Let's begin exploring the ideas for your upcoming animation project This worksheet is a space for you to develop your individual artistic approach and lay the groundwork for a thoughtful and original animation.

Please read all numbered and lettered sections carefully. Write your answers, don’t type, on a separate piece of paper or in your sketchbook/notebook. Sketch your answers on the same piece of paper or in your sketchbook. Scan or photograph your answers and upload those photos to Canvas. Files must be in png, jpeg, pdf, or gif format. If they aren't, convert them before uploading.

  1. Influential Artists/Animators*

    1. Importance of Research: Just as writers read and musicians listen, artists and animators engage with the work of others to learn and grow. By exploring a diverse range of artists and animators, particularly those working in experimental or non-commercial animation, you'll discover new possibilities and refine your own artistic voice. Revisit the provided "Research Resources" with an open and inquisitive mindset!
    2. Recommended Resource List
    3. Identify specific artists or animators whose work informs your creative thinking for this project. What aspects of their work resonate with your concept and approach? Please list a minimum of 3.

  2. Write down your Idea for your animation. Freely write out what came to your mind after learning about the project. You might need to write out ideas in your sketchbook first. You can include genre, style, meaning, process and subject matter. What are you going to create? Minimum 5 sentences.

  3. Consider Originality*:*** Take a moment to think about your initial idea and its components. Are there any aspects that feel overly familiar or reminiscent of existing animations?

    1. Copy/paste your description from question #1 into a LLM's* text box and then type ““does this idea remind you of any existing animations both artistic and commercial” “ Take its response seriously, it is based on its training data and knows more then is humanly possible.
    2. Alter your idea according to what you find out and then run the new version back through with the prompt “does this idea remind you of any existing animations both artistic and commercial.” Continue to alter the idea until the LLM can’t find anything similar.

    Describe what you found when you used the LLM and how you altered the idea. 5-10 sentences.

c. Now take this altered concept and ask the LLM this question “create a prompt for a generative video ai based on my idea.” This is what the LLM thinks your idea looks like. Run the prompt using 3 different text-to-image models and include at least 1 result from each model here with the name of the model.

  1. Formal Style: Taking what you wrote in Question #1 and what you learned in questions #2 and #3, sketch out your visual ideas for the animation in the form of a 5 panel storyboard. Think about how you will make your animation your own individual creation.

    1. Include your intended use of color, shape, form, and overall visual style. Consider elements such as line, composition, spatial relationships (including negative space), depth, flatness, texture, and the application of color fields.

  2. Kinetic Characteristics: Describe the nature of movement in your animation. Will it be realistic, stylized, fluid, or something else? Which of your artist influences uses sound in a similar way? You might need to go back and research more artist animatiors. Write a minimum of 3 full sentences.

  3. Auditory Characteristics: If sound is part of your animation, describe its role. Will you use music, sound effects, voice, or a combination? Do your influences use audio? Do you have favorite sounds or music to draw inspiration from? What is the last song you listened to? Answer these questions in full sentences.

  4. Content/Meaning/Statement: What is the deeper meaning, statement or question you will explore through your animation? Consider themes that resonate with you, such as emotions, social issues, identity, or philosophical ideas. Imagine someone else explaining your animation to an audience, what will they say that adds conceptual depth beyond what is visually apparent? Strong artistic work often invites viewers to think beyond the immediate impression and learning about the artist’s intent can strengthen their connection to the work. 5 full sentence minimum, no maximum.

Notes