Beginner Animation Projects
1. Intro 50 Frame Animation
- Create a simple 50 frame animation of a single object.
- Draw all 50 frames (50 keyframes, no tweening)
- Copy and paste the object from frame to frame. Don’t re-draw the object every frame.
- You can move or modify the object at every frame.
- Depending on the details of the animation, this can be a one-day or two week project. If you animation something randomly moving, it may take only one class period. If you animate a ball bouncing across the screen following the principles of animation, this could be a two-week project.
2. Animating Layers
Instead of animating, learn to draw in preparation for animation.
- Draw a background scene, like mountains, forest, inside a room, etc. Nothing in this scene will actually be animated.
- Draw 2 other objects that will be animated in their own separate layers. These object could include a cat, dog, cow, clouds, bear, etc. Every object that will be animated should be draw in its own layer with nothing else in that layer.
- Do a 20 frame animation of the 2 objects or a longer animation using tweening (below).
- Depending on the details of the animation, this can be a one-day or two-week project.
3. Tweening
Get the computer to do some of the animation.
- Draw a single object or a scene like the Animating Layers above.
- Create an animation using 20 keyframes lasting at least 60 frames (3 – 6 seconds). Set the keyframes at least 3+ frames apart.
- Get the computer to do animating between the keyframes (tweening).
- Tween not only motion but scaling, rotating, color changing, and morphing.
4. Principles of Animation
Become a better animation by learning about and following the 12 principles of animation. Do some beginner animation projects designed to guide you through these principles. Check out the Principles of Animation page for more information.