Design and animation are two different disciplines
The most important element in any animated film is story and, as they say, story is king. The goal of a story is to take the audience on a journey through the lives and experiences of the characters within. Whether that journey is cerebral, emotional, or physical, the characters in that world should give the audience a point of view that is unique and compelling.
As a designer, your role within a production is as an aesthetic problem solver who is there to support the story. As a 3D artist/animator, your role is to solve problems, but comes after the design process.
Design and animation are two different disciplines that problem solve in two different ways, yet each has the same goal. What if we combined these disciplines into a single role that uses design to influence animation throughout the entire 3D process? This post is about that very thing. For those who are open minded about learning a valuable skill like design, this post will not only improve your animation work, but will improve your worth as a 3D artist.
Production design for 3D animation is the process of using traditional drawing techniques to create characters, props, environments, color, lighting, compositions, and storyboards. Each design detail needs to be laid out and problem solved long before any animation is produced.
The designer’s job is to address all of the aesthetic challenges of the project and design solutions to those challenges.
For example, the response to the aesthetic challenges of Batman Begins is in the form of dark visual themes like the deep moody lighting of Gotham City, the dynamic steep camera angles, and the mysterious-looking off-road industrial battle tank called the Batmobile.
A designer is there to solve the aesthetic pieces of the project, to see what fits and what doesn’t, and then offer at least one solution, if not a variety, to those problems.
A 3D artist or animator who acquires the skill of design brings more value to a production through his or her ability to problem solve intellectual and abstract concepts by using design as a guide. For example, a designer/animator not only controls the look of the Batmobile, but is also able to highlight the characteristics that make it a great design through the way it animates and functions within each scene.
As a 3D artist, you should be in tune with what design is, how it functions, and how it can benefit your work. It’s not something that just traditional artists can do; it’s something everyone can do. Animation studios thirst for 3D professionals who have a traditional design background, so why not expand your skill set, enhance your work, and improve your professional worth.