106213 - ARTISTIC EXPRESSION AND 2D ANIMATION

Subject type: Basic

Coordinator: Juan José Pons López

Trimester: First term

Credits: 6

Academic year: 2025

Teaching course: 2

• Catalan
• Spanish

Els materials podran proporcionar-se tant en castellà, en català com en anglès.

2D animation currently has multiple applications in various fields such as film, television, Internet, video games, advertising, education ... Knowing and implementing the basic principles of animation will provide greater quality, spontaneity and expressiveness in our work, whether this is a final product of 2D animation or a preparatory phase of other digital techniques, such as 3D animation, motion graphics or video games.

The subject Artistic expression and 2D animation aims for the student to acquire the necessary skills to conceptualize, design and develop 2D animation pieces for video games. Throughout the course, artistic drawing concepts will also be studied and applied to enable the student to use freehand drawing as a medium to develop 2D animation pieces. Key works and authors will be analyzed to understand the evolution of both 2D animation and 2D video games. The basic processes and procedures required for the production of 2D animation will also be studied and applied, applying the fundamentals and strategies of video games.

Artistic expression and 2D animation is part of the subject of Artistic Creation and is related to the subjects ofIntroduction to artistic expression, graphic design and 3D animation. The subject Artistic expression and 2D animation, in dealing with the production of graphic elements to be animated - defined in the design phase - and integrated into the development phase of the game, is also related to the subject of Design and creation of video games and the matter of Development.

For the correct functioning of the subject as well as its correct continuous evaluation, You need to obtain certain materials for class:

• The computer with the programs: Photoshop, Illustrator and Unity
• sketch pad Brand proposal: Guarro. Size A4.
• Drawing materials: eraser, pencil, several pens of different colors, pencils of different hardnesses (from H2 to B9). If you do not need all the degrees of hardness, at least the following will be required: H2, HB, B2 and B8 and blue and red drawing pencils.
• Graphite.
• It is possible that additional material or software may be specified during the course.

Information regarding the classroom:

The classroom (physical or virtual) is a safe space, free of sexist, racist, homophobic, transphobic and discriminatory attitudes, either towards students or teachers. We trust that together we can create a safe space where we can make mistakes and learn without having to suffer the prejudices of others.

1. 2D animation. Definition and state-of-the-art

1.1. History and main milestones of 2D animation.

1.2. Animation techniques. Areas of application. Phases of production. Tools and equipment

1.3. Studies, artists, references and sources of documentation.

1.4. Animation in video games.

1.5. Arts in video games.

2. Principles of animation

2.1. Laws of motion.

2.2. 12 Principles of animation.

2.3. Expression of weight and speed. Balance and line of action.

2.4. Timing, spacing & flexibility.

2.5. Keyposes/extreme, breakdown, Inbetween.

2.6. Motion analysis. Realistic animation and convincing animation.

2.7. Bipedal characters. Walk, run, fast run, jump, attack.

3. Creativity and character design

3.1. Sources of inspiration.

3.2. Character design and construction.

3.3. Model sheets. (Creativity, comparative, constructive, turn around, expressiveness, color, props...).

3.4. Cut-out & rigging.

4. Tools and procedures in Unity

4.1. Application of the environment and character. 

4.2. 2D Animation: Skinning, rigging and SpriteShape.

4.3. audio Ambient music and sound defects.

4.4. Effects, lights and particles. 

4.5. chamber

4.6. Export animation and scene.

The subject is assessed based oncontinuous evaluation. 

The practices of the subject involve a continuous assessment that corresponds to a total of 70% of the final grade. The remaining 30% corresponds to the final exam. The practices are divided according to the following criteria:

A1. Exercise in class and at home: sketch book 20%

A2. Laboratory practice - Individual: Character animation 15%

A3. Laboratory practice - Couples: Game animation reel 35%

A4. Final exam 30%

Final note = A1 0.2 + A2 0.15 + A3 0.35 + A4 0.3 

Rules for carrying out practical activities:

At each activity, you will be informed of the regulations to be followed, and of the particular conditions that govern them. Completing the internship is mandatory. Punctuality and rigor in the delivery of the different activities will be assessed as follows:

• Formats other than those required will not be accepted.
• Late work will not be accepted.
• Assignments not submitted through the subject campus will not be accepted.

- Any of these three incidents will automatically affect the qualification. NOT SUBMITTED, (that is, accounting 0 with respect to the final qualification of the sum of the different activities). If any of the practice or follow-up activities are not carried out, it will be considered NOT PRESENTED.

- The assessable activities A1, A2 and A3 will have a part of creativity that must be approved in order to be eligible to pass the calculation of the exercise. If this part is suspended, only the creative part will be evaluated and counted.

- You must obtain a grade higher than 5 in activity A1 to pass the subject.

Final exam considerations:

• To access the exam it is mandatory to have passed the overall calculation of the activities.
• It is necessary to obtain a mark higher than 5 in the final exam to pass the subject.

Considerations for recovery.

• It is necessary to obtain a mark superior to 5 in the final exam of recovery to pass the asignatura.
• The mark of the resit exam will be applied only to the mark of the A4 activity.
• In case of suspension of the A1 activity, it can be re-delivered in a call for recovery with the possibility of obtaining a maximum grade of 5.
• Regardless of the grade obtained in the retake exam, the final grade for the subject may not exceed 5.

Other considerations: 

• An activity not delivered or delivered late and without justification (court summons or medical matter) counts as a 0.
• It is the student's responsibility to avoid plagiarism in all its forms. In the case of detecting plagiarism, regardless of its extent, in some activity it will correspond to having a grade of 0. In addition, the professor will communicate the situation to the Department Management so that applicable measures can be taken in terms of disciplinary regime.
• Any form of academic fraud will be sanctioned in accordance with the center's assessment regulations. If signs of fraud are detected, including the improper use of generative artificial intelligence tools, the subject's teaching staff may call the student for an individual interview with the aim of verifying their authorship.

Cavalier, S. (2011). The World History of Animation. Los Angeles: University of California Press

Johnston, O .; Thomas, F (1997). Disney Animation: The Illusion of Life. New York: Hyperion.

Williams, Richard (2012). The Animator's Survival Kit: a manual of methods, principles and formulas for classical, computer, games, stop motion and internet animators. London: Faber and Faber.

Bancroft, Tom (2012). Character Mentor New York: Focal Press.

Halas, John; Whitaker, Harold; Sito, Tom (2009). Timing for animation. New York: Focal Press.

Mattesi, Mike (2006). Force: Dynamic Life Drawing for Animators (Force Drawing Series) 2º Ed. New York: Focal Press.

Muybridge, Eadweard (2000). Animals in motion. New York: Dover Publications.

Muybridge, Eadweard (2000). Human figure in motion. New York: Dover Publications.

Webster, C. (2012). Action Analysis for Animators. New York: Focal Press

White, Tony (1988). The Animator's Workbook. Step-By-Step Techniques of Drawn Animation. New York: Billboard Books (Watson-Guptill)