2. Introduction to Character Design
Character design is a form used to help standardize the appearance, poses, and
gestures of a character. It is required when a large group of artists are involved in
the production of an animated film or computer game to help maintain continuity
in characters.
Character Design is one of the first steps of any new Animation production and
designers will create a extensive study of drawings and sketches of a character to
display that character’s appearance and qualities they may possess and to
familiarize what that character looks like
from different angles to help in later
stages of production. Just by looking at a
character, a lot can be learnt about what
their personality is or how they might act,
and character designers need to be able to
embody these qualities into their designs
so that they are memorable.
3. Shingo Araki
Introduction
Shingo Araki was a Japanese animator
and character designer. At the age of
five, he developed an interest in art, then
later launched his own comic in a
magazine when he was eighteen. He
Graduated in Aichi Prefecture in Japan.
He joined Mushi Production as an animator in 1965, and a year later he
founded Studio Jaguar in 1966. He then debuted as an animation director
for some of Mushi Production's animation series. In 1973 he also became a
character designer. Araki became an important figure in Toei Animation's
anime series in the 1970s. In 1988, he was also an animator on several
American productions. Shingo Araki died at the age of 72 on December
1, 2011 in Itabashi, Tokyo, Japan.
4. Career
Company: Mushi Productions
Years Active: 1965 – 1972
Location: Fujimidai, Tokyo
Roles:
Animator
Animator Director
Company: Toei Animation Co. Ltd
Years Active: 1972 - 2011
Location: Nerima, Tokyo
Roles:
Character Design
Design Supervisor
Animator
Animator Director
5. Shingo has worked on numerous anime television series; the two that he
is known for are Saint Seiya and Lupin III. He has done plenty of
character designs for other anime shows as well, including “Gegege no
Kitaro” and “Kindaichi Case Files”, which are among the most well
known anime in Japan.
Saint Saiya (1986) Lupin III (1984)
Character Design
Animation Director
Design Supervisor
Animation Director
7. Introduction to Storyboarding
Storyboarding is the process of taking initial ideas for a story and illustrating them in a
sequence so that the plot can be read clearly and prepared for the next step in
production. The process in the form we know today was developed by Disney in the
1930’s, and now storyboarding is an essential process taken by all animation
productions.
Storyboards should provide all the information an animation production team needs to
know about the shots they are working on, from what characters and locations that are
involved to the camera angles and movements that take place.
These images show a storyboard being presented in a conference meeting to
discuss any changes to be made before moving to the next production stage.
8. Jeff Stewart
Introduction
Jeff Stewart is an American Storyboard Artist and
Voice Over Artist who has worked in the Animation
Industry and has accumulated over 15 years of
experience working among high profile companies
such as Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network.
He studied at the SUNY Albany Animation Institute in New York.
Although mainly regarded as a Storyboard Artist and Voice Over
Artist, Jeff has also taken the roles of Storyboard Revisionist, Storyboard
Clean-Up and Assistant Director. Jeff currently lives and works at Palm
Springs, Los Angeles in California.
9. Career
Company: JAZZBO Productions
Years Active: 1995 – 2000
Location: Burbank, California
Roles:
CD Creation and Development
for clients including
Disney, Hasbro, Mattel, TONKA
Company: Nickelodeon
Years Active: 2000 – 2001
Location: Burbank, California
Roles:
Storyboard Artist
Company: FOX Television Animation
Years Active: 1998 – 2009
Location: Los Angeles, California
Roles:
Storyboard Artist (1998 – 2009),
Assistant Director (2003 – 2009)
Company: Cartoon Network
Years Active: 2008 – 2010
Location: Burbank, California
Roles:
Voice Over Artist
10. Jeff has worked on the storylines for several animated TV
series cartoons; the two most numerous being King Of The
Hill and Family Guy.
King Of The Hill Family Guy
Storyboard Artist (11 episodes)
Character Layout Artist (9 episodes)
Assistant Director (11 episodes)
Storyboard Artist (14 episodes)
Storyboard Clean Up (8 episodes)
Storyboard Revisionist (3 episodes)
11. The Making of Family Guy Video
This short video describes some of the processes involved in
creating an Episode of the Animated Series Family Guy
