Joe Watson

Joe Watson is a Freelance Animator and Sound designer who works mainly in animation software such as ToonBoom and the sound design software Reaper. ToonBoom is software introduced to us at the start of the academic year. It encompasses many elements from other animation software while also bringing a refined style. This software allows the user to draw directly onto the software while also replacing specific layers with other drawings per frame rather than copying frames over each other. This method allows for smooth lip-syncing animations, easy repetitive motions, and storing layers used later in the animation.

Joe has a good amount of experience in this software so has been able to teach us the basics with ease. His portfolio contains many animations of his creation and a couple of animations made in collaboration with other professionals. These animations are focused on fantasy styles and have allowed Joe to be experimental in his portrayal of characters. This has allowed Joe to gain a large amount of experience and a well-developed understanding of storytelling, let alone his knowledge of the software he introduced us to.

Week One

During our first week with Joe, we learned the ToonBoom software’s basic mechanics. This included editing video settings, pencil settings, Layers and naming of the layers. This may seem simple, but if we had not been taught these simple bits of information, we would have been lost later on when it came time to use them. By going through the pencil properties after selecting the pencil tool on the left-hand toolbar, you can edit everything from the weight of the line, the smoothness of the line and even the pencil type. This week was just an introduction to the software and we did not create or do much other than learn all the hotkeys, the layout and what each button along the sidebars did.

Week Two

Week Two was more practical than our first week. We started to actually work on ToonBoom and get started on our animations and put the skills we learned the week before into action. Joe decided the best way to put our skills and knowledge to the test would be to send us all 3 different audio files and ask us to animate them. He did not expect us to animate this entirely within the first lesson as it would be carried through multiple lessons.

First, we were taught how to create a new layer on the drawing. By doing this, we were able to draw up a full face for our characters. I chose to go with a slightly exaggerated style with large eyes to make it more expressive. Each component of the drawing needed to be drawn on its own layer. For example, the left eye would be separate from the left pupil and the left eyebrow. Each item that would move individually got its own layer so as not to be attached to another layer. This included ears, nose, any hair or any accessories.

To colour in each layer that you draw, there is a fill tool you can use. However, to use this, there is a certain method to do it. You have to highlight or select the layer you are colouring in, then by clicking on the button as shown below. This button allows you to outline the drawing you have done rather than show its bones. It will be labelled “Create coloured art from line art” as it does just that.

once you have selected this, you will need to make sure you have selected the colour art layer on the right side of the drawing. They should look like the buttons below. This means you have gone from the line art layer which is the L layer, to the Colour art layer which is labelled C Layer.

Once you have gotten to this layer, you are free to colour your layer as you please. You have to repeat this process on each layer you wish to colour as it needs to be separated so each individual layer moves as it should.

I decided to make my initial drawing a little more complex and added a couple more layers. Through the things we had been taught so far, I was able to make a full-bodied Goblin character with a sword. The arms and legs were not articulate but the sword moved individually. I even decided to add big ears as I had plans to animate the ears to help emote the character further.

Week Three

I, unfortunately, was not present for this week’s work but managed to catch up through recordings of the class. In this lesson, Joe taught everyone about how to create a body, looping animations and rigging. This involved learning a lot of new shortcuts, keys and what each button on all the hot bars did. As I had already created a body in my last session and in my own time, I just decided to follow along and listen to how to complete all of these parts.

To rig a body, you need to separate each part into its own layer like ith the face, except each arm will be a full piece rather than in separate pieces like a forearm and upper arm. This is to keep it simple and easier to learn. Overall, 2 arms, 2 legs, a torso, a neck and 2 hands are needed to fully rig a body in its most simple terms using this method.

To rig a body, you will have to peg them all to a point as if you are attaching each to a joint. For example, the arm must be pegged to the torso at the shoulder to articulate accurately. The hands must be pegged onto the arm as well as they will be moving alongside and with its corresponding arm. Rigging the body was the most complex part. This part included learning how bones and joints work, what looks fluid and what makes a natural movement look so natural. Along the top Hotbar, you will need to select the rigging tool which looks like the button below as well as selecting the Bone and Articulation mode.

By using these properties, you can animate using ToonBoom effectively and smoothly. In my own time, I used ToonBoom to study and animate fluid movements and repetitive actions. To do this, I studied a bird’s wings as it flew in stages to understand the motion movement it would have. Then using the multiple stages I drew of the wing as it made a lap of movement, I put them in ToonBoom and attached the wings to a body. Using ToonBoom I was then able to make a background and make the birds rise and fall as they would naturally.

Overall, I think ToonBoom is an extremely beneficial software to learn and If you have any prior knowledge of software such as Illustrator or Photoshop, learning to use ToonBoom goes rather smoothly. The layout of hot bars, hotkeys and animating timeline is very similar to that of Photoshop and even has elements of After Effects. This software was the easiest to learn out of all of the new software I was introduced to but I had years of experience with Photoshop prior to this. Animating in this software is fluid and smooth but is not intended for those who like frame by frame drawing. ToonBoom is better intended for those who wish to animate using a couple of images and are able to manipulate them using tools such as rigging.