What size to create art, NTSC, backgrounds etc

[bupaje]

Hi. I am going to start a small animation with Moho to apply what I am learning at school. They have animation shows regularly and the stuff is NTSC format. I want to try some hand drawn backgrounds and scan them in but am not sure what size to make them on paper.

If I am using an 18" x 24" sheet what size drawing area is the max I can get out of it so the ratio is right for NTSC?

Also one of the background layouts is going to be a one point perspective view, underwater, looking down the stream bed. I want to have the fish swim 'into' the distance towards the vanishing point but I'm not sure if I can do this with one background? I mean can I just start it reduced and resize it larger over time to simulate swiming downstream towards the vanishing point or should I make several backgrounds at different points heading to that point?

We'll be covering this stuff over the next few months but I can't wait - want to try working on something with Moho that I can showcase.

[cribble]

I don't think it matters what size you do the drawing on unless your using cameras, and the frame by frame, clickidy click business. Just scan them in at a high resolution. I think MoHo has a problem with large picture resolutions so keep it under 3000x3000 to be safe.

Because i'm not in the right mind, or stupid, you perspective stuff baffles me and i'm stunned. Buzz, ow yeah.

[bupaje]

Sorry, my words often stumble out, falling over each other like a crowd of one legged drunks leaving a bar at closing time.

I thought pictures had to be in a certain ratio which is what confused me like 16:9 -say 3x as long as high etc but maybe I am overcomplicating it. I'll just make a few test sketches and see how they scan in, where to break them up (since the scanner isn't large enough to hold a long image) -guess I'd have to create seperate panels and assemble them in a paint program if I want a long scrolling background I can pan across.

Anyway I'll just stumble off again. and when I have visuals that help show what the heck I mean I'll post again.

[7feet]

Standard NTSC TV ratio is 4:3 (4 wide, 3 high). For a 1 point perspective background, it would seem best to zoom in and pan (up?) at the same time to get what I think you're talking about, would need a pretty hi-res background if you want to be able to get much of a feel of distance. Multiple backgrounds would seem tricky unless you have some sort of obstacle to obscure the change, like maybe a stone on the streambed that fills the screen fro a moment to hide the jump between backgrounds. But one nice hi res background should do the trick unless its a really long shot.

Scanning big pieces can be a pain. My brother does comics, and usually draws in a pretty big format, so I hacked the rim off an old scanner for him so that there was nothing sticking above the glass and the art sat nice and flush. I know they make some like that, but hell, it was free and a good scanner t'boot. It really helps a lot. Also, if you can find a place that still sells old school (pre-everything on the damn computer style) graphic art supplies, a roll of registration mark tape can make your life a lot easier when it come time to patch the thing together.

[bupaje]

@7feet - thanks for the info and advice.

I made a quick concept drawing in PSP -excuse the childlike quality, still haven't gotten comfortable with the Wacom.



Basically there will be a background looking at the side for some shots but this one I want the fish to look up and see the bobber with the worm, I'll zoom to his face then he'll swim towards the nearest position shown in the image, I'll zoom to the bobber disappearing then back to this background where it will appear further downstream - next farthest position, this will repeat 3 times or so. So what I want is to create one background if possible from where he sees the bobber swims up a little, realizes its a worm and then does that swiom down river action. If I can work it with one long background so I can zoom a little and follow him traveling down stream for those 3 stops it would be great.

Hope that is clearer. Do you think one would work or should I go for 3 and switch it after each zoom on the disappearing bobber?

[Rhoel]

Standard NTSC TV ratio is 4:3 (4 wide, 3 high).

I have an issue with this advice.

The thinking in commercial studios for the past 4-5 years has been use 16:9 for all new projects. Why? Very simple - its called future-proofing. All new commissioned work is in widescreen, even if the braodcaster is still transmitting in 4:3.

From a production point of view, it costs you the same amount of money to make a 16:9 as a 4:3. If and when you need a 4:3, just pull the centre out the widescene shot - its very easy to do. However, you cannot do the same for 4:3 - the quality drops drastically. So use the higher pixel count (16:9) then derive the lower pixel count (4:3).

The best way is to have your storyboard panels in 16:9, with a 4:3 safe area marked on them - that way, this cut-off will automatically filter down through your layouts etc.

TIP:
When compositing, import a 4:3 vector guide and pin it to the camera. You really do need to know where the cut-offs are if you are to avoid expensive reshoot later.

In Moho, you can make a guide in less than a minute - set the camera to 4:3, turn on the safeareas, then vector a couple of boxes for the edge of shot and action area - make the fills invisible: Colour code the lines and weights to taste - I prefer bright lime greens. Now return the camera to 16:9 and output the frame as a png image with alpha. You're done.

Now whenever you want to use the guide (read this as every scene!), you import the image in an image layer and make the layer immune from camera movements. Just remember to turn off the rendering for that layer .

By using the guide, you'll always be able to see how your animation will look after its been through an ARC (aspect ratio convertor).

Rhoel

[bupaje]

Thanks Rhoel, I'll try what you suggest. I hope some day I get comfortable with all these ideas -gives me a headache now.

I decided I might as well learn to paint digitally as well so I started a thread at cgtalk and a WIP to get crits as I work on the background. I'm also going to try the charcoal version and digitally color it -have to finish an animation assignment first so I'll probably be poking at it a week or two.

If anyone is interested, you can post suggestions here if you have painting experinece as I want to get get at the whole process from layouts to animations.

http://forums.cgsociety.org/showthread. ... ost2817664