Animating on Monster Sculptures

Animation uses still frames to create the illusion of movement.

Students will create one animated GIF loop using their paper mache monster sculpture as a prop. The facial expressions will be drawn on digitally and looped to create a 12 frame cycle.

Materials

  • Paper Mache Sculpture
  • Camera for taking a photo of the sculpture
  • Google Slides

Content

  • Two distinct facial expressions
  • Other digital added details

Composition

  • Looping animation
  • 12 frames minimum

Technical Skills

  • Google Slides - Creator Studio - Animated GIF
  • Small movements over a series of images to create the illusion of motion

Composition

Picture
2 Facial Expressions
Picture
Other Added Digital Details

Technical Skills

Picture
Small Movements Create an Illusion of Motion
Picture
Looping GIF with Creator Studio Google Slides Add-on

Animation Requirements

PHOTO OF YOUR SCULPTURE 
  • CLEAR, IN FOCUS

  • SOLID BACKGROUND WITHOUT DISTRACTING STUFF
​
  • FEATURES FACE
​
  • GOOD LIGHTING
DIGITALLY DRAW FACIAL FEATURES
  • MOUTH, EYES, & EYEBROWS + ONE ADDITIONAL FACIAL FEATURE
​
  • 2+ EXTRA ADDED DETAILS THAT  MOVE

  • TWO DISTINCT FACIAL EXPRESSIONS ON DIFFERENT SLIDES
SMOOTH ANIMATION
  • SMALL MOVEMENTS

SMALL DIFFERENCES OCCUR BETWEEN FRAMES SO THAT THE MOTION HAPPENS GRADUALLY AND THE ILLUSION OF MOTION IS CREATED.
IT SHOULD TAKE FOUR TO SIX FRAMES TO GET TO THE SECOND EXPRESSION AND FOUR TO SIX FRAMES TO GET BACK TO THE ORIGINAL EXPRESSION.
12 FRAMES MINIMUM
  • 12 OR MORE UNIQUE FRAMES

12 UNIQUELY DRAWN FRAMES MUST BE USED; YOU CAN USE MORE UNIQUE FRAMES OR REPEAT IMPORTANT FRAMES TO SLOW DOWN SOME PARTS OR HELP SMOOTH OUT THE ANIMATION

PAY ATTENTION TO THE MOVEMENTS OF THE FACE AS WELL AS THE MOVEMENTS OF THE EXTRA DETAILS
LOOPING GIF
  • GIF FILE​
  • LOOPING FOREVER

THE BEGINNING AND ENDING NEED TO BE THE SAME SO THE ANIMATION SEEMS SEAMLESS - YOU SHOULD NOT BE ABLE TO NOTICE WHERE THE LAST FRAME ENDS AND THE FIRST FRAME BEGINS
FINAL FILE IS A LOOPING GIF THAT LOOPS FOREVER (NOT A MOVIE FILE OR SINGLE PLAY GIF)

Try out Different Faces Before You Settle on the Winner

Timing of Frames

Facial Expression A to B

It should take 4 - 5 frames to get from the first facial expression to the second facial expression.

Extra Stuff Moving Around

You can use the middle 4 - 5 frames to focus on the movements of the extra additional moving parts outside of the facial expressions.

Facial Expression B to A

It should take 4 - 5 frames to get from the second facial expression back to the original first facial expression

Extra Face A Frames with Movement

It can be nice to add a few frames of the first facial expression so that it lasts a little longer than just one or two frames. Do keep the extra stuff moving!

​Animation Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1

USE YOUR PAPER MACHE SCULPTURE

Step 2

PHOTOGRAPH YOUR SCULPTURE

Step 3

PUT THAT PHOTO INTO GOOGLE SLIDES & REFORMAT SLIDES TO MATCH THE PHOTO SIZE

Step 4

DIGITALLY DRAW A FACE AND OTHER DETAILS

Step 5

DRAW A DIFFERENT FACIAL EXPRESSION ON A NEW SLIDE

Step 6

DRAW THE IN BETWEEN MOTIONS ON SLIDES BETWEEN THE TWO KEYFRAMES
It should take 4 - 6 frames to change the facial expression from one face to the other.

Step 7

ANIMATE THE ADDITIONAL ELEMENTS MOVING TOO
Use SMALL movements between frames so that the motion is easy to understand when it is played fast.

Step 8

ANIMATE THE IN-BETWEENS BACK TO MATCH THE FIRST FRAME FACIAL EXPRESSION
It is important that the beginning and ending match so that the GIF loops without skipping.

Step 9

If you don't have it already, install the Creator Studio Add-on for Google Slides.

Step 10

Select Create a GIF from the Add-ons menu for Creator Studio
Change the output to 500 and the interval to 0.1 or 0.2. Choose Animated GIF and click GO. Then, click on the eyeball icon.
Test your animation

Step 11

Go back and forth testing your animation and then revising your slides until it makes a perfectly looping GIF where the motion looks smooth and you can't tell where the beginning and ending is. Then, download the final version.

Creator Studio Add On for Google Slides

Video Demonstrations

Grading Criteria

Example 1

Example 2

Example 3

Three Face Ideas

EXAMPLE 1
EXAMPLE 2
EXAMPLE 3

Two Facial Expressions

EXAMPLE 1
EXAMPLE 2
EXAMPLE 3
EXAMPLE 3B

A to B to A - Just the Facial Expressions

EXAMPLE 1
EXAMPLE 2
EXAMPLE 3
EXAMPLE 3B

Animating the Extra Stuff Too

EXAMPLE 1
FIRST EXTRA MOVING PARTS: FLAGS
EXTRA MOVING PART: GOPHER
EXAMPLE 2
FIRST EXTRA MOVING PARTS: FLOWERS
EXTRA MOVING PART: EAR DANGLES
EXAMPLE 3
MOVING PARTS: WATER AND CLAWS
EXTRA PART: EEL SWIMMING
EXAMPLE 3B
FIRST MOVING PARTS: HEART
MOVING PARTS: CLAWS AND LEG HAIRS
THINGS TO CHECK:
  • FACE HAS EYES, MOUTH, EYEBROWS AND AN ADDITIONAL FACE PART
  • TWO EXPRESSIONS ARE DIFFERENT FROM EACH OTHER AND CREATE AN OBVIOUS FEELING (LIKE HAPPY, SURPRISED, ANGRY, ETC.)
  • MOUTH, EYEBROWS, AND PUPILS CHANGE IN TWO FACES
  • ANIMATION PAUSES ON THE TWO FACES
  • 2+ EXTRA MOVING PARTS, MOVE INDEPENDENTLY FROM THE FACE (THEY DON'T PAUSE WHEN THE FACE PAUSES)
  • SOMETHING IS MOVING IN THE TOP THIRD, MIDDLE THIRD, AND BOTTOM THIRD
  • EVERYTHING LOOPS (NO DRAMATIC POPS INTO A NEW LOCATION)