A GREAT way to learn animation AND improve drawing skills

In this video, I talk about the usefulness of just copying frames from live action footage/reference for your animation/drawing studies.
00:00 OPENING
00:43 A great way to improve drawing and animation skills
01:55 Why study directly from live action footage
02:59 Set up and getting started
04:02 Live action studies STRAIGHT AHEAD STYLE
06:38 Things to consider during this practice
09:09 Types of references
10:22 Final thoughts AND STUDENT WORK!!
The Complete Introduction to 2D Animation
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[@TonikoPantoja]

Hey guys, for those saying this practice is rotoscoping, it isn't. I'm seeing quite a number of misinformed comments concluding this is rotoscoping. Rotoscoping is the practice of drawing OVER the footage - that can also lead to tracing the footage. While rotoscoping is a separate discussion worth having, this is not what I'm doing here. I would treat this like life drawing where you are training your eye and observation skills to translate from reference to your animation/drawing.

[@alchemyanimations3676]

I actually thought what I was doing was rotoscoping. I took videos (either on KZbin, or taken of myself and family/friends), took them apart frame by frame, and translated the movements of their bodies and clothing onto a completely different character. Some things in the animation were closer to the original reference than others, but I thought it was all included in the category of rotoscoping. I remember hearing somewhere that Disney did something like that for the original Snow White, where they filmed an actress in the dress, rotoscoped each frame, but then adjusted each frame again to make her slightly more cartoon like (slimmer waist, more rounded cheeks). But hey, I could be wrong. I've never had any formal training, I just like to mess around with animation and bring the ideas in my head to life.

[@animatrix1490]

Thank you! I had a friend of mine in college tell me Don Bluth just did rotoscoping for his human figures and I was like..."No??" They said that sticking too close to live action footage counted as rotoscoping, and I thought, "Isn't it named after the rotoscope? en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rotoscoping#/media/File:US_patent_1242674_figure_3.png Doesn't that mean that using/sticking close to reference and rotoscoping are NOT the same?????" You can clearly see the difference between like, Anastasia or Titan AE vs. the Ralph Bakshi animated Lord of the Rings or his Fire and Ice. They aren't the same!! Obviously there are some things that blur that line, but your animation practice here is not one of those instances. Seriously, thank you SO MUCH for saying this. Sorry that was kind of a long-pent-up rant; needed to get that off my chest. :P

[@tubaipal200]

Can u make a video on colour choiceing and composition? I will help for me.. I really poor in that topic..

[@pencilmonk]

This is very insightful, I have been practicing the film gesture studies and my draft manship and confidence improved drastically. However making studies from reference is usually too much of a trial and error for me, I would really appreciate it if you can share how you make timing and movement studies from reference.

[@kevin780313]

you are my art bible

[@knaveghost]

I think this is what I would do 1: find live action reference 2: sketch the frames really quick and feel how frames feel like Then improve from it I would give it a shot

[@pogz1]

its amazing how other people do things flawlessly yet mines not even i struggle endlessly.. even though.. ill continue pushing on no matter what.. even though my art really suck, all i need is a harsh and honest critique.. even though itll hurt.

[@hannobonanoart]

@@pogz1 No matter what, your art is unique and amazing in its own way don't ever forget that! Art is art! There is no bad art. I would love to talk to you about this because I would love to help you try and have a different outlook about it. Your art is beautiful. Trust me i have felt like this before.. You will truly start to improve once you learn to love your creations. Just keep trying at it, and as long as you do that you will improve! Keep motivated you've got this dude!! You are kicking ass for even trying and wanting to improve your art! Good for you! I really hope you well with your artist journey.

[@hannobonanoart]

@@pogz1 I have alot of art knowledge and I know the basics of animation I would love to watch your video and give you some feedback!

[@rockon8174]

Exagerrate and caricature. Not making it better. Just interpreting it.

[@rockon8174]

@@pogz1 even Glen Keane struggles. Part of the process

[@SeroCloud]

3:09 If youre in PC, you can also do this with videos using windows media player. 1. Pause the video. 2. Single frame forward, Ctrl+Click the Play/Pause button. 3. Sing frame backward, Ctrl+Shift+Click the Play/Pause button.

