Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Walt Disney & Animation

The word Animation has some magnetic power. Starting from a child of hardly three years to a mature man - all fall in love with the mesmerizing effect of animation. Animation is nothing but the display of a 3-D or 2-D images on the screen and that too done in a serial order. It had been said that the invention of animation film is a much earlier invention than the feature films. People always love to get entertainment in any way and in any form.

From the Victorian Age the experiments were carried on the animation. In those times these were the most popular form of entertainment. Belgian Joseph Plateau, William George Horner, Reynaud tried to make out different method to provide entertainment to the common masses. J. Stuart Black ton presented the first film based on animation--Humorous Phases of Funny Faces 1906. Humorous Phases of Funny Faces in 1906 got huge success in New York.

Different types of cartoon character born in the hands of their creator. They had born many years back. But still they retain their popularity. Who can forget the characters like Mickey Mouse. A small mouse but very intelligent. A very good boyfriend of Minnie Mouse and a good master of Pluto. The maker of these popular characters is Walt Disney. A man who took the world into storm. His company Walt Disney Corporation produces a large number of animated films. The animated films of Disney have the power and full control over the audiences of a large range. Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, and Pluto are very much well known and popular characters all over the world. Mickey Mouse was first introduced with us in the Steamboat Willie (1928). And it is the first animated cartoon with sound. Disney gave his voice for Mickey.

The audience is very much interested in watching the action and reaction of the little characters. Along with Mickey and Minnie other characters like Goofy, Donald Fuck and Pluto receives full attention and interest. The Three Little Pigs is another important animated film. It portrays the hard work of the three pigs against a wolf. The wolf needs courage and guts at the face of economic disaster in 1930's. Disney conveyed the socio-economic problems through which the whole world is facing. Flowers and Trees (1932), The Grasshopper and the Ants (1934) and The Tortoise and the Hare (1935) were produced in colors.

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937), was the first full length animated cartoon film. The film was produced by the Walt Disney Corporation. Dumbo (1940), Fantasia (1940), and Cinderella (1950) are the other animated film that came into the screen one after another. Besides full length animated series the company started documentaries based on nature, short cartoon films, and programs for television. The Little Mermaid (1989) and Toy Story (1995) are the other important works of the company. Toy Story the first full-length computer-animated cartoon.

Later the Company opened Disneyland amusement park in 1955 in Anaheim, Calif. The park well known for its amusement. And a must see place for the visitors. In 1971 the company opened second and larger complex in Orlando. Walt Disney Corporation is the well known company in the 20th Century that produces a number cartoon films, cartoon characters, amusement parks in many places, hotels and other fun filled activities.

But after death of the leader Walt Disney in 1966 the company got a set back for some time. As we time makes us forget every thing in the same way the company returned with all glory and royalty with new ventures and plans. In 1992 the company owned Euro Disneyland at Marne-la-Vallée. At present the company owned even an entertainment channel Disney Channel in the television.

No one can ever forget the enormous contribution of Walt Disney in the field of animation.

His work is the inspiration of the present day's animators. Walt Disney received Honorary Award by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for the creation of Mickey Mouse. Besides the awards he receives love and well wishes from millions and millions audience through out the globe. He created a history in such a time when the art of animation is really a miracle. He added sound, music and dialogue that too full of fun. It is really fun and wonders to see the small characters are performing and pointing out the social problems at the same time.


Five Tips For Creating an Animated Flash Cartoon

With Adobe Flash, creating cartoons is as accessible as ever. With a little know-how and time, you can jump right in and start animating a cartoon of your very own. However, there's a difference between an animated cartoon and a good animated cartoon. These five tips (listed in no particular order) should help you with planning and animating cartoons.

