Lorna Tan's University Blog: CT5ANIGP TB 2 DIALOG PROJECT- Lip Sync animation project week 1

This is my ANIGP project blog post in 2nd term, this time each student is allowed to choose either work in groups or work alone, and I choose to solo on this project. This will be my test to see how my experience in group project could help me in this project.

On this project, we are tasked to animate a short film with lip sinc animation. Audios were given by the teachers to choose on which audio we would like to work on.

At first, I had different ideas for several audios, most of them catch my interest but I've decided to go with this Audio in the end.

WEEK 1

From the beginning, I worked on several rough drawings of 2 characters and 1 background.

I've decided to work on the man character first, working on several poses along the way to suit the appearance, personality wise.

I worked on his facial features down to his body shape, aiming for motives such as 'house husband', kind, and caring man as the man's design was meant to be more of the gentle type of character. Along the way I worked on hairstyles and facial features of the man, aiming for either a simple cut or messy hair while avoiding overly worked out hair that could end up giving the man a slightly fierce look which I want to avoid.

Next, I worked on gestures that will be used in the animation, it may not be much as it needs more work.

Later, I went straight to nailing down my top 3 refined designs with colors to test how it matches the character's looks and personality.

After, I worked on sketching up facial expression and full body turn-around for the second design that I liked most.

Below are the images I searched for design wise.

Moodboards for the man :

These are drawings from Disney that I found on the internet for drawing reference.

Next, I worked on the woman character, but this time, she is the opposite of the man's personality. I plan to have her look more fierce, confident to homely, knit-fashion loving kind of girl. As for now, I couldn't decide which is best so I worked out between those contrasting styles and working on some poses base on personality.

As I go, I worked on several facial shape and hairstyle to test which personality fits the story. In the story, she was supposed to be against the man, acting recklessly on her own and making the man worry for her. So I worked on age appearance as well, either a classic out-going teenager or a moody woman.

After a while, I choose the best 3 designs that I like best, refining them and coloring to test the colors out.

Next, I decided to test some facial expression base on the design I like best, which is the first one.

As I go, I worked on body gestures that will be used in the animation.

And lastly, I worked on full body turn-around.

On the bottom, these are the images I searched to come up with designs for the woman.

Moodboards for the woman :

Below are more drawings from Disney and some other artist that I found in the internet for reference.

As for the background, the setting will be the kitchen.

I worked on some rough sketches and came up with 3 refined designs, for now keeping the atmosphere simple with a good live-in feel.

14 rough sketches :

3 refined drawings :

Below are images I found on the internet for design reference.

Moodboards for lighting and design:

Color guidance :

This is an example of the color tone for the characters to fit the atmosphere and mood lighting.

Lastly, I worked on film references, focusing on poses, camera angle and movements.

Here is a complete recorded video with audio edited in :

Aside from the video above, more shots were taken for better references:

Shot 1 - 001

Shot 1 - 002

Shot 1 - 003

Shot 2 - 001

Shot 2 - 002

Shot 2 - 003

Shot 2 - 004

Shot 2 - 005

Shot 3 - 001

Shot 3 - 002

Shot 3 - 003

Shot 3 - 004

Shot 3 - 005

Shot 4 - 001

Shot 4 - 002

Shot 4 - 003

Shot 5 - 01 - 001

Shot 5 - 01 -002

Shot 5 - 01 -003

Shot 5 - 01 - 004

Shot 5 - 02 - 001

Shot 5 - 02 - 002

Shot 5 - 02 - 003

Shot 5 - 02 -004

WEEK 2

For the 2nd week of ANIGP Lip sinc project, I worked on more researching , developing character design for the man and the woman. I tried coming up with ideas by listening to the audio clip I've chosen.

As I never know about the film that the audio clip was from, I won't end up following what the film shows and work on my own original ideas. While reviewing back the audio clip, the word 'Cookie wise' gave me an idea of what the characters might be doing at the time. And I've realize that at the end of the woman's lines that goes 'Why can't I ever fall in love with someone nice like you' sounds as if she may not have became his girlfriend officially but someone who is close enough to be with him.

My idea for the story would be that the characters were having a little conversation after having several failed attempts in baking cookies. The man was trying to tell the woman not to be reckless. I would imagine that the woman was the reckless one, burning nearly most of the cookies they baked and carelessly burnt her hand. The woman then says 'who'd care' , the man then says 'I would', showing that he cares for the woman. The woman stood up and walk over to him and says 'why can't I ever fall in love with someone nice like you?'. The man then replies nervously, saying ' Yeah, well, that's the way it crumbles, cookie wise'.