[@pogz1]

such a bummer. my art sucks so bad.😣, i wish someone would share their art knowledge and critique my art video. feels like my art will never improve even how hard i try.

[@hannobonanoart]

BLESS

[@hannobonanoart]

@@pogz1 animation?

[@neroshiki7575]

Is there any way to do this on KZbin mobile? Third party app maybe?

[@someguyonthenet2146]

@@Aprianex lol,, that would not be very accurate.. and finicky.

[@ModernDayJames]

Thanks for featuring my submission :D Everyone else go take Toniko's class and buy his gumroads

[@TonikoPantoja]

Your submission was awesome!!

[@saionjisan]

👏👏👏👏👏

[@wait_wtf]

I can't :'D

[@dicloniusN35]

no job = no money) no money = no class)

[@rockon8174]

Do these courses show how to make SAKUGA SCENES!!!???? 😗

[@dawne2780]

I love how this wasn’t title, “IMPROVE YOUR DRAWING IMMEDIATELY” or something stupid and click bate-y, and yet it was some of the best advice I’ve come across

[@Goryalight]

The matrix scene took many frames to make the slow-motion effect. Basically, Smooth = more frames Fast = Less frames

[@koffeekage]

I wanna do this now. Ima do The professional and mix it with A Christmas carol. “God bless us, everyone. Everyone? EVERRRYYYYONNNEEEEE!!!!”

[@yezzzsir]

lol!

[@GMisEpicYuh]

@@pogz1 i'd be happy to- as a fellow new animator

[@NAHELZA]

Oh wow it is very humbling to see moderndayjames as a student and not a teacher. Amazing advice there, so happy you released this right at the start of summer!!

[@TonikoPantoja]

We're all students of each other! I learn a lot from moderndayjames' videos!

[@kaheleon6657]

This looks like such a fun exercise! Can't wait to try this out over the summer

[@NAHELZA]

EXACT SAME!! that's my summer planned hehe

[@pogz1]

art is so difficult but even so i am really passionate about it. even though i work hard my work wont improve at all. can you critique my art video please. i need some insight

[@hubble648]

.

[@Byeolimation]

@@pogz1 I don’t know if you asked a specific person for this, but after seeing a little bit of your art I might have some pointers. Overall I see that you are trying to improve on construction and that’s great! What you need more work on is line quality and proportions. I’d suggest drawing from observation from photos or artists you like and build mileage! If you have the time, you could try filling a whole sketchbook in a month or two (mostly focusing on drawing from what you see instead of imagination). I did this one summer and it really helped me improve and draw with more confidence!

[@sophiedarnell467]

1 yr later: same here!! Learning animation stuff for the first time this year, now with summer and less doc appointments, I can finally have the chance o!

[@dragonskunkstudio7582]

I know how to animate, how to draw, how to write dialog, how to make appealing characters, yet I made an animation that was like watching paint dry. Where does one go to avoid doing that twice?

[@a.b.cooper4807]

What aspects of the animation made it boring to you?

[@dragonskunkstudio7582]

@@a.b.cooper4807 As far as I can tell, it depends too much on my sense of humor that doesn't seem to come across, pacing, it's like a mid episode instead of a pilot so I didn't explain enough about its universe. See for yourself and tell me, if you wish: kzbin.info/www/bejne/n6eolIOIZdtor9k

[@rainpooper7088]

I‘d say it’s because it’s 3D and because the characters are very stiff. While 2D animation can get away with holding the same pose with very little movement on occasion (Anime is a good example), 3D animation can absolutely not. 3D characters need to have the way they move checked way more closely because they will end up looking like dead-eyed puppets if they don’t move the way they should. I‘m guessing this is a practice thing too, so you should try and learn more about how to animate 3D characters in an engaging way and improve through practice. Also, the composition is off on some shots. Like when the three furries are talking at the bar, there’s just this empty third to the left. I know you left it so the barkeeper can come into the shot there, but the entire rest of the scene where the characters are just talking uses the same angle. There’s just a bunch of empty space there that throws off the composition and serves no purpose other than holding that barkeeper for a few seconds towards the end, and the barkeeper isn’t even important to the scene.

