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Help!!!

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Help!!!

I need some help. I am a sophomore in college and next year I plan on doing an Independent Study. I am an Art major and here at my college we don't have any animation classes because about 4 years ago is when the Art Major program started. Now this college is in a small town in Indiana, and its a private, liberal arts college. I have taken the required 2 drawing classes, 2 art history classes, 2 basic color and theory classes, computer graphic design (which has NOTHING to do with animation). Right now I am in Intro to Photography and Computer Graphic Design 2. We are still not doing anything with animation. We are using Adobe Illustrator because basically the instructor is in commercial graphic design stuff. The Independent Study can be on anything, so I am choosing animation history. I am trying to find out, if I need any specific books or anything like that because I have to do the research and give it to my adviser. I have emailed some other college professors in Indiana, and only one responded back. I had asked him for a copy of his syllabus and if he could help me out in order to give my instructor on what to do.

I got an email from my instructor (my photography teacher, since she is also the art history 2 teacher), she asked me what are my goals in relation to this class and what do i expect to accomplish? I'm not quite sure, I have been thinking about this. I just want to do something animation so that I can include it in my portfolio in 2 years when I graduate. I just don't know how my teacher is going to supervise this independent study when I really don't know how it needs to be run. So if someone could help me, I would really really appreciate it.

Thanks
Sarah Q :confused:

Wait a second here.............

You want to provide a syllabus about animation to a teacher, so they can teach YOU animation....................but they don't know anything ABOUT animation????
If the instructor isn't qualified in that area of skill, how can they possibly qualify or evaluate your skills--this isn't something they can pick up in a day or two. Animation has some distinctly unique principles, beyond mere drawing, that requires some prior exposure/experience to teach properly.

Word to the wise, if the school cannot offer an instructor skilled in a subject to teach the material, then its wiser to find another school that does.

The image of square pegs attempting to fit into round holes applies here.

"We all grow older, we do not have to grow up"--Archie Goodwin ( 1937-1998)

Ken-

I have never done an Independent Study here at my college. I would basically have to provide what I want to learn and teach it to myself and present to the teacher/supervisor so that I can earn credit for it. I am sorry that I wasn't very clear in the last post. So this is my dilemma, you understand? I chose this college because its a small campus and its close to my hometown. I wish I could have gone to California or to a great art school, but that would cost more money to go out of state than going to a private school in Indiana. It's my own decision of where I went to college and I really wish that they taught computer animation here, but they don't. So I have to make up my own class and try and do it myself.

If you have any problems or questions, just put up a reply post or you can IM me. I do have MSN but I only log on when I check my mail and such. My email is chicklove47@hotmail.com, if you would like to email me or anybody else that is reading this to ask me more questions.

Thanks
Sarah Q

If you have to teach yourself this stuff--and you can with all the material that's out there--why pay to attend a college that will offer nothing towards that education? What do you gain?

A credit??
Its pointless having a credit from a school that doesn't teach you anything.

Sorry, I really don't undertsand the point of gracing the premises of a school where you have to pay to teach yourself 100% of the material--you can do that at home for next to nothing.

"We all grow older, we do not have to grow up"--Archie Goodwin ( 1937-1998)

Ken-

I understand that I should have picked a college/university where something like this was offered. I really wanted to do that, but unfortunately I did make a bad decision. I love being at this college here in Indiana, but most of the time you're wondering why you chose this school in the first place. I wish that they could have some type of class that offers this but they do not. Our art major program is probably one of the worst in Indiana. I'm not trying to say that I hate being here because it doesn't have what I want. I just don't like it sometimes because of what you want to learn and can't have.

If I do this Independent Study, I will earn 3 credits towards my art major. I know that I am finding all the information because its what I am suppose to do. Just to give both my advisor and teacher of what I want to do with this Independent Study, helps them out a lot. That's basically all I can say about this situation. I appreciate your reply and your honesty.

Just reply back if you would like to talk more.

Thanks
Sarah Q :)

Your profile states your goal is to be an Disney animator; so I guess my question is how can you use this art history class to reach that goal. If you base your study on how Disney changed the history of animation you can easily use the book The Illusion of Life and that will give you a good look at how Disney got started and how they helped animation grow from Steamboat Willie to Snow White within a few short years. In the meantime you will start to learn the thought process behind the growth and hopefully start you thinking like an animator.

On a side note, if you have been there for two years now and your school hasn't started teaching animation yet when do they plan to start?
ed

Department of Computer Animation
Ringling College of Art and Design
Sarasota Florida

Ed--
You are a funny guy! :D My college, Saint Joseph's College in Rensslaer, IN is not THE best college to go to to learn about any kind of art. I chose it because its a small campus and its close to where I live (hour 15 min north). From what I understand the Art Major program was started about 4 years ago. The classes are not that bad, but the school is so old that the only thing about computers, for a major that is, is computer science. I was thinking of double majoring (computer science and art) but then I realized the computer science required some math and I am not good in math.

The only thing that might help is my computer graphic design class. My instructor is a professional graphic designer. Basically in the class, last semester, we redesigned a logo, made a mini-book (8 pages), redesigned an ad which we thought had bad design in it. This semester, we are going to be designing our own pack of playing cards. I really don't know if it is all 52 plus the jokers, but it might happen. Then we have another small assignment that is creating our own logo, using letterform (our first and last name initials). We just have to have some ideas for her next tuesday but it doesn't help me a whole lot, ya know?

My teacher, who will be the supervisor of the indie study, asked me two questions: what are my goals in relation to this class and what do i expect to accomplish? well i hope to obtain knowledge of the history of animation and beyond, and what i expect to accomplish is being able to produce a big flipbook or something that shows what animation skills i have. Use consecutive drawing, etc. If there is anything that you can help me with, I would really appreciate it.

