Sand Animation

Sand Animation 

We had an introduction with the art animator Caroline leaf who lectured about the creation on sand animation. The Lecture started demonstrating and showcasing examples of two short sand animated films of her work on screen. Which depicted a different style animation, which she experimented with the use of sand materials.  

After watching Caroline leaf’s animation we were then told to collaborate into groups of three and arranged our ideas into a narrative.  

Before we arranged our ideas, we were required to research the artist David Hockney. Then examine and choose examples of his artwork and then use them to them to tell a narrative story. Along with it we had to use a storyboard sheet. 

The fairy tale artworks that we decided to interpret and focus on, based on Hockney’s etchings were the prince (Rapunzel let her hair down), the princess, the haunted castle, and the stone (The Sexton Disguised as a Ghost Stood Still as Stone)

We had to plan and think about our ideas for the plot and what it will be about and then decide whether it will be a happy or sad story. The inclusion of characters we wanted to focus on was the devil, the prince and princess. 

The process was to use sand material made from lit glass to draw our animation 

By scattering and applying all the sand on the light box. Then just simply using our hands and fingers to motivate, we drew the outline of the sand characters and settings. We made use of dragon frame programme, which was useful for capturing the imagery and motions. We frequently took two shots on each frame to the next, and then adjusted the speed to a certain point. 

The lightbox was useful to help us with forming a character and then morphing it slowly and smoothly. Morphing was the technique that we frequently made use of when we were transforming the tone of our character from one image to another resulting into an entirely different outcome. We practiced the same techniques with our hands slowly and repetitively. 

I’ve have enjoyed experimenting with sand lit glass material. I enjoyed collaborating in a group working and planning our ideas.

I really like how the sand animation stood out.