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Gestures make animated characters more interesting and believable. Veteran Pixar animator Andrew Gordon shows how to use reference material and simple animation principles to create more expressive gestures.
What makes a great animated character? One key component is gesture. Gestures are how we express ideas or feelings through the body; creating natural gestures makes our characters feel believable. Directing animator Andrew Gordon, currently at Pixar, walks us through the principles of gesture in animation, from hand and facial gestures to whole body poses. He shows how to incorporate reference material, add physicality, and avoid clichés. In chapter 2, he'll help you add polish to your animated scenes, making the poses cleaner and maximizing the character's interaction with their environment. Plus, take two challenges to practice your acting and observation skills. This course is software-neutral and features reference footage of actors and examples from well-known films, as well as clips created just for the class.
Topics include:
- What are gestures?
- Cliché and illustrative gestures
- Using reference for gestures
- Gesturing with other body parts
- Polish of gestures
- Facial gestures
