Panel Video

The multiplane animation was first introduced by Walt Disney who noticed when filming an animation that specific parts, such as the moon enlarged when zooming in. This is not good, as the moon does not actually enlarge in real life, in order to make the animations seem more realistic he made planes. One plane could get bigger while the other one stayed short, thus making animations more realistic and more better.

I made mine with five layers. Since this was my first time using more than one plane I admit that I made a multitude of mistakes, the min one being accidentally painting in the wrong layer. The animation part turned out better however. The part that I started with and my favorite part was doing the sky as it turned out the best layer and looked really cool in the end. I built up from there adding a back layer, a wall layer, a medium layer and a front layer. This is how it turned out.

Bob the Blob

Overview
These past few weeks in e-Com all us students have busied ourselves making a character and then teaching it how to walk. For my character I made a blob then gave it arms and legs, hence the name, 'Bob the Blob'. First we drew our characters out before snapping photos of them and inserting those into Photoshop. After editing each of the photos we then pt them all into Adobe After Effects where we animated a walk for our characters.

What We Learned
For this project we learned quite a bit, starting in Photoshop where we had too use the Dodge and Burn tool for shading and learned how to take out character from a photo to something more animated by adding color and re-lining all the edges. After putting into After Effects we learned how to animate the movements of the legs, basically adding rotation and potion to them in order to made it look like it's walking.

What Went Well, What Could've Improved
I think the walking cycle and my editing of the character went along very well and if I had to change anything it would be that of the grass because of how bland it looks compared to the rest to the animation.

FINAL PRODUCT:

InchBandaid

Overview
You may ask yourself, 'What is an inchbandaid?', and I'll tell you it's an inchworm that looks like a bandaid. This last week in e-Com we were to create an inchworm in Photoshop, transfer it to Adobe After Effects, there we would learn how to use the 'Pin' tool to make it move.
It was easy to accomplish making an inchworm in Photoshop and I admit that it took me some tie to get used to using it like a puppet in Adobe After Effects. At first it took me a while to understand how to move it correctly and effectively but in the end this is the result:


What I Learned
First and foremost I learned how to turn a normal looking inchworm into a bandaid. Second I learned how to use the 'Pin' tool in After Effects to make it move. we were to put 6 pins on the worm in total then as the video went on we would move the points that controlled to worm to make it look like it was inching across the screen.

How it Went
Overall, I think my project went really well. The worm inched across the screen and left, all while looking like a bandaid. If I was to do this again I would definitely try to improve the worm in looks but there than that it all went well, except for the few times in the animation that the worm overlapped itself.

Bouncing Ball animation

The Project 

This is the new bouncing ball animation, much like the one done originally last year. Overall we created a scene and ball in Photoshop then brought it to life in After Effects. Going through Photoshop was easy, creating three separate layers, one for the ground the sky and the last one for the ball. After adding highlighting to it we the transferred it to After Effects. In there we added animations to the ball, basically making it move across the screen and putting squash and stretch along with rotating it along the way.

What I Learned 

Before this project I had never really used After effects so through the duration of this project I learned a lot about how to use it correctly and easily. I learned how to use tools, such as, the rotate tool, the move tool, and the anchor tool. Also I earned how to squash and stretch effectively to really make it look a bot more realistic here and there.

Next Time

If the occasion ever cam where I would do this project again I would use squash and stretch more effectively and add more rotation onto the ball. Maybe add n a sun and make the clouds move as well in the background. Also, maybe I'd make the balls bouncing pattern more unique.

Using Photoshop

     Another school year, another blog post. At the start of this years graphic branch in e-Com we started with Photoshop. I, myself, have never had the occasion use it before and I actually had a lot of fun going through the tutorials that were given for us. The concept was simple. We'd follow along on a video on our own in photoshop. So far with the tutorials given to us, this is some of what I have accomplished:

      Now, in some of the photos you provably don't see whats so 'Photoshop' about it. Starting with the black and white photo of the younger boy, originally his face was covered in mud and dirt. Using the 'Spot Healing Brush' and some masks here and there I was able to eliminate most of the original stains that were there. 

     Then, the one right under it of the lady with her navy jacket on. In the photo that we were given, there  was a tag hanging out right where you can see her left arm touching her jacket. But where, you may ask, has this tag gone? Using the 'Clone Stamp' and the 'Healing Brush' all evidence that the tag was even there is now gone. 

     Last but not least we have the lady on the top with her blue dress and purse. In the photo given you could see to the left of her the spot light stand which, was not wanted at all. Using the tool known as 'Content Aware Fill', it was easily taken off from the photo. 

