For this animation, I focused on a 12 FPS basis to attempt a squash and stretch technique to apply to my FMP. I started with a basic drop and bounce, looping the ball bounce when it got back up to the top.
After that, I focused on attempting a ball bounce that would move across the screen, following the same 12 FPS routine.
However, through my attempt at this, I realised something crucial for my project. What was initially a fun little exercise to reel myself into my final project turned into the sudden realisation that the animation techniques that were necessary for my final work would not come to me before the end of the project. More simply put, animation is a LOT of work, and attempting a proper animation would require more time than I had.
Due to this realisation, I have decided to go for an animatic instead of an animation. An animatic relies on minimal framework and transitions between frames, in comparison to transitions through framework for animations. This way, I would be able to properly fulfil my ideas and storyline for my project whilst simultaneously following a style that is supposed to be choppy and somewhat slow.
Having a final design set in stone for my main character, the next cause of action is to produce a story board to prepare for my animation.
Here is a (very) rough storyboard that highlights the key events for my animation, with a text description of what is happening below each panel. Creating this storyboard was incredibly helpful as now I have a clear idea of the sequence of events that will happen in my final piece, along with the different angle shots that I need to follow. I created this storyboard using Procreate.
Side Character Concept
After finishing my storyboard, I decided to finalise a general appearance for the side character that will appear with my Oni character, the stall vendor.
This headshot is the most I feel as though I have to conceptualise for him, as he will be standing behind a stall throughout the animation, and I therefore feel as though it is not necessary to touch up on full body concepts for him.
I chose some dark colours for this character, and using the research I found about kimonos, I decided to give him a muted plain red outfit (my research told me that civilians and samurai alike all favoured wearing kimonos throughout the Edo period, and the mans outfits would lack patterns and be dark or muted colours).
His design is nothing special, nor is it inspired by anything in particular, as my only idea was to create an easy-to-draw stall vendor with an NPC-like appearance for simplicity when I animate him.
Animation Backdrops
Finally, I came up with the idea of constructing my own scene with the Teapot feature in Genshin Impact. This was ultimately to save time and manage to get culturally accurate furniture to Japan, as there is a region in the game based on older Japan under a Shogunate’s rule, called Inazuma.
I built this scene from a blank canvas, using Hokkaido as inspiration for the structure, using in-game purchasable items such as buildings, trees and stools to produce a Japanese-inspired setting, similar to the vibe that I wished to fulfil for my scene.
I took three screenshots that followed the angle settings I featured in my storyboard.
The first screenshot being a head-on view from the back of the stall, where the Oni girl’s head will pop out from. (Panels 1 2 3 4 8 and 9)
The second screenshot focuses on a front view of the stall, similar to panels 5 6 and 7.
The final screenshot is a more open shot, displaying the other assets I used to build a small Japanese town. This shot will represent panels 10 11 and 12, and will also be featured in the end of the animation as the Oni girl walks away.
In order to completely transform this scene in a way that will fit the overall theme that I am going for, I will edit these background shots and recolour/fill areas that I think need work in order to follow my vision.
Overall, I believe that all three of these practical’s are fundamental for the beginning stage of my animation, and after I finish the backdrop editing, I will be able to start on animating.
Games Design Y2 