Thanks for your reply
Sarah Q

some resources

Sarah -

It used to be that there were very few resources for animation history. If you are particularly interested in Disney history you should also be familiar with the work that influenced Disney and Before Mickey is a good resource for that. Shamus Culhane's From Script to Screen as well as the Illusion of Live are good resources about the earlier days at Disney, but are not specifically history books.

I'm sure you know that Disney closed their 2D facilities. That doesn't mean that the basic principles are not applicable in other areas. The competition is stiff, so you might want to consider graduate school when you have finished your bachelors.

History of Computer Animation (anything in the last 20-30 years) is harder to find, but there are some resources. The SIGGRAPH SVR tapes will at least let you see the work if you can find a way to access copies.

Here are some Animation History resources (by no means a complete list):

http://animation.filmtv.ucla.edu/program/anihist.html

www.animationhistory.com

Before Mickey: The Animated Film, 1898-1928 by Donald Crafton, 1982

Animation Art: The Early Years 1911-1953 by Jeff Lotman

Animation Unlinited: Innovative Short Films since 1940 by Liz Faber

Cartoons: One Hundred Years of Cinema Animation by Giannalberto Bendazzi 1994

Masters of Animation by Paul Wells 1998

The Animated Film Encyclopedia: a complete guide to American shorts, features and sequences 1900-1980

Animation History (not sure of authors name, but it's something like Charles Solomon)

- Marla

My instructor received my email on what I want to do for next semester. Basically I told her it will just be an advance drawing class, with some animation reading and such. So I thank everyone who posted a reply and their advice on what I needed to do. I know that teaching myself animation is easier than creating a syllabus and giving it to a teacher who does not know anything about animation; but that is kind of the direction that I am taking. I am going to learn the basics of animation and incorporate it with the drawing techniques that I have already learned. So around this time next year, I will post again and tell everyone how it went.

Thanks again everyone:)
Sarah Q

Here's some more ideas

Hello.

Check out:

www.freetoon.com Preston Blair's book online with examples in gif form
www.karmatoons.com Doug Compton's web site with animation tips
www.awn.com/tooninstitute my site with free animation lessons

When I do independent studies (which are done for free by the professors at my school) I sit down with the student and ask them what they want to accomplish. Then, we work backward to work out a viable schedule for us both. This term I have three usually I have two.

If you want to learn animation...put down some exercises and work out a schedule giving yourself two weeks for each exercise. If you need help with ideas...write me a private message.

Maria-

Thanks for your reply. Ed or you or whoever, since you guys are moderators and probably instructors, what can i give my teacher in a syllabus style class? I'm thinking of having one of the history of animation books as the primary text, do lots of drawing here and there, but what should I be looking for in order to make this class a success for the 16 weeks I have during a semester?

I hope I am not confusing anyone. If I am, just IM me at my AOL instant messenger and I'll respond back with a well-thought out answer.

Thanks
Sarah Q

I really have a hard time understanding what you want.

You need to outline what you plan to do from a semester but it doesn't sound like you have a clear idea of the outcome.

History is history; events, dates and names. You can relate events, dates and names to each other to see the bigger pictures but that's about it. But then you want to do animation which is a whole different story and the other side of the brain. Does your teacher know anything about animation? Can he or she guide you in the techniques or will you be on your own?

If you want to animate I would say just animate and stop trying to justify the course with history, animation is enough to keep you busy. Take the principles of animation and spend a week on creating something for each one and then create a longer piece that uses all of them for the rest of the semester.

ed

Department of Computer Animation
Ringling College of Art and Design
Sarasota Florida

Ed-

Here's the thing: I am trying to create a syllabus for my teacher (who is also my art history teacher, drawing teacher and photography teacher). She needs to know all the information that I have so that when she sits down with my advisor, it can be all planned out and working okay. I went to the Disney Careers website a while ago and I found out things that I need to learn: the history of animation, sequential drawings, realistic life drawing, anatomy, quick studies, head, hands and feet drawings, animal drawing and quick sketches of urban surroundings. I also want to learn the principles of animation. I understand your suggestion about taking each principle and creating something using that principle each week.

Does this make it more to understand what I would like to do?

Thanks
Sarah Q

It's good to know the history of animation but your animation skills are going to get you hired. And these days the more computer animation you have to show the better.

Drawing is always going to be important too don't get me wrong. Recruiter love to see how you are able to visualize your thoughts, show composition, weight and balance, etc.

I wish I had something more to give you but I don't. You might want to do a Google search for course syllabi and see what you can find. Many instructors have their course outlines out there for public consumption.

Good luck.

ed

Department of Computer Animation
Ringling College of Art and Design
Sarasota Florida

Ed-

I understand completely that my skills in animation and drawing is the most important. But how do you tell you teacher what you want, if she doesn't know anything about the principles of animation? Maybe by the time I am a senior in college, I can do another independent study focusing on computer animation. I don't know.

All your information is very helpful to me. This is what I am thinking for textbooks:

A Reader in Animation Studies by Jayne Pilling. (possible main text).
Illusion of Life by Johnston and Thomas.
Animator's Survival Kit by Richard Williams (I already have this one).
and maybe Stop Staring by Jason Osipa (about facial features, etc.).

Do you think, as an instructor at an art school, these are some good choices as reading materials, plus any anatomy books that I own or something like that?

And since my instructor is the drawing teacher, she can give me her honest opinion about what I draw.

Thanks
Sarah Q :)