Using a Mannequin to draw an animation sequence

[StopMotionVector (Stop Motion)]

Development of Character Movement

The Mannequin allows the animator to experiment without having to do any detailed drawings, to determine how many frames etc. are required to acheive the required result.

Once the animator is happy with the movements, zoom etc. they can create a new layer for the final drawings to be created.

My thanks to Mary, she created a character called Charlie using only a sequence of straight lines. I used her inspiration to create a simplified Mannequin. This new Mannequin is much easier to draw and manipulate. Particularly when the perspective is different from straight on in 2D mode.

The file below is the Pencil2D. pclx file for this project.

Charlie_II.pclx (250.2 KB)

[StopMotionVector (Stop Motion)]

Seen in a different light!

This is an interesting technique because it allows the lighting within an animation to be easily adjusted as required.

The above illustration shows the Alpha Channel setting for the first frame within the filter sequence.

The darkness of the filer overlay is however affected by the brightness of the screen in the playback device!

The Pencil2D file used in this project is Light-2.pclx (54.9 KB)

You’ll note that the drawings in this project are vector drawings, but the technique works just as well with the bitmapped drawings, but the files will be signigicantly larger.

If you follow my example and have the background as 1 layer and the overlay on another this will keep the files sizes managable.

[Naughtywithpencil2d (Naughty)]

Have you seen this academic paper?

DeepNormals_eccv_GMDL.pdf

It about automatically adding shadow to a drawing, in this case a vector drawing, but the same techniques could be applied to a bitmapped drawing.

The user would load the drawing, specify the light direction and the software would provide the shadows as an overlay layer.

[StopMotionVector (Stop Motion)]

Mannequin to Final Character Design

I did a conventional art course, where we learned the skills of drawing, including the use of stick figures. But I never liked this technique.

The use of a software based mannequin, for me anyway is a more solid basis for my thinking process. This is particularly because after I’ve drawn the key frames I can copy the start key frame of a sequence into an inbetween and modify it.

One of the learning points, is that this allow you the animator to decide if you used enough frames to convey the impression that you desire to the audience.

Remember if your animating for a living, you’ll need to justify the effort in terms of the bottom line. So the adage is “Is your animation good enough!” We are not aiming for ultimate artistic excellence!

Once we are sure we’re using enough frames, we can then proceed to overdrawing to add more realism to our animation.

Then using the techniques in the included research paper, we can make our drawings look more 3D by adding shadow and highlights to them.

This I initially draw on a separate layer, this simplifies the process and therefore keeps the boss happy, by keeping costs lower than overdrawing on the same layer. It does this by simplifying the edit process, if the desired look needs changing before we proceed to the next stage of the production process.

The process up to adding the shadow etc. is shown for the hand waving example in the 1st posting in this thread. The second one shows the used of shading as a method of changing scene lighting, but the same technique can be used to add shadows and highlights and uses colours of black for shadows and white for highlights, both with Alpha values that allow the flat colour to show through.

Oh the black flash in the background is included to indicate the animation is repeating itself!

The genius of the beginner in using Pencil2D Mary was looking at drawing with fresh eyes, not incombered with experience and drawing her character, Charlie, using only a collection of straight lines. My manager is happy because it speeds up my work and saves money!

[StopMotionVector (Stop Motion)]

The role of a Treatment in project development

What follows is a Treatment. This is a written document which aids the animator in thinking about the resources that the project will require.

Charlie’s House

Charlie’s House is a short animation that explores the simplified mannequin technique of visualisation of a characters movements. This technique was developed from an idea of Mary Smith and has been further developed by myself.

Film Title A visit to Charlie’s House

Production By Stop Motion

Initial shot

The view shows the lower floor of a house, which has the front door in shot, the wall is composed of light coloured bricks with a green door set into it. There is a ornate lintel above the door and a lawn in front of the house.

This shot is viewed though the eyes of a person who walks to the front door, then knocks on it. When then door opens and they are invited in, they enter directly into the Dinning room.

Drawings

Front of lower floor of House

Front door

Mannequin

The Charlie Mannequin with some small modifications, these are hair in the front view and splitting the body into 2 sections allowing bending at the waste.

Sounds Required

Footsteps walking over grass

Door Knocking

Voice Over

Man saying “Hello”

Man saying “Please come in”.

Dinning Room Shot

This shot is the interior of the Dinning room, it has light blue wall, a table and 4 upright dining chair among it’s furnishings.

This shot will include a POV Shot, this is a Point of View shot. The viewer will look towards and down to observe Ms Pepper looking up towards them.

We see though into the kitchen when Ms Pepper open’s the door and enters the Dinning Room. We can also see though the Kitchen window out into the back garden.

Drawings

Back wall of the Dining room, including Kitchen opening

Kitchen door

Front wall including Front door opening

Inside of front door

Drawing of a red car

Mannequin

A Mannequin for Pepper, this will be based on the techniques used in the Charlie one. There will need to modify it to provide a version looking from a top view.

Sounds Required

Ms Pepper saying “Hello” (she’s the dog)

Ms Pepper’s foot patter as she enters

Voice Over

Man saying”Have you come to take Ms Pepper for a walk?”