  1. Write a Script. It may seem unnecessary, for the idea of the cartoon might be right in your head, but writing a script can greatly enhance the flow of you movie. Even short movies benefit from scripts. You don't need to go out and purchase expensive screenplay writing software. A simple text editor will do, just as long as you can write down the stage directions and dialogue. If not a script, then at the very least write an outline. This is also helpful if you need to add or change something later on. It's much easier to write it all down then to remember your ideas.
  2. Get a Graphics Tablet. Drawing with a mouse is hard and not too many people find it very comfortable to do. So, go ahead and buy a graphics tablet, which is basically a digital pad and pen you can draw on. You can draw on the screen just like you would a pencil and paper and this can greatly enhance the way your cartoon looks. And in the long run this will be quicker then having to battle the oddities of the mouse. You can find a great variety of graphic tablets (varying in size, price, etc.) on Amazon or in computer stores. Just search around, read customer reviews and find the right one for you.
  3. Watch Other Cartoons. If you've never made a cartoon before, watching other peoples' works is a great way to get a handle on flow and style. Now, don't watch a cartoon and steal the ideas or plot from it, but rather watch how the director uses cuts, camera pans, camera zooms and so on. Also pay attention to how the director uses lines (if any), color, special effects, character design and other artistic properties. Find out what appeals to you and what doesn't and then start to adapt it and form your own style.
  4. Seek Input. You want your cartoon to be your own, but it never hurts to ask for input. You can do this by finding an online community and posting your work there or simply showing your cartoon to your friends. While people you know tend to be biased (and may hold back their thoughts to spare your feelings), it can still help you get an idea of what direction to take your cartoon. Now, don't let input discourage you. There are many people out there who will bash you just for fun. Ignore those hateful comments and focus on the constructive ones.
  5. Practice! I'm going to be honest, your first cartoon will more than likely not be your greatest work. Like anything, this process takes time and lots of practice. Research never hurt either. The Internet is a vast resource full of articles, examples and video tutorials for you to learn from. Once your first cartoon is in the can, keep going! Start writing scripts for your next cartoons, practice your drawing skills, continue to seek input from others and keep pushing!

Want more help with Adobe Flash? Then check out these FREE Flash Video Tutorials!

3D Animation Jobs - Is Animation a Right Career Choice For You?

If one is going to enter into a career then it is a wise move to learn everything about the industry they are about to enter. All too often individuals will sign into an extensive training program and two things end up happening. The first is half way through the training they decide they do not like it or two they break into the job market and find out they are not doing what they were actually trained to do. Both of these disappointments may have been avoided with the proper research.

Apparently this is something that happens quite often in the animation industry. Aspiring animators have a love for doing animation and proceed to do in depth studies of 3D animation figuring it is the ultimate of the industry. They envision themselves developing such renowned characters like those that took place in Finding Nemo or Shrek 2. After becoming well exposed to the industry they soon find out that they are spending every hour of their working moments on animating characters yet this is what drew them to the industry. Therefore, in summary if this was or is your ultimate goal of getting into this line of work then you needs to determine what a career in 3D animation is.

What you soon will discover is that being as you have chosen 3D you are going to be technically a computer graphics artist. This means you may end up spending more time on lighting, modeling, texturing or perhaps rendering rather than developing characters. So in reality what should be your real job title should you be designated to one of these categories? Let us say you become one of the following...

1. You predominantly set up lighting that pertains to a particular scene for a 3D piece. It will be your job to ensure it is the way it is suppose to look and has the right feel about it. You are then technically a lighting artist.

2. Your job is to make the 3D models that are going to be in the 3D scene. This is a technical assignment where you will have to first design the character in mesh then it proceeds through stages to end up as the finished character. You have now become a 3D Modeler.

3. You spend your days painting and creating the textures that are going to be encasement for the characters. In essence, you are creating the skin so it ends up looking as it was designed to look. You new position is now that of texturing artist.

4. Here is one you may find interesting. You are going to be the person looking after creating the bone system. This is what the animator will use to make the model work as it was meant to. Therefore, you have now become a rigger.

5. You may find being in charge of a rendering farm a little more enlightening as here you will have the responsibility of ensuring each 3D frame image is produced properly by the

6. Last but not least how about the duties of the animator. Do not think that it is going to be a cartoon character. In reality, you may be animating anything that moves like a mechanical action of a motor for example or some movement in the human body such as the heart beating.

So now you know all of the different aspects of the 3D animation industry, is it for you?

Download *FREE* computer animation videos and games now:

Visit 3DMagix below:
- http://www.3DMagix.com

Discover how to create cutting-edge 3d animations like Pixar in 5 minutes or less... with over 6 hours of video tutorials.

P.S: Special Offer: Visit 3DMagix official site now and download free animation videos and games. (only for the next 72 hours!)

