The magazine of the Melbourne PC User Group Computer Animation Major Keary |
A fascinating field, animation is an ancient technology, the principles of which have given us the moving
picture. Optical toys developed by the ancient Egyptians were based on even earlier `magical' methods of
creating the illusion of a moving image.
For almost a century there has been a significant Australian connection with animation. In 1917 Felix the
Cat was created in the American studios of an expatriate Australian, Pat Sullivan, who published the animated
adventures of Felix in flip-books. Felix appeared on the screen in animated cartoons in 1933.
An Australian-made animated film version of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Tale achieved international
distribution in several languages, and all the animation artwork for The Flintstones was created in
a studio at St Leonards in Sydney.
Marcia Kuperberg, an Australian expatriate has a long association with animation and is presently Deputy
Head of the Shool of Media, Arts, and Technology, West Herts College, U.K.; she is also the lead author of
A Guide to Computer Animation.
The full title is, A Guide to Computer Animation for TV, Games, Multimedia, and Web, and it is no
surprise that the publisher is Focal Press. This title is not a tutorial for animation novices. On the
software side there is no hand-holding; the reader is assumed to have, and knows how to use, some graphics
application(s) suitable for animation.
The book discusses principles and techniques, describes - with step-by-step illustrations - practical
applications, and presents some self-test projects. I have not seen any other text on animation that
contains so much attention to detail. For example, in a chapter on 3D animation there is a discussion
on the creation of an antique chair that goes into how the padded back is digitally constructed, and
even "the little padded parts on top of the armrests".
Creating artwork is one thing; transforming it to realistic, lifelike movements is another. The discussion
on forward kinematics (FK), inverse kinematics (IK), and morph target animation
(MTA) provides a valuable insight into how lifelike movements are achieved in games animation. This is
the most thorough treatment of FK, IK, and MTA I have seen, and is contained in a chapter,
Creating artwork for computer games: from concept to end product, by Martin Bowman. He discusses
a wide range of issues, including information for those interested in working in the games industry.
Computer games is just one of the many aspects of animation covered in this title. The first two chapters
provide an overview of the tools and techniques of computer animation (including a discussion of perception
and 'persistence of vision', better known as POV), and a discussion of "the technical constraints of
creating for different digital media". There is an excellent account of lighting techniques for 3D
animation. Many of the chapters contain information useful to those who are considering or actively
seeking employment in related industries. There is an interesting chapter on "the art and craft of telling
a story: narrative and characterisation".
A beautifully presented book with plenty of illustrations to support the text. Highly recommended to those
with a serious interest in animation. Libraries with holdings on graphics arts should consider it as an
acquisition for its technical information.
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Marcia Kuperberg: A Guide to Computer Animation ISBN 0-240-51671-0 Published by Focal Press, 249 pp., RRP $80.85 incl. GST. |
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Reprinted from the February 2003 issue of PC Update, the magazine of Melbourne PC User Group, Australia
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