Skills

    My personal favorite tool to use out through the whole process was actually the 'Healing Brush' tools. Spot healing brush was used to get rid of stains and unwanted bits and pieces here and there, while the regular healing brush was able to help erase evidence that a much more obvious object ever existed. I know it will be incredibly helpful in the future because you never know when an unwanted object or spot might sneak its way into your photograph.

Strengths and Weaknesses

     Probably my biggest strength was being able to get through all of the tutorials given to us easily and quickly. But my weakness lies in the quickly part. I'm sure I might have skipped over something while trying to complete the project. While all of my final products turned out rather well I admit maybe in one or two if you look close enough you might find something off.

What could've been done differently

     For starters I definitely could've taken my time more and made sure to review everything that I had done. Other than that all I can think of is double checking that my final product looked like the final product in the tutorial as well. 

What I'd do the same

     Everything else most likely. Following along with the video rather than stopping it then working and also using the tools in the exact manners as shown in the videos is what I would keep the same if I was ever to this all over again. 

Final thoughts 

     Learning how to use Photoshop has been a fun and long experience that isn't over just yet. I'm looking forward to what I'll be using photoshop to do in the future and I really like how all my products came out in the end. Here are the rest of the examples that I'd created throughout the following week:

Animation's Importance

     As a kid, most of us grew up with some sort of T.V. in the living room or kitchen where we would always watch cartoons while snacking or having dinner or maybe not eating anything. These cartoons are a form of animation. Animation is a huge influence on us since we've been seeing it almost for our entire lives. 

     The original animation was the magic box (1650) that would display images in a fashion to make them look like a character was doing an action. From there is started to grow into longer animations telling short stories with crude pictures. Eventually those curse pictures turned into vibrant colors, much better designed and much longer. Eventually going to 3-D and lasting hours long.

     Animation has almost lasted 400 years and is still growing and getting better every day.  In the link at the end, it talks all about how animation has evolved from the magic box to Walt Disney on the big screens.



Link

4th Quarter Reflection

       In the 4th Quarter of e-Communication we did a project that required collaboration and a team effort to do. We were to make a product and present it to the class. It took the entire quarter and needless to say I wish my team had more time to work. I was paired up with, personality wise, people who were the complete opposite of me. We did not get along well at first and I considered multiple times asking for a new group or, if possible, to do the project by myself. However that proved not to be the case and as time went by we figured out how to work well as a team. I learned it's good to give people second chances and that patience comes in handy in situations when you think you can't get along with the people around you. This project helped me understand the importance of collaboration in e-Communication. Surely, by myself, I wouldn't have been able to get so much work done.

      When working on the project my team never much asked for help or feedback unless it from a teacher. Thus, during the making of the project we kept what work we had done at first, it was rare for us to make any changes. One of the changes that we actually put in place was the video with the intermission part. But in my overall opinion of the work during 4th quarter was that I could've done better in many ways.  Specifically when it came to our animations and collaborating. Still, I think we did a pretty good job.

       During the time we had this 4th quarter I believe that my time was use effectively, spare a few moments when I got aught up in interesting conversation. I can't say the same for my teammates however. If there was I time where I finished early I would ask my teammate to review my work and tell me if there was anything I could've done better or that could be changed. Outside of class I'm on the Robotics Team, graphics. This came in handy during the Graphics part of the project when I was able to use a lot of different tools and skills that many of the other freshman did not know about. It was fun showing off to my teammates about all that I've learned from the Robotics Team.

       After one year of e-Communication I think I've learned a lot. I did not before know how to use any of the Adobe Programs, how to create an animation, or the rule of thirds. However, if I had to choose an area of strength it would most certainly be Graphic due to how much fun I consider it an all I've learned about it from Robotics. If I had to choose an area of weakness it would be Video because it requires collaboration with whoever you're videoing or it would require me to be in from of a  camera. Both of which I'm not fond of. During the 4th quarter I tried to do my best when it came to filming and collaborating with my fellow teammates about what we wanted to do. 

       In this last semester of e-Com if I was to choose a favorite part, it would be the days I called Mr. Cooper out on being sassy so that he'd eventually owe the whole class donuts. Perhaps it would be whenever I finished feeling and had the nice feeling of accomplishment or maybe even watching other people's video's to see how they interpreted what we learned that semester. Doing the Website had been fun too. If I got to turn back the clock, I'd have been a little more willing to cooperate with my teammates when it came to the final project. 

      

       I learned more about video in this semester than I have in my entire life with the rule of thirds, the 180 rule and all the different camera angles. Besides that I learned about the importance of collaboration when it came to doing important projects such as the final. For next year one of my main goals will to collaborate effectively, put my skills to good use whether I'm working by myself or with someone else and not to have any late assignments. Ever. I believe that this year of e-Communication is the best of many to come. I'm excited for what awaits me in this class as a tenth grader.