[@dragonskunkstudio7582]

@@rainpooper7088 Thanks for the feedback. It helps a great deal to get some constructive criticism. I will try again one more time. I had a good thing going with this 3D animation test where the character just talks but has an alive quality to it. kzbin.info/www/bejne/h5mYfHZpl6yXi8U

[@AyaSmith]

For me, it was the acting… which isn’t even your fault so, at least there’s that 😁💗

[@t.mendoza1396]

i thought of doing something like this but always felt like it was "cheating" by just re animating something already "alive." but realizing that practice without the creative aspect makes it easier to focus on the actual drawing and movement.

[@kenna.brooke]

same! its hard for me to visualize without reference lol but this has been helpful

[@cybercriminal3110]

It's cute how KZbin keeps recommending me this channel when I'm struggling to draw one picture for a few days lol.

[@pinkiepurplez]

Animating, the practice of making life within your art.

[@hannobonanoart]

Its so intimidating

[@mohithrai5696]

This is exactly what I was looking for... Praise the algorithm... Praise the maker of this video... My heart swells with gratitude to come find this, fortune has favored me and I shall do this exericise.

[@Foxdeceiver]

Hi I'm an animator with over a decade with experience in high end animation (popular toonboom shows) and I LOVE this. I've never thought about this and this really helps in understanding motion. Awesome video and suggestion.

[@user-vn8gl4nb7d]

Please can get ur IG or Facebook to follow you?...am now starting out in animation nd I need a mentor please. Am from Ghana in West Africa

[@yen_bm]

ngl, this video is eyeopening haha and i feel like some of the things you say could be my words and my thoughts. absolutely love how you go even more into detail and describe it so accurately! so cool !

[@bruh438]

How do u work with extreme action scenes that have a lot of motion blur? they completely erase the figures 😭

[@TonikoPantoja]

I sometimes try and draw the smear/motion blur or I try to make out a figure out of it.

[@bruh438]

@@TonikoPantoja Thanks for the reply, im a huge fan of your work!

[@ibnaw1138]

Great advice:Every four frames, is really good for story board. Key animation poses, then add the motion in between...

[@getkawedbythecrow2524]

I tried this for my first time animating as practice and it turned out super good. I’m adding it permanently to my art practice routine.

[@user-vn8gl4nb7d]

Can take me through your process of setting up everything before drawing..am not really getting things he is saying

[@JovzkieAnimation]

I’m actually doing this exercise right now before i found this video, yes everything he says is true. Upon doing this i was able to notice a lot of subtle movements of the human being. Every movements, there’s always contrast between head, body, hands, feet, and face. Once you find these, it makes your animation more natural and organic. It really helped me alot.

[@vampbat]

I relate to also wanting to draw Keanu Reeves over and over. Jokes aside this is an amazing idea and I can't believe I never thought to do it! I would study Multi-Animator Projects this way to see their animation, but this is next level. Thanks so much!

[@JuneieBack]

I’m not interested in animation at all but I’ve been using this technique to help me get batter at figure drawing because I want to create comics one day. I do this with both this technique and rotoscoping and it really helps with my gesture drawing. I also do this with animation but that is effective in its own set of ways.

[@brunodepaulak]

Great tips! I attend life drawing sessions, and am slowly learning more about storyboard and animation. This idea of doing animation from videos frame-by-frame sounds like indeed a combination of the best of many worlds. Thanks!

[@traceymuy1942]

Thank you so much for these tips! I’ve been trying to practice more animation and I am told gesture helps and it does but when I want to do more natural poses gesture helps with proportions but not with dynamic scenes and poses. This is amazing I’m going to start doing it bc I want to improve! Thank you! ❤️

[@noname-yj7ti]

this is like evolved gesture drawing lol!!! I can't wait to try. I've been trying to find ways to start to animate but doing things of my own seems a bit scary so this is perfect. Thank you for explaining everything so well!!!

