Making Anime: Create mesmerising manga-style animation with pencils, paint and pixels

Chi Hang Li, Chris Patmore, Hayden Scott Baron

Introduction; Anime Style; Stylistic Techniques; Planning your Animation; Animation Basics; 3D Anime; Preparing and Distributing your Anime; Index and Credits

Table of Contents - Long

INTRODUCTION: (2 pp)
ANIME STYLE (12 pp) The style of Japanese anime has evolved and developed over half a century, creating a multitude of different visuals yet still sharing some fundamental core style elements. See the difference between different types of anime, and how digital techniques have been integrated into modern titles.
TOPICS:
Anime essentials
Cel painting and digital cel style
Variations on the anime style
Classic anime vs modern anime
2D vs 3D
Background art

STYLISTIC TECHNIQUES (16 pp) Many techniques have become the mainstay of Japanese animation, and as such have become part of the style and symbolic of the type of animation. There is a broad combination of techniques, some developed decades ago in order to make the most out of small animation budgets, and others developed more recently in order to capture and accentuate the action and drama prevalent in this type of animation. Using these simple methods you'll be able to add an essence of anime to your work, while keeping production manageable.
TOPICS:
Colored speed lines
Image panning (+examples)
Still image with blowing hair/clothes (and mouth moving)
Sparkling light
Moving particles
Glossy eyes on stills
Ultra speed-blur on limbs during action

PLANNING YOUR ANIMATION (32 pp) Before starting the production of your animation, you need to plan everything clearly, so that your time isn't wasted. From the script writing and storyboarding to making sure your characters are suitable and practical for animation, there's a lot to consider before you start rolling out any frames.
TOPICS:
Script writing
Storyboarding
Character design'designs suited to animation

ANIMATION BASICS (26 pp) Before jumping into heavily stylized methods, it's a good idea to get the basics of animation down, so that you have a foundation to build upon. Even a few very simple animations can be used to great effect, and you'll discover which digital file formats would be most suited for your idea.
TOPICS:
Animation software
Onion skinning
Keyframes
Basic movement
Making a simple walk cycle
Anime-style lip syncing
File Formats: Flash, GIF, and AVI explained

APPLICATION OF STYLE (22 pp) Your characters can be brought to life in an anime style using an effective range of icons and effects in order to capture emotion in a quirky and effective manner. The following step-by-step guides will help you to introduce these ideas into your own anime production.
TOPICS:
Using speed lines to enhance the action
Introduction to Animated Visual Grammer
Sweatdrops and other facial symbols
Exaggerated facial expressions
Use of shadows and shading for dramatic effect
Chibi and super deformed characters

3D ANIME: (22 pp) 3D graphics have revolutionized the production of film and television, and anime is no exception. Usually focusing on stylization over realism, there have been many effective applications of 3D in an anime style, varying from semi-realistic to mimicking 2D effectively.
TOPICS:
Soft shaded 3D
Cel shaded 3D
Mixing 3D into 2D
Moving 2D elements with 3D

PREPARING AND DISTRIBUTING YOUR ANIME: (10 pp)
Once your animation is ready, you'll want to find a means to share it with the world. Thanks to the Internet and the
popularity of home computers, it's now very easy to get your creation seen. This section runs through how to get
your production seen by the masses.
TOPICS:
Tips for putting your file online
Viral marketing'distribution through email ?word of mouth?
Short-film web sites