CHAPTER VIIINANIMATE THINGS IN MOVEMENT

Thereis very little effect of motion on the screen of a moving straight line by itself without any contrasting elements. Or, as the moving-picture draftsman would say, it does not animate well.

Now supposing a picture is intended of a man tugging at a rope. He pulls hard and the rope is taut and it appears practically straight. The animation of the arms shows that they are moving and give a good illusion of the tugging, but the rope shows no movement on account of its rectilinearity. It will be only when the artist gives the rope a little undulating—or even a snake-like—motion now and then that he can give the effect of any disturbance in it. This sort of thing, a slight shaking or a wavering of the line, would do for ordinary cases but it would be better if the artist showed a loose strand of cordage fibre creeping along in the direction that therope is supposed to be going. But still better would it be to have a few kinks forming in the rope and showing them agitated as they go in the direction of the pull on the rope. In producing this latter illusion the likely expedient that the skilled animator would use is that of having a set of celluloids with drawings—three or five—showing the kink represented in a number of progressive positions. The plan would be to have the details in a cycle, so that when the last detail of the cycle is photographed, the first one exactly follows in a proper order. The artist can put these rope drawings on the same sheets of paper that hold the arm movements—we have in mind the picture of the man tugging at the rope, of course. Then the cycle of drawings with the arm movements and the kinks of the rope in their progressive order can be used over and over again as long as it seems consistent with good judgment.

This idea of arranging things in cycles is the general way of animating inanimate things. Nearly all the technical items in this chapter are managed with some such plan. Generally, too, the details are drawn on the transparent celluloids.

The problem in devising the components of any cycle is to have these components so arranged that the orderly movements take place from the first of the series to the last and then begin with the first again. The action must not skip, cause a hesitation, or go backward. This simply means that the components are to be spaced properly with respect to their relations to each other.

It would be difficult to give by words any directions exactly how to do this; actual drawing, with a testing in the preliminary sketches is the surest way of accomplishing it. As general directions, however, the advice would be to have an odd number of drawings and to vary the spatial intervals between the separate items. They should not, above all things, be equidistant.

Where the artist wishes to present to the spectator an animated drawing of a waving banner, or flag, he makes a cycle of different drawings. If it is a flag, these drawings are made with undulating folds that pass the length of the flag as if it were agitated by the wind. Almost any sort of rippling effect, necessitating but three slightly different drawings, will satisfy the average audience. But if the artist wishes to do conscientiouswork, he will give a little more attention to his planning and try to make it nearer actuality. Then he will contrive that there be one dominant drapery fold which is carried out farther and farther along the ruffled flag. As this fold nears the end it lessens its volume and at last disappears in a sudden flap. This will take five or seven drawings. In planning the cycle it will be arranged that immediately before the last flapping, the first phase of the dominant fold begins again.

This effect of ruffling drapery by a fixed set of cycles used always in the same order will, of course, give a monotonous waving. But it can be diversified by an occasional break in the order in which the separate elements of the cycle are photographed, or an added modification obtained by a supplemental large flapping fold which can be produced by one extra drawing.

An ordinary fragment of drapery in a garment is easily animated by making it in three phases. This will give a satisfactory quivering motion when projected in any bit of drapery that is blown about or flutters on a figure in action.

An Early American FlagCYCLE OF DRAWINGS TO PRODUCE A SCREEN ANIMATION OF A WAVING FLAG.

CYCLE OF DRAWINGS TO PRODUCE A SCREEN ANIMATION OF A WAVING FLAG.

Flowing water, waves, and rippling on the surface of a stream, are not difficult matters to animate if the artist keeps in mind that the plainest unelaborated line work gives for these elusive pictorial ingredients the most striking effects on the screen.

It is customary, again, for artistic particulars like these to be made in cycles of three or five drawings. The action for this class of subjects is nearly always quick, and so drawings for the purpose need not be numerous.

A water-splash is a detail of a screen animation rather frequently introduced. Animators have adopted a stereotyped way of rendering it. When it is associated with a falling of some unlucky character into the water, it is very effective from a pictorial and a humorous point of view. The succeeding up-rushing column of water, after the splash, is made in the form of a huge mushroom—rather conventional but extremely comical.

In such a particular as a jet of water, a cycle of drawings is also used. In planning such drawings for animation care must be taken that they give in the combined screen illusion a proper one of falling water. The slightest misplacing of succeeding details representing the jet may give aneffect of the water going backward. A funny touch is what is wanted in a humorous picture, but, generally, not of this sort.

CYCLE OF DRAWINGS FOR AN EFFECT OF FALLING WATER.The drawings are repeated, number 1 following number 3.

The drawings are repeated, number 1 following number 3.

Imparting an appearance of rain over a scene is produced by having several celluloids with lines indicating this. They would be used in their order as designed during the photography in the usual way.

Falling snow—that indispensable ingredient of the provincial melodrama—is simply managed by spreading, at haphazard over several celluloids, spots of white pigment. A general tinting, of course, over the underlying pictorial composition would add, by contrast of tone, to the illusion.

