So lately I've been on a huge Glen Keane kick...pencil test, drawings, animation, etc. Here's a great nugget of advice from the man himself. #animtip
1. Make a Positive Statement
- Do not be ambiguous in your approach.
- Thumbnail until you have that clear approach and conviction.
- Be bold and decisive.
2. Animate From the Heart
- Feel your drawings.
- Let your action be an extension of how you believe the character feels.
- Put yourself in the place of the character your animating- associate.
3. Make Expressions and Attitudes Real and Living
- Focus on the eyes and eyebrows, mouth and cheeks.
- Always lead with the eyes.
- Be sure the eyes are solid and placed securely in the head.
- Study your own attitudes. Ask yourself, “Does this drawing feel the way my face feels?”
4. Draw As If You Were Sculpting
- Describe the forms in dimension.
- Understand the character design in 3D.
5. Animate the Forces
- Allow the momentum of and already animated movement to suggest the next drawing.
- Draw the leading edge of forces.
6. Visualize and Feel Dialogue
- Be sure you are truly capturing the inflection, volume and tone of the dialog with proper mouth shapes.
7. Simplicity
- What is the essence of your scene, your action, your expression — what is indispensable in communicating your thought?