October 15, 2018

What’s due for this class?

  1. Completed Animated Mashup Prep
    • Using your scanned hi-res file found in the Dropbox folder or if you own scan, Animated Mashup Prep in Photoshop should be complete. (Follow notes from class demo, class outline and homework)
    • Save to your Dropbox and/or portable drive.
  2. Materials needed:
    • Flash/jump drive and/or access to Dropbox/Google Drive with your prepped image files.
    • We will animate and add audio to your digital mashup file today. Come prepared to work.

Discussion- Animation

Norm McClaren

Lab / Demo

Animation Prep in Photoshop (RECAP):

  • Following the method we walked through in class, complete the following….
  • From the folder you created, FirstInitalLastNameMashup, open your scan in Photoshop.
  • Rename it  FirstInitalLastNameMashupPrep.jpg and save it to the same folder.
  • Make the following adjustments:
    • Image > Image Size: 72 dpi, 1280 wide x “XXXX” high (the height will depend the size of your mashup scan)
    • Image > Mode > RGB Color
    • Image > Image Rotation 90deg (horizontal/landscape), if needed.
  • SAVE AGAIN (Make sure you don’t save over your original hi-res file!!!)
  • Create a new file in Photoshop:
    • File > New
    • Image Preset (HDV/HDTV720) / Image size: 72dpi, 1280 wide x 720 high
    • Color Mode: RGB
  • Save the file FirstInitalLastNameMashup.psd to your project folder.
  • Select All > Copy your FirstInitalLastNameMashupPrep.jpg and Paste into your new file, FirstInitalLastNameMashup.psd
  • With the pasted layer selected, press Command+T (Edit > Free Transform).
    • A bounding box will appear around your image.
    • Grab the lower right square and hold down the Shift key (to restrain proportions) while dragging toward the center of the box.
    • Drag until the bottom of the image lines up with the bottom of the Canvas.
  • Save your file.
  • Next complete the same procedure we practiced in class. Divide up your mashup image into individual square layers.
  • Using the rectangle marquee tool “copy” (Command+C) and “paste in place” (Command+Shift+V) each pattern square on a new layer for use in your animation.

Animation in Photoshop:

Guidelines:

  • Create a short animation in Photoshop using your Animated Mashup Prep file.
  • Animate your pattern squares using keyframes to animate layer properties.
  • Minimum length: 5-10 second loop
  • Your animation should start and/or end with your mashup composition or a blank screen.
  • Add audio by mashing up snippets from two songs: (1) with Staccato rhythm and (1) with Legato rhythm.  Use Summertime and Another One Bites the Dust, if you wish or two songs of your own. The TWO  songs you choose should demonstrate, very clearly, these two rhythms and snippets of each should blend together seamlessly.
  • Submit your file as a PSD and export as MP4 video file to turn in on due date.

Steps to get set up:

  1. Open the file FirstInitalLastNameMashup.psd
  2. In the Layers window, select each layer that you created in the Mashup Prep section last class and convert each to a Smart Object.
    • Layer > Smart Objects > Convert to Smart Object
    • Watch this video to learn about converting to Smart Objects and animating with transform properties.
  3. Create a new layer below all your layers (drag it to the bottom) and fill it with white.
    • Edit Menu > Fill > Contents = White
    • Press the lock button to lock this layer
  4. Choose Window > Timeline. Press Create Video Timeline button.
  5. Adjust the frame rate to 12fps (frames per second)
    • Click on the upper-right corner of the Timeline window.
    • Choose Set Timeline Frame Rate
    • Type 12 in the box
  6. Adjust the length of the timeline to 10 seconds (ie: how long your animation will be)
    • Select the first purple layer in the timeline and drag the end of it out until it reads 10:00 seconds.
    • Do this for all your layers.
    • Press the play button and observe about how long your animation will be.
  7. Import your audio files into the audio tracks at the bottom of the timeline.
    • Your audio will be much longer than the rest of your 10 second animation, so you will need to drag the end of the green layers so that they fits within the length of your animation.
    • You can still drag and resize the audio layers to hear different parts of each song.
    • NOTE: if you want your animation to sync with your audio mashup, create the audio first and then create your animation.
  8. SAVE!
  9. Take a few minutes to draw out a storyboard.
    • How will your animation start? Are all squares assembled on stage or does it start with a blank screen?
    • Will there be a climax before all squares assemble or leave the stage?
    • How will you use the staccato and legato rhythms?

Animating:

  1. Use keyframes to animate layer properties to animate your pattern squares.
  2. Animate layer properties: Position and Opacity (please avoid animating the Style property). To animate a layer property, set at least two keyframes for that property.
    For example:

    • You can animate position by adding a keyframe to the Position property, then moving the current time indicator and dragging the layer in the document window.
    • You can animate a layer’s opacity by adding a keyframe to the Opacity property, then moving the current time indicator and changing the layer’s opacity in the Layers panel.
  3. Set tweening (interpolation) method: Linear or Hold
    • Linear keyframe: Evenly changes the animated property from one keyframe to another.
    • Hold keyframe: Maintains the current property setting. This interpolation method is useful for strobe effects, or when you want layers to appear or disappear suddenly.
    • To change methods, select one or more keyframes and right-click a selected keyframe and choose either Linear Interpolation or Hold Interpolation from the Context menu.
      OR open the panel menu and choose Keyframes > Linear or Hold.
  4. To start
    • Set position and opacity keyframes for each layer in the first and last frame.
    • This will allow your animation to loop seamlessly.
  5. Next:
    • Select the move tool in the left toolbar and make sure Auto Select > Layer is checked at the top.
    • Now drag the time marker to another location in the timeline and set another keyframe or use the move tool to move an object around the stage.
    • Continue adding keyframes and changing position and opacity. You may also use Transform to change the scale of an object.
  6. Save your FirstInitalLastNameMashup.psd  file to your thumb drive or Dropbox or Google Drive.
  7. We will work on this together in class.

Resources:

  • Review this animating in Photoshop tutorial to get a brief overview of the techniques we will be using.
  • Watch this video to learn about converting to Smart Objects and animating with transform properties.
  • Here’s another video with more detail about keyframe animation using transform properties.

Homework

  1. Complete your animation.
    • Save your FirstInitalLastNameMashup.psd  file to your thumb drive or Dropbox or Google Drive.
    • Bring two songs to class (1) with Staccato rhythm and (1) with Legato rhythm.
    • We will finish the audio mashup in class!
  2. Glossument work
    • You should have at least 5 words visualized in your book
    • Bring your book to class to present for the Mid-Semester Critique!