zoo and lords of my happiness. And for my students: best teachers ever.

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION:

MOVING IMAGES FOR EVERYONE

Millions of people around the world experience moving imagery daily, placing this medium at the very heart of contemporary visual culture. You, the art and design student, are surrounded by moving imagery and are already an expert audience member. There are no limits to who can use animation, motion graphics, and visual effects and no limits to the media involved; from printmaking to ceramics, and digital design to installation art, moving imagery is an essential tool for all art and design students.

This introductory textbook is for undergraduate art or design students enrolled in liberal arts colleges or universities and will guide you through the creation of your own unique, moving imagery. Students from diverse fine art and applied concentrations will create marvelous works of animation, motion graphics, and visual effects through forty-five creative and conceptually challenging projects. You will also learn about the history, principles, and techniques in moving imagery and apply this knowledge through these practical assignments.

What is Animation?

Animation is a series of images that suggest the illusion of movement. This is a diverse form, from flipbook doodles to feature films; in fact, it is hard to say what moving imagery is not animation. Some audiences think of animation as being synonymous with cartoons; however, sequential moving imagery is fundamental to motion graphics, visual effects, interface design, and more. Contemporary artists and designers, working in diverse media, create innovative animated works for many different applications.

What Are Motion Graphics?

Motion graphics are a form of animation involving text and graphic design; these are often closely connected to the accompanying audio track. Motion graphics include logo animations, animated infographics, station identifications, title sequences, and animations superimposed over live-action footage. As with animation, motion graphics designers utilize diverse media and approaches.

What Are Visual Effects?

Visual effects (VFX) are images combined with live-action footage to create the illusion of something happening within the physical space of that shot. This can include the animation of a stormy sky, sparks shooting from a magic wand, or computer-generated crowds teeming within a city street. Visual effects strive for photographic realism and are primarily found in film and television productions; but VFX can also be seen in Web episodes and video games. Some animators and programmers specialize in creating visual effects for film, video, and other time-based media.

Triscape (2014)

The works you create for the projects in this book will contribute to the next generation of visual culture. There are no barriers to the media, approaches, concepts, and content of moving imagery.

Credit: Triscape by David Shoaf | davidshoaf.com

HOW TO USE THIS BOOK

In this textbook, you will learn about the history and theories behind animation, motion graphics, and visual effects and develop the practical skills to create your own works of moving imagery. You can either skip around between chapters or engage with this book in its entirety from cover to cover.

Look for Animation All Around You

As you go through this textbook, watch animations, motion graphics, and visual effects wherever you can find them. Keep a list of favorite artists, designers, and websites featuring these works. Look for moving imagery in both public and private spaces.

Warm-Up and Wrap-Up Exercises

Each chapter begins with a Warm-Up Exercise, which marks the baseline of your thoughts and skills relevant to that material. At the end of each chapter, the Wrap-Up Exercise is compared with the Warm-Up Exercise to track the evolution of your practical skills and understanding. Although you may be surprised by how intuitively you understand some concepts right away, the Warm-Up and Wrap-Up Exercises will assess your understanding of each chapters theory and practice.

Glossary Terms

Important terms relating to animation, motion graphics, and visual effects are bolded the first time they appear. These terms are defined in the Glossary at the back of the book.

Historical, Technical, and Theoretical Information

After the introduction, each chapter presents the history, techniques, common practices, and concepts essential to animation, motion graphics, and visual effects. Online resources include links to recommended software, artist portfolio websites, and animation examples.

Projects

After you read each chapters topical information, projects provide opportunities for practical exploration; the forty-five projects in this textbook will result in discrete works of creative art and design. The projects include step-by-step instructions and approximate timeframes for developing each work. For some projects, online exercise files are available for download and include resources to complete the assignments. Even though your instructor may assign only certain projects, this book is a long-term resource for generating moving imagery. After your coursework is complete, revisit the projects in this book to build your portfolio.

Questions for Discussion

The conclusion of each chapter includes Questions for Discussion, which can be answered privately or as a part of a larger class discourse.

Further Reading

If you wish to engage with a particular topic more deeply, a Further Reading list is provided at the end of each chapter. There are many exceptional texts on animation, motion graphics, and visual effects. You are encouraged to investigate the books listed in the