Happy Christmas from Escape Studios

Happy Christmas from the animation dept at Escape Studios. Above is a short piece of animation created by Morgan Mda, a second year undergraduate animation student at Escape Studios. Morgan created this animation for AN5002, one of the second year animation modules in which our student animators tackle the art and craft of animal and creature animation.  Many thanks to Morgan for the animation, and a very Merry Christmas to all our students, friends and Escapees.

Sabre Tooth by Paloma Zhu

AN5002 - Animation Advanced
On Monday 4th November our 2nd year undergraduate animators started a new module: AN5002: Advanced Computer Animation.

In this module, worth 30 credits, students get to grips with animating animals and creatures.

The module started on Monday 4th November and lasts six weeks. It finishes on Friday December 20th,  just before Christmas.

In AN5002 students develop their skills in animal and creature animation, including quadruped locomotion and performance.

Sabre Tooth by Paloma Zhu



Animal and creature work
Much of the animation industry in London focuses on realistic animal and creature work, achieving photo-real levels of quality. For example, the Disney re-make of The Lion King was made at MPC in London, and it is essential that our students learn the skills that make up a successful animal and creature animator.

Student work.
To see more examples of student work, read this blog post from 2019 and 2018.

Raptor with frog by Eduardo Sartori



Leopard stretch animation by Nickoel Izharudin




Resources - Animation Library

Animation library

We have many books on animal and creature animation in the animation library, located in the hallway just outside Rapture on the 3rd floor.

The Animator's Survival Kit Expanded Edition has a section on animal and creature animation. We also have Edward Muybridge's historic reference book Animals in Motion.

Online Tutorials at Vimeo
We have many online tutorials at Vimeo to support this module. Tutorials include:

Quadruped Locomotion - Walks, Trots & Runs

Quadruped locomotion by Edward Muybridge

Quadruped Walks, Trots & Runs 
by Maria Robertson
https://vimeo.com/album/5698554
Also read this blog post for more on quadruped locomotion.

Multi-legged Creature Locomotion
Six-legged crab animation by Maria Robertson
https://vimeo.com/showcase/6055339
For more on the crab animation, see this blog post

Dino locomotion: IRex by Truong

Creature Performance using live action reference
Six-legged "Xye crab" mating dance animation by Maria Robertson 
https://vimeo.com/showcase/6191592
Also see this blog post.

Dinosaur Locomotion
Dinosaur Walk Cycle by Alexander Williams
https://vimeo.com/album/5793283
For more on dinosaur animation, read this blog post

Butterfly Animation 
How to Animate Butterflies in Motion by Alexander Williams 
https://vimeo.com/album/5793287
Also read this blog post on Butterfly animation

crow in flight

Vehicle Animation Tutorial  
Cartoony Yellow Beetle tutorial by Alexander Williams
https://vimeo.com/album/5793289
For more on animating vehicles, including rig notes, read this blog post.
 
Bird in Flight Animation Tutorial
Crow in flight tutorial by Alexander Williams
https://vimeo.com/showcase/6218232
For more on animating the crow in flight, see this blog post. 
To see more about how the 2nd year at Escape Studios works, read this blog post.

The Escape Studios Animation Blog offers a personal view on the art of animation and visual effects. To apply for our BA/MArt in 3D Animation, follow this link.  To apply for our storyboarding evening class, visit this page here.  For the next 12 week animation course, click here.