Michael Jackson's Affair With Animation

We've seen the moonwalk, the one-handed glove, the anti-gravity lean, and that's just to mention a few of the innovations introduced by the late Michael Jackson. Sometimes people even forget how MJ reinvented himself from a child prodigy into a global pop sensation. But he has this sense of creativity and showmanship that is hard to match which leads him to try many things - one of which is cartoon animation for his music videos.

Michael Jackson's song "Leave Me Alone" in the 1987 album Bad prominently featured 2D cartoon animation as its motif. Throughout the entire video, Jackson was super-imposed as a scaled real-life character.

The song talks about the personal and public turmoil encountered by Michael after the success of his 1982 album Thriller. At this time, the tabloids and other gossip columns were targeting him with different rumors about his lifestyle. Among these were Michael's obsession with purchasing the bones of the Elephant Man and sleeping inside a hyperbaric chamber to counter the effects of aging.

The cartoon animated video was used by Michael Jackson as a rebuttal for all these charges. The narrative of the video starts with an amusement park with a collage of images attributing to his success, along with certain images such as a shrine to his popular friend Elizabeth Taylor (who gave him the moniker King of Pop). In the end, it is revealed that Michael Jackson is the amusement park and he struggles away, destroying the park in the process.

Leave Me Alone was directed by Jim Blashfield and it was most notable for winning the Grammy Award for Best Short Form Music Video at the Grammy Awards of 1990. It was also shown in the feature entitled Moonwalker. Here is the animated video of Leave Me Alone:

Michael Jackson helped popularize the utilization of music videos as a promotional piece and as an art form. Another of his videos which prominently used computer animation effects was Black or White, a strongly worded song contradicting racial discrimination - but was more known for its scenes of violence and sexualized dancing. The most recognizable animation effect used in this video was morphing.

Morphing is a special effect which tries to change one image into another seamlessly. The music video Black or White used this concept in the tail-end part of the video where people of different ethnicities, gender and ages were shot in a bust shot point of view and was made to appear like it is morphing while moving its neck from left to right. Here is the video:

This was another revolutionary touch from Michael Jackson and, together with Terminator 2: Judgment Day in 1991, the video helped set a trend in special effects and computer animation. Now, advanced computer software is available to create realistic simulations - but nothing will surpass that level of genius when it was first introduced by Black or White.

I'll list some of his most special awards here as a tribute to Jacko:

World Music Awards' Best-Selling Pop Male Artist of the Millennium

American Music Award's Artist of the Century Award

Bambi Pop Artist of the Millennium Award.

Double-inductee of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (The Jackson 5, 1997; solo, 2001)

Multiple Guinness World Records (eight in 2006 alone),

13 Grammy Awards,

13 number one singles in his solo career-more than any other male artist in the Hot 100 era

sale of over 750 million records worldwide

Rest in peace, MJ.

Aldric Chang is a creative entrepreneur who is at the moment building free online adventure games for kids and running a successful cartoon animation studio. His creative accomplishments span across the production of several hundred animation projects, casual games, music compositions, cartoon animated series and a virtual world for kids.

3D Max VS Maya - The Pros and Cons of Each Animation Software

When you get two strong market contenders the question always arises well which one is the best and what is it that makes it best? The same concept applies to almost any product and the world of animation software is no different.

Therefore, we look at the two major software being 3DMax and Maya. Everything has good and bad points and after all the two products are competitive against each other by their respective owners. The difference here is that both of these dynamic software packages are owned by the same Company. Now that does not make any sense that a company would compete against itself does it? The motive for the acquisition could be to buy the competitor out and then shelve the weaker of the two. This is not the case here however, as Autodesk now owns both 3D Max and Maya and does not intend to take either one of them off the market. It may not sound like it but their concept is very viable.

As we said both of these items, have their strengths and weaknesses but are well liked and well used in the industry. Autodesk simply has decided to take the weaknesses of both and strengthen them with the attributes from its counterpart.

Their strong points.
3D Max is a favorite with the architectural and visualization animators, whereas Maya is the one of choice for TV and film industry. 3D Max has great conceptual modeling tools, large-scale environment creation and works well with other Autodesk product lines to name a few of the main features. Maya on the other hand has amazing character rigging, animation layering as well as motion capture handling capabilities that surpass 3d Max.

