Animation Project #1: The Principle of Squash & Stretch
First, watch the Intro To 2-D Animation video below - Behind the Scenes.
See a finished "Ball Bounce" example below.
Animation Project #1 - Squash and Stretch (The Ball Bounce)
Follow the directions below carefully. Watch the matching video tutorial if you have any questions. Do not raise your hand unless you have watched the video first.
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Log In & File Set Up
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1) Create A New Project a) Name the new project: R#P# Last Name First Initial Squash 2) Create a "2 Bounce Motion Path" to help guide the ball animation. a) Select the background (bottom layer) in frame 1 b) Select the brush tool. c) Select the color black. d) Make a motion path that bounces twice and then goes off the screen. e) If you are not satisfied with your drawn path, you can simply use delete to remove the frame, click the undo icon, or use the keyboard shortcut "Command z" f) Use the "duplicate page" tool to copy the frame 40 times. 3) Create the ball and group it. a) Go back to frame 1 and select the foreground (top) layer. b) Select the ellipse (circle) tool. c) Draw a black, quarter size circle anywhere on your canvas. d) Select the paint can (fill) tool. e) Choose a different color (other than black). f) Select the arrow (selection) tool. g) Group it by clicking and dragging over the entire ball (both the inner and outer circle). h) After BOTH elements of the ball are selected, link them together by clicking the "group" icon located on the left side of the screen just below the drawing tools. You should now be able to click and drag the ball around your canvas as one linked item. 4) Animate the ball along the motion path using the squash and stretch technique. a) Position the ball just off the left side of the canvas at the top of the motion path. b) Turn on the "Show/Hide Previous Next Frames icon which is located just to the right of the hand icon. c) Use the "Duplicate Page" icon to animate the ball along the motion path. As the ball falls downward, gravity should stretch it and when the ball hits the ground, the impact should squash it. d) The ball should move about half the distance of the size of the ball. e) You can speed up the process by using the Duplicate Page shortcut which is "Command D" 5) Delete the motion path a) Go back to the background (bottom) layer of frame #1 (The motion path) b) Click and select the first frame, hold down your shift key, and click on the last frame. (All of the frames in the background layer should be selected). c) Press delete on your keyboard. 6) Evaluating Your Project. * First view the finished projects in the comparison video. If yours does not appear to be proficient or distinguished, make the corrections before publishing. Novice - poor timing, ball does not change shape (No squash and stretch evident) Approaching - Attempted squash and stretch but ball changes size - bigger and smaller throughout the animation. Proficient - A little slow at first but technique improves and the squash and stretch is evident. Distinguished - Great timing and squash and stretch technique from beginning to end. 7) Sharing (Publishing) Your Project. a) Click on the popcorn icon in the lower right corner. b) Choose the "blue Q" quicktime cup. c) Make sure it is named correctly: R#P# Username Squash Where: Desktop ***When it finishes, a playback window will appear. You can close it along with Flip Boom All Star 2. You should see your exported/published movie file on your desktop screen if you did everything correctly. If there is less than 10 minutes left, you can play stupid game 2 which can be found in your apps (use the launchpad). If there is more than 10 minutes left, move on to the next animation principle tutorial. |
