Introducing younger individuals to 2D Animation with Cartoon Animator
Kristen Collier
Creating animated movies and educating a youthful viewers about 2D animation , Kristen Collier wanted to search out software program that was simple to make use of, but might produce top quality animated movies.
In Cartoon Animator (CTA), Kristen discovered the whole lot she wanted and was shortly in a position to educate herself and others find out how to animate, and has even been in a position to create her personal customized actors for her tasks.
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” I researched completely different software program throughout the lockdown, and noticed that Cartoon Animator (CTA) had the perfect rankings of studying curve and for being economical. I like Cartoon Animator, and it’s simple on the floor stage, for newcomers, and for doing quick, easy animations. CTA is my absolute favourite software program. Once I was engaged on my characteristic cartoon, Benny the Barnacle, for months I’d work 12 – 16 hour days on the animation, it was so engrossing. I used to be working continuous on it, and loving each minute of it. Cartoon Animator is addictive, however in a very good, constructive method. “
Kristen Collier | 2D Animator/ Illustrator
Q: Hello Kristen. Can you start by telling us concerning the work you do utilizing Cartoon Animator?
I simply accomplished my first characteristic cartoon, Benny the Barnacle, which stars Corbin Bernsen who performed the dad on Psych, and starred in LA Legislation. It options cameos by Marta Kristen, who was Judy on Misplaced in House, and the legendary Lou Gramm, from Foreigner, amongst others. And what’s completely cool is that the distribution firm, C3 Leisure, handles The Three Stooges. It was really began by them, so you possibly can’t ask for greater than that!
Q: You create lots of high quality 2D animation. Why did you select Cartoon Animator because the platform to create your content material?
I researched completely different software program throughout the lockdown, and noticed that Cartoon Animator (CTA) had the perfect rankings of studying curve and for being economical. I discovered animation throughout the lockdown by watching Reallusion’s YouTube tutorials time and again, earlier than I even had the software program. I used to be decided to study animation, as a result of my husband is the artist and author, and I used to be decided to get his characters seen by the world.
Q: Do you could have a particular style or theme that’s your favorite to work with?
I actually like undersea characters, and am centered on these. My husband, Kevin, an animation historian who’s written books for Jerry Beck’s Cartoon Analysis, is the artist, creator, and author of our tasks, and now we have lots of undersea cartoons we’re engaged on now.
Q: Do you discover the method of making characters and content material for Cartoon Animator simple and fulfilling?
I like Cartoon Animator, and it’s simple on the floor stage, for newcomers, and for doing quick, easy animations. CTA is my absolute favourite software program. Once I was engaged on my characteristic cartoon, Benny the Barnacle, for months I’d work 12 – 16 hour days on the animation, it was so engrossing, my husband really missed me, despite the fact that we work at home, and I used to be there. However I used to be working continuous on it, and loving each minute of it. Cartoon Animator is addictive, however in a very good, constructive method. There have been days after I would assume, my abdomen is growling. Why is my abdomen growling? After which I noticed it was as a result of I used to be hungry, however didn’t wish to step away to eat!
Q: Do you could have your favorite Cartoon Animator instruments or options that you simply take pleasure in working with most?
The Duplicate Software is hand’s down my favorite Cartoon Animator software. I used that to create faculties of about thirty seahorses in Whispering Wally and 40 jellyfish in Benny the Barnacle, for instance. That software is invaluable for animating giant scale scenes. My second favorite software is the Photoshop Pipeline, that could be a life saver for organising puppetry eyes. Additionally, simply sending stuff to Photoshop by way of the CTA pipeline helps for a lot. For instance, after I use the identical mouths for various characters I ship it to Photoshop to vary the define of the mouth to match the completely different character colours, and so forth.
So, I’ve really helpful the Pipeline model to a number of individuals, and we even purchased 4 packages of it for our church’s studio that my husband and I run. We even have some worldwide college students presently right here from Kenya which can be engaged on their Masters in laptop science, who wish to study Cartoon Animator. I’ll be educating the worldwide college students animation at our church’s studio and I’ve even taught the little youngsters there. They picked up the software program fairly simply. Our youngest voice actress, who was 3 when she did her traces for our collection Whispering Wally. She cherished the Leap Motion controller. I confirmed a 7 yr previous boy in our group find out how to report his traces on the zoom mic then switch it to Cartoon Animator and he picked it up immediately. Plus I did a one-day demonstration at an elementary college for all the children in grades Okay – 8. I let the children come up and check out the software program and even the kindergartners had no issues choosing it up, so I can’t suggest CTA sufficient for faculties!
One other favorite CTA software is the Render Software. I used to be in a position to create visible depth by duplicating the identical seaweed prop however altering the distinction and brightness with the render software. That was a useful factor I discovered about CTA, and actually helped me add some visible, cinematic depth to the cartoon.