Maya has great advantages over 3D Max regarding Nurbs modeling. This is because the software has taken on a different approach in this area, which means it is easier to utilize. Nurbs are complex surfaces it would be the technique you would use to create a polygon for example. The effects that the animator can get regarding fluid are impressive with Maya. It will allow very realistic simulations of fluid and gas reaction in the real and the ocean shader it has implemented produces astounding quality for water animation. In addition with Maya, you can free hand draw and utilize a 3D paint effects that include some special effects as well done with what is called Paint Effects.

To determine which is the best first depends on your budget as 3D Max is more affordable, but if your purpose is Architectural and Visualization then you aren't going to get a bargain because Maya is better suited here. For the special effects in animation then Maya is the choice. Finally, the decision will come down to what your computer can handle. Maya operates on Windows, Mac and Linux with Max being restricted to Window based systems only. In any event, with either one of these software packages you are going to have the best of both worlds.

Download *FREE* animation tools, videos and 3D animation games now:

Visit 3DMagix below:

- http://www.3DMagix.com

Discover how to create cutting-edge 3d animations like Pixar in 5 minutes or less... with over 6 hours of video tutorials.

P.S: Special Offer: Visit 3DMagix official site now and download free animation videos and games. (only for the next 72 hours!)

How to Draw Great Cartoons - Step by Step

Learning to draw cartoons is not nearly as hard as you might be thinking it is. There are, in fact, many, many ways you can learn how to draw cartoons step by step. We are going to talk about some of the most popular options in the following article. By taking a look at the tips provided, you will be drawing your own cartoons in no time!

Now, naturally, one of the best ways to learn how to draw is to take a class. The good news is that there are classes for all ages and all skill levels. In elementary school, middle school, high school, and college, there are always art and drawing classes. Elementary schools usually make them mandatory and they may not cover cartoons, but the electives in your later years should. If they do not, then there is always the option of seeing if there are drawing classes being offered at local museums, libraries, and even other schools.

Books are another great way to learn the step by step method for drawing cartoons. There is no limit to the number of books you can find. The best part is that, again, you can find books for any and all skill levels. If you are a beginner, there is a book for you. There are books for people who have never tried to draw anything in their lives.

With drawing, however, sometimes seeing how it is done can be the best way to learn. That is why seeking a class can be so helpful. Failing that, however, you can also ask around to see if someone could teach you in a one on one setting.

Failing that, the internet can be your best friend. You can find a lot of videos aimed towards the step by step process of drawing cartoons. For that matter, there are instructional DVDs which can offer you the same help.

Get more help on how to draw cartoons and discover how you can become a cartoonist.

How to Design and Create Your Own 3D Animations Easily - Computer Graphics

Designing an own 3D Animation is good to develop personal skills. Now these days people are very much interested to develop their own skills on 3D Animation designing. Now We will see how to design a 3D Animation for personal interest.

Easy 3D Objects is intended for creation of 3D animations and illustrations.

Areas where you can apply Easy 3D Objects:
- Making 3D GIF
- Animations for the Web
- Making 3D banners
- Making 3D illustrations
- Presentation materials
- Development of creative imagination.

Program features:

- Adds to 3D scene the following types of objects: dummy cube, sprite, plane, disk, cube, frustum, sphere, cone, cylinder, annulus, torus, arrow line, space text, mirror.
- Edits parameters of objects
- Rotates and moves objects and groups of objects
- Fills objects by color or texture from BMP, JPEG.

SWiSHmax has everything you need to create stunning fully interactive Flash animations. You can create shapes, text, buttons, sprites, and motion paths. You can also include more than 230 ready-to-use animated effects including explode, vortex, 3D spin, and wave. ... You can preview your animation inside SWiSHmax without launching a browser or external player, and live editing lets you make changes while the animation is playing. ... You can create your own effects or make an interactive movie by adding actions to objects.

SWiSHmax has everything you need to create stunning fully interactive Flash animations. You can create shapes, text, buttons, sprites, and motion paths. You can also include more than 230 ready-to-use animated effects including explode, vortex, 3D spin, and wave. ... You can preview your animation inside SWiSHmax without launching a browser or external player, and live editing lets you make changes while the animation is playing. ... You can create your own effects or make an interactive movie by adding actions to objects.