[@Tsoos]

Just as I check your channel to rewatch some of your videos BOOM a new one is out. Thank you for always providing great content, Toniko!

[@sosazo]

This in depth breakdown is super helpful. Subscribed!!

[@hercfactory32]

I think I had a practice method like this but way scaled down, just drawing gestues from generated thumbnails of a video with MPC, drawing the same subject from different frames without too much detail to distract me. It's not too alike though because I'm still drawing gestures of still images, but all this drawing frames from live action reminded me of it

[@ay-tf4jb]

Yes! Thank you so much, I’m so glad I got this in my recommendations, it seems really helpful and I cant wait to try it!

[@zerogscott2976]

That's a good idea, great tip about moving frame by frame on KZbin. I didn't know that. This gives me THE starting point of what and how to begin animating, and you can just find what your looking for easily enough all over KZbin. Thanks for this!

[@yen_bm]

Damn spacedad gets featured. good work man ! Epic new video, i start watching now haha

[@freshavocado6125]

I needed to see this so much! Thank you a million!!!!

[@alexiaatheducc]

Thank you so much! I love your videos man 👍 I will definitely practice this soon!

[@Tenchinu]

just here to tell you that, after finding your channel about an hour mins ago, binging it to completion, and crying internally (since I'm also a foreigner that went through the visa-nightmare, art-US-industry process)... I rly love your thumbnails :)

[@pianoatthirty]

THIS IS BRILLIANT! Thank you for this idea!

[@princessthyemis]

This is SOOOO awesome and useful thank you so much!!!!! I can't wait to try this!!!!!

[@nplayz3462]

Love this video! Nice work man

[@MrBmxerFTW]

This video came just at the right time, it feels so obvious when you explain using live action footage as reference.

[@CabblowStudios]

I absolutely love this method of practice! I use it for dance choreography studies.

[@poyobunny8508]

Man, this was so helpful!!! Thank u so much for sharing this!🙌🏻💯

[@christopherstefanac8990]

This is some really awesome advice! Definitely gonna try this when I get back into animation.

[@LemonMoon]

Maybe I can use this as a way to finally learn animating in clip studio

[@mawcha]

same, im learning animations more and clip has been very interesting 😓

[@kingcoconut52864]

@@mawcha i dont know if this is a clip studio thing, but like what do you guys do for amount of frames when someone says to draw on 2s, 3s,4s ect

[@apreslapluieart2575]

I just stated learning animation, but still have difficulty to use clip studio hahaha I still use procreate to animated

[@mawcha]

@@kingcoconut52864 it matters on what exactly you are doing tbh, like i usually animate on 2’s so i do the industry standard for my timeline but you can always adjust this in most animation programs like clip studio

[@BlueTheCartoonAddict]

awww man this is great! Thanks! Your channel has been a big help to me! Like, honestly. The timing chart thingy has been a really big one.

[@robertjv]

AMAZING!!!! I'M SO GOING TO WATCH YOU WHEN DOING MY ANIMATION DEGREE.

[@fabianogama39]

I saw hthis video some time ago and it sounded a good advice, and now, last week I tried doing it and this is really amazing. I'm a 3D animator, but I plan my animations with 2D shorthhand drawings. And not only that, I also want to start doing 2D animation in personal projects. I did this exercise just one, for about 2 hours last week and I already felt improvement in my 3D animation because I could shorthand planning of a comlex scene much faster and in a much better quality. Now this excercise is part of my life. Thank you for sharing!

[@sadikgaming]

This is the best well channel about animation tips and for all things respect infinity senpai

[@renamation8098]

Super excited to try this out

[@FoxPopvli]

Man, you enlightened me with this! :') Gonna try it asap!

[@AnaisStAmant]

thank you so much for these videos

[@scoiataeli]

Definitely trying this out!

