Learning Character Creation

If you love animation, then you may want to look into learning character creation. For those who are still new to animation, here is a brief description of what character creation is and what its role in animation is. Character creation is a specialized process within animation that involves creating and designing from scratch the characters that will act as the stars of the animation. This is done in order to add personality to an animated film. The character can be a person or animal, or anything really. Everything from humans to dogs and even vegetables have been personified in animated films.

New animation artists

If you are new at character creation and need more information on how to create your own character, you can attend classes that will assist you. Some of the things the animation class will touch on are:

• Who is the character you are creating? Your character must have a background history and a story. The character you are creating must have an appearance and behavior. The design and animation of the character must derive from and be based on some kind of motivation and emotion.

• What are your character’s style and environment?  Your character creation class will teach you about how to create a visual style that will correlate with your character story. You will have to deliver as much information about your character visually to the viewer understands. Sometimes animators have to alter their character’s story so they can match the style and environment.

• The creation classes will emphasize the use of your drawing skills with a pen. Regardless of your skills with modelling. Nothing adds more character than a personal touch.

Sculpture software will also help your new character come to life. Software like Zspheres and 3D coat will be introduced to you to help aid your character modeling methods. You will be encouraged to pick one type of software that you will be able to continue with comfortably. Character creation classes will also emphasize you mixing different methods once you have chosen the best modeling method for you.*

Cartoon Solutions

Character creations can also come in the form of cartoon solutions. These are characters that are pre-made stock designs. The stock options can be animated and can be used in almost all illustration and animation projects. Some cartoon solutions have character packs which give you different program formats to choose from. Character packs usually come in different body parts like:

• Arms and all the hand gestures necessary to perform character movements
• Legs and all the leg actions necessary to perform character leg movements
• Profiles – these are front, side and back
• Feet and shoes as well as shoe movements for the character
• Facial expressions

For those who are new to character creation, this can provide a great entry tool. It will allow you to experiment with character creation at a less intense level, and you can then build from there. If you are an animation artist or web designer, you will find that having these character solutions pre-made is going to save you a lot of time. Character packs can also be designed as backgrounds for the cartoon solutions. Each pack will have designed backgrounds as well as props for the character that has been created.*

 

Want to pursue a career in animation? Get more information about programs in your area or online using our animation degree finder at the top of this page. ↑

 

If you would like more information, check out the links cited below.

http://www.cgmascot.com/design/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Character_animation