Study-Unit Description

Study-Unit Description


CODE DGA2012

 
TITLE Animation Principles

 
UM LEVEL 02 - Years 2, 3 in Modular Undergraduate Course

 
MQF LEVEL 5

 
ECTS CREDITS 6

 
DEPARTMENT Digital Arts

 
DESCRIPTION The study-unit will look at developing the students’ animation capabilities through theoretical as well as practical studio practice. It continues from DGA1010 as it further explores traditional 2D animation, rotoscope and stopmotion practice, and develops simple 3D animation. Through a series of practical assignments, students will learn animation principles based on creative and experimental inputs.

Study-unit Aims:

- To develop the students’ 2D and 3D computer skills;
- To give the students practices in animation process;
- To develop transferable skill form storyboard to animation;
- To develop convertible skills from sketchbook to 2D images and 3D models.

Learning Outcomes

1. Knowledge & Understanding
By the end of the study-unit the student will:

- Understand animation principle and production process;
- Be able to explore motion within ideas research, key frames development and contemporary animation investigation;
- Be conversant with 2D animation and 3D graphics production.

2. Skills
By the end of the study-unit the student will:

- Be conversant with the 2D and 3D animation processes at a more advanced level;
- Practice traditional frame by frame animation;
- Develop skills in stopmotion, rotoscoping and 3D animation;
- Communicate effectively using visual methods.

Main Text/s and any supplementary readings:

- Blair, P. J. (1997), Cartoon Animation, Walter Foster.
- Furniss, M. (2008), The Animation Bible: A Practical Guide to the Art of Animating from Flipbooks to Flash, Abrams.
- Halas, J. (2009), Timing for Animation, Focal Press.
- White T. (2014), Animation from Pencils to Pixels: Classical Techniques for the Digital Animators, Focal Press.

Other journal articles related to the topic will be made available on the study-unit e-Learning website.

 
STUDY-UNIT TYPE Studio Practice

 
METHOD OF ASSESSMENT
Assessment Component/s Assessment Due Sept. Asst Session Weighting
Practical Exercises SEM1 Yes 40%
Portfolio SEM1 Yes 60%

 
LECTURER/S Fabrizio Cali
Daniel Zerafa

 

 
The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints.
Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice.
It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2023/4. It may be subject to change in subsequent years.

https://www.um.edu.mt/course/studyunit