Introduction

The aim of this session was an introduction to using animation charts by using them with the tutor’s guide to create an animation.

Keyframes Recap

To recap, there are three different types of keyframes in animation:

• Keyframe – The most important frames from an animated movement that show the progression of the movement at its most basic levels.
• Breakdown – A frame in-between keyframes which creates more complex, fluid and/or artistically defined motion.
• In-Between – The frames in between a keyframe and a breakdown. They are used to refine the timing of the animation, and to make the movement smooth.

Animation Charts

Animation charts are used a lot in animation. The animator will mark how many frames a movement will take at the side of the animation. This helps an animator to make sure the timing of the frames in the animation is consistent with what the animator wants the timing of each movement to be. The closer the lines are to each other, the slower the movement will play out.

Conclusion

Today I learned a valuable skill to have when animating – using the chart could make my animations better so that my timing can be better.