Feature wise, Realsoft 3D is a full featured modeling, rendering, animation and simulation package. It introduces global illumination, multi-wavelength ray-tracing for accurate spectral caustics and other optical effects, sub-surface scattering for realistic human skin shading. On the animation front a full range of tools - from easy key framing to event driven nonlinear animation is supported. Realsoft 3D is a complete solution for high end 3D-production at an unprecedented price. Don´t rush to the plugin shop every time you need to create something new - get Realsoft 3D.

Effect3D is a powerful editing tool that lets you create professional looking 3D objects, add animation, and use a wide range of 3D effects. Effect3D's Power Wizard does the work for you, so whether you're a novice or a Webmaster you'll be producing stunning artwork in minutes. ... Effect3D can also create dynamic 3D models by RTS animation so models can move back-and-forth, float, or rotate. ... Over 500 models are cleverly categorized for easy browsing and with over 70 behavioral Bio-Morph animation's to choose from; Effect3D gives you the freedom to create uncompromising images limited

3D GIF Designer produces animated high-quality 3D pictures, titles, banner ads and buttons for your Web page or for a presentation. You can create animations from your own pictures (JPG, GIF, BMP, AVI) and easily add 3D text and shapes. The sprites technology enables to control over ... For quickly getting started, design your own animation from over 30 professional templates (banners, buttons, logos), and then save as animated GIF or AVI movies, or as set of JPEG or BMP files. ... In addition, 3D GIF Designer allows you to animate sprites with several effects such as Swing, Rotate.

Stereogram Explorer is user-friendly design software for creating high-quality hidden 3D graphics, also known as Single Image Random Dot Stereograms (SIRDS) or Single Image Stereograms (SIS) known from the "Magic Eye" series. Stereogram Explorer uses advanced algorithms and can render... Main features: User-friendly interface Random dot stereograms (SIRDS) Pattern or textured stereograms (SIS) Support for many file types including GIFs, JPEGs, PICTs, and BMPs Import 3DS (3D Studio) models Export depthmaps from 3D scene Autocalculated depth coefficient for loaded 3D models.

Pro Motion is a bitmap editor and animation package, ideal for creating pixel precise animations, images or icons used in games or Flash applications especially for hand held systems like mobile phones, Gameboy, PDA, Pocket PC and similar. It has a huge number of functions ranging from simple... copied to all equal tiles within the image) - tons of tools including color cycling, onion skinning, masking, symmetry paint, magic wand, tile painting for "infinite" textures-bitmaps and "standard" functions like line, curve, box, circle, fill (pattern, gradients) - lots of helpful animation.

Download an advanced 3d animation software now.

Visit 3DMagix below: http://www.3DMagix.com

Discover how to create cutting-edge 3d animations like Pixar in 5 minutes or less... with over 6 hours of video tutorials.

P.S: Special Offer: Visit 3DMagix official site now and download free animation videos and games. (only for the next 72 hours!)

How to Draw a Cartoon Cow

When looking for the method for how to draw a cartoon cow you might want to choose the one that is the most simplified that leaves room for your imagination. When drawing the framework for a cow it can be very similar to the horse but much more simplified. You will want to start the cartoon cow with a framework of some ovals and a few lines. Draw a larger oval for the body and a medium size oval for the head first. You will be building from this. Next you want to draw two smaller ovals. One will be the left ear and the other will be the snout. Finish this part of the cartoon with two curved lines with one going off-center through the head oval and the same placement on the oval for the snout. This will help you with placing the nostrils, eyes and some other of the features you will want to add to the cartoon cow.

Now you have some ovals and a few lines on the paper and a lot of freedom with how you want the head of your cartoon cow to look. This basic outline could also be used for a pig or sheep possibly. You have to set upon the task of making this framework look like a cow. Make circles for the eyes on both sides of the line you drew for the head. Do the same for the snout. Draw a curved line under the snout to look like a mouth. Cows will have two bumps on the top of head and you can add them if you like. Draw the ears and form some horns if you would like. Now is the time to outline the head.

