CraftyHomeschool Posted April 20, 2013 Share Posted April 20, 2013 I have a 4th grader who would like to start doing some animation on the computer next year (5th grade). Does he need to start with a basic art program or would he be able to start on the computer? I need something that is visual (maybe videos) and not so much reading (not a strong point for him). I would like an actual curriculum (vs just letting him "play" with a program). I know nothing about art or computer animation so I will be of little/no help to him so an independent type program may work well. I would ideally like to find something that he could either watch a video or I give him a short lesson from a book and then he could do that "assignment". Kind of a watch and do program that will take him from the basics forward. Any recommendations? Does a program like that even exist :huh: ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcadia Posted April 20, 2013 Share Posted April 20, 2013 There are good suggestions on this thread http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/444022-movie-editing-software-claymation-etc/ Is your son thinking of computer animation as in like the Disney cartoon animators or computer animations like claymation? For cartoon animations, it would be easier to start with an art program but not compulsory.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raceNzanesmom Posted April 20, 2013 Share Posted April 20, 2013 Our ds started with Alice. He also worked on advancing his drawing skills and learning advanced levels of Photoshop, movie editing software, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CraftyHomeschool Posted April 20, 2013 Author Share Posted April 20, 2013 He was watching "Word Girl" when he started talking to me about it so I'm thinking more cartoon type animation. We bought an ipad stop motion program and he made about a dozen Lego movies but got discouraged because it was so hard to get the pictures right (holding the ipad still) and he kept moving the figures too fast and so it wasn't smooth. Alice looks interesting :thumbup1: . I'm good with computers but not this kind of thing. That's why I am wanting an actual curriculum, it's the blind leading the blind :confused1: . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcadia Posted April 20, 2013 Share Posted April 20, 2013 Cartoon animation instruction http://animationresources.org/?p=2091 There are more resources on that website. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDG Posted April 20, 2013 Share Posted April 20, 2013 My son is into stop motion animation. He built a frame out of legos to hold the phone still while he sets up the shot. He also uses blue tack to hold pieces in place (guys going down a slide, for example). He also programs with Scratch, and does some animation on that. We have the wii Udraw pad, but it hasn't really clicked with him. We live in NYC, so he does an afterschool program in stop motion animation at the Children's Museum of the Arts. They have week long summer programs in animation, as does Robofun, if a week in NYC in the summer is feasible for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
junepep Posted April 20, 2013 Share Posted April 20, 2013 Just in case it's not cartoon animation, but animation that's more on the Pixar (or video game) level, he might find this modeling program more useful: http://pixologic.com/sculptris/ It's free and there are lots of videos on youtube to help them figure out how to use it (just avoid the human body modelling ones if you're sensitive about nudity). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CraftyHomeschool Posted April 20, 2013 Author Share Posted April 20, 2013 You guys are awesome! That at least gives us a starting point. Thank you! JDG, I wish we could do that, it sounds amazing! Unfortunately we live in Idaho and it's not feasible for us right now :sad: . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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