Woman say”Yes we’ll be walking along the river today!”

Kitchen Shot This is seen through the kitchen door, the action only includes a car moving in the garden.

Departure Shot Drawings Back of the front door as when the woman talks in Dinning room shot.

Voice Over Woman says “Goodbye, see you later”

Action Woman and Pepper leave through Front door and it then closes behind them.

Credits Voice Over Artists

Sound Credits

Music Credits

[StopMotionVector (Stop Motion)]

Files used with Charlie’s House

The aim of this process is to explore giving the animation a more 3D feel.

The initial shot from outside Charlie’s house with the door closed is composed of image 1 superimposed on image 2.

Image 1

Image 2

When the door is opened then image 3 is visible through the open door, together with image 4 standing in the doorway.

Image 3

Image 4

Image 5

When the viewer, this is the visitor is invited in they cross the threshold the outside wall vanishes from view. The images 6 then 7 are superimposed on Image 8. Then Image 9 is superimposed on these because the table and chairs are in front in this scene.

Image 6

Image 7

Image 8

Image 9

Image 10

When Charlie sits down Image 7 is used. Then Pepper barks and then pushed through the door from the kitchen. We see Her standing initial 11.

We then cut to the POV shot, this is a Point of View shot from the visitors point of view. This is composed initially of Image 12 superimposed on Image 4, this then changes after a short time to Image 13 superimposed on Image 14

Image 11

Image 12

Image 13

Image 14

The car moving, as seen through the Kitchen window is composed Image 15 the vehicle, in this case a red family car. Superimposed over the background Image 16

Image 15

Image 16

[StopMotionVector (Stop Motion)]

This is the mock up of the lasest Pencil2D project.

See what you think about the 3D impression given. All character animation still has to be fully defined.

Then I intend to over draw the mannequin animation for the final version.

This animated .GIF file is 3.2 Mbytes long whilst the video file in .MP4 format is 512 Mbytes.

Surely it should be possible on disk space consideration that .MP4 files should be able to be uploaded. Perhaps the max file size could be reduced to 1 Mbyte. It should be possible to inhibit sound playing within discuss.pencil2d.

Since you can download files uploaded to the Pencil2D community, those wishing to hear the sound could then do so using a player installed on their computer or phone.

[StopMotionVector (Stop Motion)]

I have made some small changes to the Treatment

Charlie’s House Version 2

Charlie’s House is a short animation that explores the simplified mannequin technique of visualisation of a characters movements. This technique was developed from an idea of Mary Smith and has been further developed by myself.

Film Title A visit to Charlie’s House

Production By Stop Motion

Initial shot

The view shows the lower floor of a house, which has the front door in shot, the wall is composed of light coloured bricks with a green door set into it. There is a ornate lintel above the door and a lawn in front of the house.

This shot is viewed though the eyes of a person who walks to the front door, then knocks on it. When then door opens and they are invited in, they enter directly into the Dinning room.

Drawings Front of lower floor of House

Front door

Sounds Required Footsteps walking over grass

Door Knocking

Voice Over Man saying “Hello”

Man saying “Please come in”.

Dinning Room Shot

This shot is the interior of the Dinning room, it has light blue wall, a table and 4 upright dining chair among it’s furnishings.

We see though into the kitchen when Ms Pepper open’s the door and enters the Dinning Room. We can also see though the Kitchen window out into the back garden.

Drawings Back wall of the Dining room, including Kitchen opening

Kitchen door

Front wall including Front door opening

Inside of front door

Drawing of a red car

Sounds Required Ms Pepper saying “Hello” (she’s the dog)

Ms Pepper’s name tag jingles as she approaches

Voice Over Man saying ”Have you come to walk Ms Pepper?”

Woman say ”Yes we’ll walk along the river today!”

Kitchen Shot This is seen through the kitchen door, the action only includes a car moving in the garden.

Departure Shot Drawings Back of the front door as when the woman talks in Dinning room shot.

Voice Over Woman says “See you later”

Action Woman and Pepper leave through Front door and it then closes behind them.

Credits Voice Over Artists

Sound Credits

Music Credits

I’ve added an extra background at the end, where Diane and Ms Pepper walk into the woods.

I added sound effects of the car starting and driving off and bird song and footsteps in the woodland ending.

Voice Over Man saying ”Have you come to walk Ms Pepper?” This is not the voice over artist, because he was not available, but a temporary stand in.

The current version of the .pclx file is Release_V2.pclx (1.4 MB)

The next stage is to finish the mannequin walk of the house holder, Ms Pepper’s walk and when she looks up towards the viewer. Also in the last shot to animate Diane and Ms Pepper leaving the house and walking in the wood.

[StopMotionVector (Stop Motion)]

An animated film requires Title and Credit screen for completeness.

When an animated .GIF file is playing it can be haulted and then restarted by left clicking on the animation.

Below is the 2nd version of the Totle and Credit screen.

[StopMotionVector (Stop Motion)]

I’ve added lipsinc to the project, but I still require to do some small modifications to replace the mannequin with flowing drawings.