Q: Given all of your expertise working with Cartoon Animator, what recommendation would you could have for uplifting builders seeking to break into the Reallusion Market and promote their content material?
My recommendation could be to hone your hand-drawn abilities. I heard that on the newest Disney D23 occasion, the largest buzz was from an announcement that they’d be releasing a hand-drawn (or no less than replicating the look of being hand-drawn) characteristic size movie subsequent yr. So, it appears followers desire a return to conventional cartoons. And so they’re saying they’re bored with the generic look they’re seeing.
So, heartily I like to recommend that animators hone their drawing abilities. Or, if, like me, they’re not artists – my husband is the artist and first author, I assist with writing – I like to recommend animators companion with an up-and-coming illustrator in the event that they don’t have the artwork abilities.
As a result of, to me, the very best praise I might ever get could be that Collier Animation Studio cartoons are on the extent of Hanna-Barbera, the best animation firm, in my and my husband’s estimation, of all time. I’m impressed by the background artwork of The Flintstones and The Jetsons. I even did an homage in that in Benny the Barnacle, and I like the glitches within the artwork, that has that home made enchantment, so much less antiseptic of right now’s visually perfected, however story-wise missing cartoons being panned right now by audiences.
Q: You might be clearly an animator who thinks huge. So what are your plans for future content material?
I’ll be beginning “The Treasure,” which is the primary episode within the Benny the Barnacle quick animated collection, which will likely be 3 – 5 minute cartoons aside from the characteristic cartoon presently awaiting distribution. My husband has written the script and I’ve one of many voices, so will start that when the opposite voices are in.
I’ll even be doing extra dancing bunny music movies for a consumer, that are hilarious, this bunny is a few steep competitors for us, ha ha, however all for an excellent trigger! Cherry the Resurrection Rabbit is a Southern Gospel dancing bunny, with illustrations by Jack Foster. And for the Christmas cartoon I simply accomplished for a similar consumer, I used to be in a position to incorporate a few of the Cartoon Animator template artwork, which got here in tremendous useful!
What’s attention-grabbing is that I discovered the music movies to be actually laborious contemplating they’re only some minutes lengthy, as a result of it’s important to time the artwork and actions to the music. And I additionally do my greatest to match the lyrics to the visuals. In order that they’re a fairly large problem for me, however this bunny is so cute that my husband and I feel they’ll be a giant hit as soon as they get distribution, I might see Cherry being the following Child Shark.
Q: What are the main benefits that Cartoon Animator presents you on your work?
Cartoon Animator is completely my all-time favourite software program. I’m in all probability certainly one of CTA’s greatest model ambassadors, and I’m not even paid to try this, ha ha! As a result of with all the scholars I’ve proven it to across the nation, from all ages, they’ve picked it up shortly, and with the world being so sudden, it’s the good means for individuals to earn a dwelling from wherever they’re. One in every of our voice actors in Benny the Barnacle is in Mexico Metropolis, the narrator is in Scotland. So, with the ability to work with individuals around the globe in a straightforward method, is so useful in these final days.
” Cartoon Animator is completely my all-time favourite software program. I’m in all probability certainly one of CTA’s greatest model ambassadors, and I’m not even paid to try this, ha ha! As a result of with all the scholars I’ve proven it to across the nation, from all ages, they’ve picked it up shortly, and with the world being so sudden, it’s the good means for individuals to earn a dwelling from wherever they’re. “
Kristen Collier | 2D Animator/ Illustrator
The CTA – Adobe Premier workflow makes the whole lot simple and purposeful too. I put collectively my CTA clips in Adobe Premiere Parts, and do my sound results and bubbles for my undersea cartoons there. Additionally my titles and music. I’m grateful for this software program, which permits actually anybody to make a cartoon, and step into the vacuum made by the large boys.
Q: You sound like a really busy particular person. What different tasks have you ever most just lately been engaged on?
Together with the Benny the Barnacle and Cherry the Resurrection Rabbit, I’ve additionally executed my husband’s Whispering Wally. He’s a blue whale who whispers, and the trailer for Debut CAS Cartoon: “BLINK”. She’s a crimson cyclops octopus.
I’m excited to be beginning the Blink sequel, “Discovering Elsie,” which options Elsie Algae and sooner or later my husband is writing extra for the Blink collection.
I’m most enthusiastic about Benny the Barnacle as he has at all times stayed in my coronary heart. And now he’ll be coming to streaming stations.
And eventually, I additionally created and hosted the 2022 Christian Ani Awards to assist in giving publicity to the sector of Christian animation in January.
Comply with Kristien Collier:
Instagram:
Collier Animation Studio (@collieranimationstudio) • Instagram photos and videos
Twitter:
Collier Animation Studio (@CollierCartoons) / Twitter
YouTube:
Collier Animation Studio – YouTube
Fb:
Collier Animation Studio | Grand Haven MI | Facebook
LinkedIn:
(2) Collier Animation Studio: Company Page Admin | LinkedIn
