Objective:

• Using my knowledge of design and color, and the skills I acquired in Illustrator, I can produce a character “model sheet” representing how my character looks from the front.

Topics Discussed:

• For a complete list of Topics Discussed, please see the previous lessons.

Assignment:

• Now that you’ve brainstormed your character and determined his/her/its key character traits, you will finalize the visual design of the character.
• Create a single landscape Illustrator artboard, and set the profile to Web.
• Using the answers to the questions that you wrote for your character, write a character analysis paragraph. Use the Area Type tool to collect the sentences into a single paragraph that introduces your character to the reader. Include this paragraph in one of the corners of the page.
• Next, using your rough sketch as a guide, begin drawing your character in Illustrator.
• Begin by drawing a front view of your character. Use simple shapes to draw the character’s arms, legs, body, head and any other elements of the character’s design (ears, tail, clothing, etc.).
• Draw the character with arms and legs spread out (this will aid you when we begin applying animations to this character at a later date.
• Place the full text of your character’s descriptive paragraph on the same page. Remember your principles of C.R.A.P. as you do this, and make it look neat and professional.
• Your finished model sheet with the front character view and descriptive paragraph are due at the end of class on Monday, April 28th.

Assigned: April 23rd, 2025
Due Date: April 28th, 2025

Objective:

I can brainstorm and sketch a character that I can draw in Illustrator and import into Animate to produce a short HTML5 animated sequence.

Topics Discussed:

• For a complete list of Topics Discussed, please see the previous lessons.

Assignment:

• Today, we are going to begin preparing for a more advanced animation project. You will develop your own original character that will be drawn in Illustrator, imported into Animate CC and converted to an armature that will be featured in an original short form animation.
• Brainstorm! Think of your favorite cartoon characters, and use sites like Cartoon Network or Hanna Barbera for inspiration. Think of cartoon characters you loved when you were little, and try to think of what was so special about them.
• Create a new Letter size (8.5 in x 11 in) Illustrator Web document, and use the text tools to answer the following questions about your character:
  – Who is this character?
  – What’s his/her/its name? What is he/she/it like? (Nice? Mean? Angry? Happy? Good? Bad? Somewhere in between?)
  – Where does he/she/it live?
  – What goals does this character have?
  – What is unique about this character? Does he/she/it have any quirky character traits? (i.e. talks funny, speaks only in rhyme, etc.)
  – Would you watch a cartoon starring this character? Why?
  
• Using this brainstorming document as a guide, sketch out your character on a piece of paper. Don’t worry if you don’t think you can draw, just do your best to get a visual concept of your character. Repeat: don’t go overboard on the artwork – these should just be concept sketches.
• Next week, we will be drawing these characters on another artboard in this Illustrator document, using the shape and color tools, with the intent of eventually taking these illustrations into Animate CC. What this means is that you should use simple shapes to make complex shapes, because these animate better – keep this in mind as you design your character!
• Remember: We will be animating these characters in Animate CC, so your character must have at least one head, a main body, two arms and two legs. (No animated blobs, worms or snakes!)
• Don’t steal! Your character should be completely original. You can use your favorite cartoon characters as inspiration, and borrow ideas and styles, but your character must be your own original creation! Don’t just turn in a sketch of “Purple Spongebob” or “Stewie Griffin with a mohawk”. Create something new!
• Your brainstorm document and concept art is due at end of class on Tuesday, April 22nd.

Assigned: April 18th, 2025
Due Date: April 22nd, 2025