Why Animators Need a Clear Silhouette

Animator need to create great poses.  Part of a great pose is a great silhouette, one that "reads" clearly. 

The image on the left is taken from Eric Goldberg's book "Character Animation Crash Course", (we have a copy in the library), one of the best books on character animation.

Eric shows how a single pose can get an instant "read" from the audience. Even though the images are shown blacked out in silhouette, we still know exactly what the character is thinking and doing.

Always make sure your poses, whether drawn or digital, communicate exactly what the character is thinking, feeling and doing. 

Planning Animation

Animation pose by Jamie Floodgate

The key to successful animation is to plan it properly. This means doing rough thumbnail sketches to plan out your work. 

Thumbnail sketches show the key poses in the shot, which correspond to the "accents" within the lines of dialogue. To see some examples of how to use thumbnail sketches to plan your animation, follow this link.

Create a Great Animation Pose 

To see more about how to create a great animation pose, watch the video below:

The Escape Studios Animation Blog offers a personal view on the art of animation and visual effects. To apply for one of our courses, follow this link.