The third step would be developing the body of your cow. Try to visualize a cow in your mind. Doesn't the back sway down and then go back up towards the hips? Include that on your drawing. Draw in the utters underneath the body and form the legs. Cows legs are generally quite small compared to the rest of the body and you can just make the legs fairly simple. Some things in a cartoon can be minimized and this is an example of one of them. After you have the basic cow drawn, add a simple line tail and some details such as lines in the hoofs and in the horns. There really aren't many more details you have to add at this point.

Finish off the cartoon cow with deciding what kind of cow in terms of coloring. You can pick black with white spots or simply solid with some white in different places. It's all up to you and your imagination. Congratulate yourself for your fine cartoon of a cow.

Find out more about how to draw a cartoon cow and lots of other characters with how to draw cartoons.

Create a Free Avatar - How to Make the Best Avatars

Avatars are the images of computer users found in computer games, internet forums or blogs. Three dimensional avatars are used in games and cartoons, while two dimensional ones are followed in internet forums. The idea had its origin in Hindu traditions where, as the myths goes, god took birth in many avatars or forms to meet specific purposes, but in anonymity.

But today, the word is more relevant in the computer field. Avatars are now the representations of the personality, interests, thought patterns, beliefs etc of an online forum. Three dimensional avatars are mostly animated ones. Avatars help create an individuality to an otherwise faceless blogger.

Avatars have been made very popular by some message providers like Yahoo. These ubiquitous virtual images can be designed in such a way to match your looks, personality etc, but without giving away your real identity.

Designing an avatar is child’s play now. There are many internet services that assist in creation of avatars, but the more technically inclined can make them on their own. A mixture of a little bit of creativity and imagination is all you need additionally. Creating an avatar of you is a fulfilling and fun filled act. The websites offering instant design options are a great help in determining the physical features of your creation including the skin color, the length of the hair, dress options and accessories. Animated ones are really good in attracting more and more visitors to your blog or forum.

They differ greatly in size and attraction. Instant messaging services needs to have only small ones, but video games and networking sites need bigger and animated avatars. Customized backgrounds can be added to an avatar to enhance its looks. But some people prefer to get hold of some other’s avatar and modify it as per their requirements. But there is no need to do it. There are some applications and softwares available now which would create a three dimensional or two dimensional images of you in no time.

If you are looking for more information then feel free to visit Create avatar and Create free avatar

Ben 10 Alien Force

Ben 10 Alien Force, a sequel to Ben 10, is a marvelous and an interesting anime Television series, which is the result of hard work done by Dwayne McDuffie and Glen Murakami and the studio "Man of Action". The studio is a group of 4 young creative personalities named, Duncan Rouleau, Joe Casey, Joe Kelly, and Steven T. Seagle. Ben 10 Alien Force is produced by Cartoon Network Studios, and is based on the central figure Ben Tennyson. He is now 15 years of age and has grown up to become a more matured guy with a clear outlook towards life. He has removed the Omnitix, and has tasted the good and challenging adventures out there.

Now, in Ben 10 Alien Force, you see there is a fanatic aliens known as Highbreed have surreptitiously com on Earth and they have the mission to ruin the earth and kill its inhabitants altogether. Max, who is Ben's grandfather and also an active member of the planet-defending Plumbers has already gone out there to protect the humanity from their evil deeds, but nobody has heard of him ever since. There stands no choice in front of Ben, but to use Omnitrix to fight the aliens back from the earth. Omnitrix has adapted according to his teenage body, and this has resulted into new forms and functions, and makes Ben ready to go for fighting the aliens.

Ben is supported in his endeavor by Cousin Gwen, and both have their natural abilities enhanced to give the Highbreed a tough blow. Ben's formal rival, Kevin Levin who worked in Null Void is also coming in front and joining his hand.

The cartoon animated series has all its drama and adventure lined up for the children and the adults. What's more, the animated series has got all the super digital sound and backed by orphic music scores. The best thing is that you don't get bored while watching the entire series. Ben is leading the fight the war against the aliens and also on his mission to look for Max. In the time of five years that has past, been has become more matured and he has all the goals set in line to go ahead with the mission along with his cronies. Come and explore the adventure filled mission where the fight for the cause is truly realized by the saviors who are packed with their guns.

Visit us to learn more about Ben 10 Party Supplies.

Also check out our selection of Ben 10 Alien Force Party Supplies.