Rena’s magic world

HMI stands for Hydrargyrum medium-arc iodide. So, we often call it HMI light. HMI lights are a metal-halide gas discharge medium arc-length lamp. HMI lamps are capable of between 85 and 108 lumens per watt, up to four times that of conventional incandescent lamps. They’re able to produce that high of output because of a chemical reaction between mercury and electricity in the bulb. 

HMI bulbs can emit a 6000K color temperature light to match sunlight.

But how to use it ?

When a high output is required, we will use HMI lights. They are also used to recreate sun shining through windows (in above image) or to fake additional sun while shooting exteriors. HMIs can light huge areas at once. 

• Advantages of HMI lights 
• High light output
• Higher efficiency 
• High color temperature
• Disadvantages of HMI lights:
• High cost
• High power requirement
• Dims only to about 50%the color temperature increases with dimming
• HMI bulbs will explode is dropped and release toxic chemicals 

VANS Journey 50th Anniversary 

It is really awesome work. It shows vans changing in these 50 years. The ads combine two types of animation, hand-drawing and stop motion. I think it is a really stylish and creative ad.

There are more amazing examples of animation ads.

• #1 Rhombus Network – Yum Yum Videos
• #2 ESPM – LeCube
• #3 Microsoft Cloud – Microsoft Internal
• #4 A Car Wish – Demo Duck
• #5 Square Dashboard – Thinkmojo

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It is the first time for me to use toonboom to finish LIAF. Toon boom is a really functional software in the animation industry. There are several types to make animation such as hand-drawing, default, animation, and so on. The camera is a really useful tool in Toon boom. It is easier to make the camera moving than using photoshop or other software. Otherwise, coloring is not very convenient, but maybe I’m not skilled.

What are Tungsten lights?

Tungsten or Tungsten Halogen lights are incandescent filament bulbs which are common in homes and offices but have been being slowly replaced with longer lasting, more reliable bulbs. What sets these bulbs apart is that they take advantage of what is known as the “halogen cycle.” Each bulb has pressurized halogen gas within them. That gas helps redeposit evaporated tungsten metal back onto the filament to shine brightly. Tungsten lamps operate at a high temperature, and thus have a higher color temperature and are more luminous.

Tungsten bulbs are often used to mimic daylight because they produce a warm light (in the upper image). They usually have open-faced light fixtures or Fresnel. They can go up to 200kW and usually have a dimmer switch to help you control direct light. They produce a continuous spectrum of light from near-ultraviolet to infrared, producing near-perfect color rendition.

If you want to change the color temperature, you need to use gels. 

Advantages of Tungsten Lights

• Almost perfect color rendition
• Low cost
• Does not use mercury like CFLs (fluorescent) or mercury vapor lights
• Better color temperature than standard tungsten
• Longer life than a conventional incandescent
• Instant on to full brightness, no warm-up time, and it is dimmable 

Disadvantages of Tungsten Lights

• Extremely hot
• High power requirement
• The lamp is sensitive to oils and cannot be touched
• The bulb is capable of blowing and sending hot glass shards outward. A screen or layer of glass on the outside of the lamp can protect users.

clay painting

Clay painting is a kind of stop motion animation which grew out of clay animation. In clay animation, filmmakers focus audience’s attention on the surface of the clay, instead of creating three-dimensional puppets.

Joan Gratz is one of the pioneers in using these techniques. She worked in Will Vinton’s studio early in her career. Similar to paint on glass, clay painting allows for incredible color undulations and enables interesting metamorphoses between images. 

In Gratz’s Academy Award-winning film, she took the audience through the history of art by Mona Lisa Descending a Staircase.

What is experimental animation? Experimental animation is a form of animation in which motion image have their own rhythm and movement where it has no narration or a specific structure in animated films. It is considered to be subjective and non-linear that deals with philosophic and spiritual concerns that the artists and film-makers convey (From WIKIPEDIA). Filmmakers have experimented with how and what to animate, from slices of wax to drawing directly on strips of film to the more traditional forms that we see in commercial animation.

Painting, pinning, sculpting, and sanding are four experimental animation techniques.

Painting on glass

Oskar Fischinger is one of the earliest pioneers of paint on glass, who began his first film experiments in the 1920s. He was interested in the concept of visual music so that in 1940 he contributed a sequence to Fantasia which is produced by Walt Disney

The Old Man and the Sea (1999) which is directed by Aleksandr Petrov is probably the most renowned paint on glass film. It was completed by 29000 panes of glass for 2 years.

pinscreen animation

In the 1930s, Alexandre Alexeieff and Claire Parker created this technique at the NFB. Pinscreen animation consists of a large, side-lit pinboard. Animators push the pins forward or backward, creating monochromatic images that ripple across the surface.

The pinscreen technique can produce quite poetic effects, as it lends itself to subtle gradations and mysterious tones.

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One of the most important aspects of any set in animation is the fact that it should work as a stage for the characters and story, as well as any action that takes place within it. Animators set design should be no different: it should first and foremost be designed for the camera and story.

As a visual development artist, a large part of the job is being able to visualize what the film could look like aesthetically, using techniques such as lighting, texture, and stylization to get that vision across.

When you begin to design a scene, you need a simple story first. The simple story can provide enough context to get going on a set.

Recently, in the animation industry, many artists try to mix illustration and real shooting. Combining two different kinds of techniques can make an amazing visual effect.

I think it is similar to collage or composite images. This style now can be used everywhere such as advertisements, illustrations, animation, or film. This is because this combination makes a scene more creative and attractive.

ultra-light clay

The features of ultra-light clay are easy painting, shaping, and environmental-friendly. It is very popular in Japan. It can mix colors. For example, if you need purple clay, you can mix blue and red clay. It is easy to operate. All works can be naturally air-drying without baking. It is suitable for making puppets, ornaments, simulated flowers.

stone clay

Stone clay is different from ultra-light clay. When it becomes dry, it is heavier than ultra-light clay. While, if you add into the water, the clay can be soft and flexible. It also can be a fixed shape for naturally air-drying without baking. It is suitable for making backgrounds in stop-motion animation.