Thumbnails for Beauty...

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thumbnails...

 

 My last post dealt with Beauty and the Beast and before I leave that feature, I'll share a few more thumbnail drawings.

 

 Looking through my piles of 'stuff' in boxes out in the garage, I came across more thumbnail drawings from Beauty...drawings that visually help get the point across as to how important thumb nailing is in the planning out of a scene. 

 

 

I usually execute these small drawings on a 8 1/2x11 paper, using pen or pencil. These little drawings helped me work out the action (below) on the boys in the tavern lifting Gaston and chair. Even rough timing  is evidence by the numbers  under the drawings.

I get to see in miniature approximately what the scene will look like and if it is pleasing to the eye.

 

More thumbnails (below) take the action and other characters into the mix. I work out the steps of each character in this format, later to be transferred to rough animation.

Gaston (below) delivering dialogue. This gives me a chance to figure out mouth shapes and the action that will take place as he throws his beer mugs.






Gaston (below) on the roof walking over to pull off a piece of the building he can use as a weapon against the Beast. These small drawings give me a look at poses and approximate timing.

 

 The choreography of Gaston and the Beast fighting (below) was worked out prior to any animating. Closer fielding and the rain effects were used to increase the drama, but you still have to have the characters grounded for believability and thumb nailing provided that.

 Thumbnailing for me is an offshoot of my quick sketching. The silhouette value, balance, proportion, perspective, recognizable (who is it), conveying an action or emotion are what I'm after when I quick sketch. Theses same values should be reflected in thumbs.