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 Friday, May 1st.

Assigned: April 30th, 2026
Due Date: May 1st, 2026

Objective:

•  I can use Adobe Animate to produce a complete HTML5 animation that tells a story featuring Pac-Man.

Links:

• Pac-Man Intermissions (YouTube)

• Pac-Man Intermission Music

Topics Discussed:

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

Assignment:

• First, create a new FullHD HTML5 animation document running at 30fps.
• Use File -> Import -> Import to Stage or the “Pin Library” techniques demonstrated in class to move the “Pac-Man” graphic symbol, and any other symbols that you wish to use in your animation to your new document.
• Using the Adobe Animate CC techniques studied in class, your task is to design an HTML5 animation using motion  tweens and embedded animation to have Pac-Man “wocka” as he moves onto the stage, performs some action, then leaves the stage. Take a look at the Pac-Man Intermissions YouTube video above for inspiration!
• Your animation must be a minimum of 8 seconds long, without titles. (That’s at least 240 frames at 30fps!)
• Your animation should have a basic story that should be obvious to the viewer.
  • What kind of story can you tell with Pac-Man?
  • What other characters will you need to add to tell your story?
  • Will you need to use text or word bubbles to create dialogue?
  • Remember that Pac-Man must enter the stage, perform his action, then leave the stage.
  • Depending on the story you want to tell, 8 seconds may not be enough!
• Your animation should have at least one original background. You may use a background that you produced on your own, or you may use an original photograph (one you took on your own). You may not use any photographs downloaded from the internet. Alternately, you may draw your own background in Illustrator, Animate, or Photoshop.
• Your animation should have an audio soundtrack. I will provide music clips to use, but you may import music that you have available as long as you use less than 8 seconds of music. You may create sounds using Garageband if you have experience with this software.
• You may only use images and text that you have created yourself. This includes artwork, photographs and animations. You may, however, use downloaded audio under fair use guidelines if the clip you place is shorter than 8 seconds. Anything else that you did not create yourself may not be used.
• When your animation is complete, save it as “YOUR NAME – Final Animation.fla”.
• Turn the finished .fla Animation file  to the Google Classroom “Final Animation” assignment post by end of day on Thursday, April 23rd.
• All completed movies will be viewed at an in-class film presentation on Monday, April 27th.
• You must have an 8-second movie to present by end of day on Thursday, April 23rd, bearing in mind that Friday the 24th is an I-Day and Monday is when we will be watching the finished products together.

Do your best, and good luck!

Assigned: April 16th, 2026
Due Date: April 23rd, 2026