After revising back the story idea I've developed, I've decided to work on the character design base on the story I've come up with.

For the man character, I've decided to work around his occupation, age and who he represents.

- Isn't yet a boyfriend to the woman

- Office clerk

- age 25-29

- Kind, caring

-Worries for the woman, shows signs of love towards her

I realize that the man character needs more improvement as it wasn't well explored enough and because I wasn't really good at drawing man, so I thought its best to do more shape figure.

And as for the woman character, I imagined that she would be quite short-tempered, bold but loving. She was designed in contrast with the man.

- Isn't yet a girlfriend to the man

- Jobless

- Age 25-29

- bold, reckless, slight temper

- may show some attitude towards the man but shows signs of love.

Since Valentine's had just gone by, I decided to base the woman character's design of real life chocolate desserts. Ingredients and shapes that are formed from cream, raspberrys, syrups and many more features that desserts on chocolates do.

Her design so far was simple but might need more work as I suddenly felt like there is still more potential in her design.

For the background design, I've tried to come up with ideas that fit the characters's current living status :

- Manageable finance

- Neither rich or poor

- Apartment or small house for two people

- Young adult couples

So far I realize the design might seem too complicated, and due to the big spaces I've made, it looked and felt like it could be suitable for a big family. I've tried to aim for vintage style look but it has too much space which is impossible to imply that the couple lived as a finance manageable pair of two.

Design references found for the interior

WEEK 3

After looking back at my work and listening to the audio clip, I've realize that the overall may not suit the atmosphere of the audio clip. So I went to research on the source of the audio clip as to where it came from, apparently it was from a 1960s movie 'The Apartment'. As there were background music of the 1960s played between the lines, I find it more suitable if the overall visuals would suit the audio clip. I went straight to researching the clothing designs and home interior design in the 1960s.

For the man character, I've tried referring his face design with real life male actors. The aim was to design him to look more skinnier in shape, giving him the overall humble, gentle and less aggressive look in contrast with the woman character.

As I go, I worked on body shape silhouette to see if any of these designs would work on him.

And with it, I worked on digital sketch, designing a chubby version to skinny version of the man, aiming to give him a gentle, humble look. As an office clerk in the 1960s, most of his clothes would be either oversize or baggy. Common attires are button up shirts, waist high trousers, formal shoes and a tie.

As I go, I was still deciding which facial look at overall body frame would match well with the woman character. By placing the old design of the woman character in the image to compare, I worked on designing the man character that implies his soft personality but has a slight sense of playfulness.

References for the man's clothing

As for the woman character, I re-worked on her design while keeping her personality the same. I designed her overall look with the 1960s fashion style. Just like before, the aim was to design her to look bold, fierce and aggressive in contrast with the man character. Working around skirts, pants, button up blouse, hairbands and hairstyle which is commonly seen in old films.

References for the woman's clothing

As for the room, like the characters, was suppose to look just like the 1960's. The first attempt seemed too modernized so I reworked and added elements from the 1960s.

First attempt

Second attempt

For the environment outside the glass door would be the view of the sky as the room their in would probably be on the 14th floor of their apartment. The outside buildings can be seen as well to add on to the feels and mood of the room.

Reference from the anime movie 'Kimi no Nawa'

References for the room

WEEK 4

For this week, I've worked on the interior design for the room. Because its base on the 1960s of new york, the room needs to look more lived in and it has to feel like the 60s. At the begining I worked on the colors suitable for valentine's day.

As I go, I received feedbacks from my lecturer on where should I improve and what I need to research more on.

The room needs to be more lived in and the colors need to be reworked, especially the 60's bright colored wallpaper. Another word of advice given from the lecturer that would help support the process of designing would be to who's room does this belong to? The Man? The Woman? As they are not yet officially couples, I've worked on targeting the woman as it's home owner. Base on the woman's personality, I've worked on adding other objects placed to look more messy and some pipe and electrical objects in the room, making the overall look more lived in and used.

Updated version:

Wallpaper texture draft ideas and test :

After that, I have made some discussion with several people about what they see in the colored work I've done so far. I noticed that most of them didn't see the film as a 60s completely due to the style I've done, it came off as both 60s and modernized. So I went on to change the entire color setting of the film into a black and white style just like the old 60s style to enhance a better cinematic feel.

black and white filtered background layout.

Isometric view of the room.

Later I worked on the characters, refining their form. I've decided to base my woman character's clothing design similar to Marilyn Monroe and following the facial features of black women. At first it wasn't easy but I managed to work it right to the best level I can.

Lighting test :