A blank sheet of celluloid placed over the entire drawing is often employed to hold components of some quickly moving element of an incident. Each separate detail of its drawing, in this case, is made on this blank celluloid under the camera and photographed as it is made. Supposing that it is lightning zigzagging across a dark background. There will be drawn over this celluloid the first part of the bolt, photographed and then another part drawn which is photographed, and then the end of the bolt which is also separately taken. This drawing of the lightning-bolt, in white pigment, can be easily rubbed off with a paint rag, or cotton wadding, and then another lightning-bolt drawn and photographed in the same way.

In some cases where a large volume of smoke is to be shown in hurried movement, the animator draws the smoke in distemper pigment—sombre dark grays, half-tints, or in white—on a blanksheet of celluloid covering the scene. The effect of smoke moving very quickly could also be drawn in progressive fragments on the upper surface of the glass in the frame that is pressed down upon the drawings each time that they are photographed. If it is a house burning, for instance, the flames in white paint and the smoke in grays and black can be put on its surface.

A cycle of three drawings is sufficient to give a vivid representation of the puffing exhaust from an automobile.

Little happenings that form part of a general scene are managed, as a rule, too, by cycles of drawings or cycles of details in a drawing. To specify a few things, we may cite puffs of vapor from an automobile, steam pouring out of the spout of a teakettle, and smoke from a chimney.

Vapor, steam, and smoke are best represented by pigment, as hard ink contours are not exactly suited for such elements of a pictorial composition. But such elements defined by ink lines in a comic drawing are, of course, excusable. Sometimes to show smoke moving where the drawings are all on paper, representing it by crayon-sauce with a stump has been found to be effective.

BOMB!AN EXPLOSION.

AN EXPLOSION.

If an artist is picturing in a comic cartoon the firing of a cannon, he indicates a globular projectile leaving the cannon’s mouth. The artist does not do this because of any scrupulous care in picturing reality but merely that it seems in keeping with the idea of vivid comic delineation.

In producing the appearance of a cannon-ball following its trajectory off into the far distance he takes heed of the law of perspective that requires an object to become visionally smaller as it nears the horizon. This animation is easilymanaged. A certain number of models of the missile are cut out of thin cardboard graduated in size from the first that leaves the cannon’s mouth to the smallest for the distance. They are used by putting one at a time in their proportionate places under the camera in connection with the other work during the photography. Not many of these models would be required, as the action is so rapidly represented that almost any sort of illusive effect will do for the purpose.

According to the popular idea, every comic scenario should provide for some cataclysmic climax in which the entire picture area, or a large part of it, is to be filled with the graphic symbols denoting an explosion or any sudden occurrence or mishap. Such things for the animator are not hard.

BANG!THE FINISHING STROKE OF SOME FARCICAL SITUATION.

THE FINISHING STROKE OF SOME FARCICAL SITUATION.

Plink! Plank! Plunk!PIANO PRACTICE.A.General effect of the animation.B.Part of the design which is drawn on the transparent celluloid.Below: Three separate drawings, used in sequence, with the design on the stationary celluloid.

PIANO PRACTICE.A.General effect of the animation.B.Part of the design which is drawn on the transparent celluloid.Below: Three separate drawings, used in sequence, with the design on the stationary celluloid.

A.General effect of the animation.B.Part of the design which is drawn on the transparent celluloid.Below: Three separate drawings, used in sequence, with the design on the stationary celluloid.

A.General effect of the animation.

B.Part of the design which is drawn on the transparent celluloid.

Below: Three separate drawings, used in sequence, with the design on the stationary celluloid.

Then radiating lines, exclamation-points, zigzagging lines, and similar whimsical markings—shorthand signs emphasizing the comic note—are ideographs of expression that the animator delights to put into his work. Besides their forcibleness, they add variety to the film.

These three drawings are used in sequence and repeated as long as the particular effect that they give is desired.

But bits of dramatic business like these should be used in moderation and in their proper places and always at the right time. Besides, being easily drawn, their accomplishment on the film presents no difficulties.

The several methods by which they can be produced are: (1) To arrange their componentsin cycles; (2) drawing them in their order under the camera and photographing progressively; (3) have little cut-out pieces to move about under the camera and photographed at each place that they have been moved to.

A CONSTELLATION.The four simple elements above give on the screen the lively animation indicated by the lower sketch.

The four simple elements above give on the screen the lively animation indicated by the lower sketch.

Take for instance such a nonsensical conceit as that of having a constellation of stars encircling a dazed man’s head. This could be made by having (1) a cycle of drawings for the effect; or (2) drawing it progressively under the camera over a piece of celluloid; or, again, (3) by having a number of little stars cut out of paper andmoved around and manipulated the same as other cut-out models.

The simple elements, 1, 2, and 3, are used with sketchBto give the screen effect shown inA.

One can see from all these particulars that making animated cartoons is not always a matter ofdrawing, pure and simple. The animator would make very little progress if he were to refuse to take advantage of any proper expedients or tricks to accelerate his work.

The animator, as well as the comic graphic artist, makes use of signs to elucidate the story.

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