[@guilhermedutra1590]

Man your channel is amazing thank you

[@Cederlof_Ink]

I've never done animation.. but it's always something I've wanted to try, this sounds like a really fun way to try it out. I need to get myself into the digital space for aure and get this program your using.

[@hannobonanoart]

I love your videos! You inspire me! I want to be an animator and you are helping it happen thank you so much.

[@artofbrypaz]

Did not know about the frame by frame navigation on youtube! Very useful! Thanks for that!

[@Aphrodita98]

This is great advice ! Thank you so much! I was wondering how to get better at both!

[@ROKMO]

Ohh ooohhh This was sooo great man!! thanks for this awesome tip yo!

[@oceantai]

I'm excited to try this out! :D

[@ShazamFPV]

Thank you, even if you never see this or o never try. It’s nice to have someone motivating like you

[@taqresu5865]

Fascinating. I actually noticed a lot of this when looking at the special features of various animated films and shows like Disney's Peter Pan and Nickelodeon's Avatar the Last Airbender. They had staged stunt doubles performing the actions, or in Avatar's case, a Martial Arts Master. As for live action footage, I could try MMA or WWE matches.

[@olshlan183]

Thank you Toniko! I very much enjoyed your class and appreciate the shout out to all us students by showing our work. That was awesome of you 😄

[@thepunniyapa2.091]

Hello brother, could u please help me in accessing the course through your userid, i m not able to afford it with such price, please bro🙁

[@zoie6056]

I’m just now getting into animation and this video was so helpful! I know I need to practice animation before I make an animatic but practicing a ball bouncing or brick falling gets so repetitive. I’ll think about doing this when I get more comfortable with animating

[@ogbevireorhewere6613]

This is a life saver!

[@barmoonz9769]

What a coincidence! 1hr ago i was finding this kind of "Drawing and Animating practicing together" in your channel and!! 😍😍😍😍😍

[@yezzzsir]

It's like he was reading our minds..... Worse than Google lol!

[@bluecrossfire2375]

I use to practice drawing and making comics because I thought I can learn to draw and practice movements and emotions... but now time for me to take a scary step to animations, hope I improve more

[@ERENYEAGER-co6uf]

Can I see your Comics

[@jazzwolfblaze5250]

This way of drawing reminds me of when I did a rodoscop of a cat for class. I did it for a while until I retained some things it really helped.

[@maki-kd6mj]

NO tutorial actually made me interested in doing animation, until I watched yours! Thank so much for this video :]

[@rasterfarian420]

Nice. Imma try doing this.

[@EdaliaDayCreative]

Ooh this sounds fun. Going to give it a go

[@annahdz4614]

Holly frick this is so helpful, thank you so much!!

[@Mushroomfrog748]

Omg this will help do so much thxxxx

[@joshuaokoro-sokoh2993]

This was very educational, thanks. Animators from the main Studios do this all the time.

[@dittomario]

that dog always gets me man

[@himu8099]

Wow this was very insightful

[@frankiembt]

ive NEVER animated before, and recently ive animated a very short clip from my fav show, and it actually didnt look bad!! plus it taught me some things :)

[@TheHeadNinjainComics]

Love this video.

[@user-jd5fn1uy3f]

Good gesture and movement!

[@BluntStop]

It makes sense Straight ahead because the process is already broken down for ya. This was a really good way.

[@pauljs75]

Telepurte is a bit of a meme artist on KZbin recently, but if you want to see somebody that gets good efficiency with their use of frames - that's a contemporary artist that's really good at it. (If that guy wasn't, I don't think he'd be able to put out as many short clips as he does.)

[@kolibri-san7279]

Very usefull video. Thanks sir.

[@laurab9344]

so helpful, thanks!

[@aplaceinthestars3207]

I rotoscoped a scene once and it was really cool, but also painfully tedious because I didn't really master the workflow. I really appreciate this video for the practical, time-saving tips!

[@trevorwilliams401]

Awesome! This really spoke to me in a LIGHTBULB ah-ha moment. Thank you for this instruction and tip. You're helping me take things to the next level.

[@sanfordkaraoke6191]

Great advice thanks!

[@meetsys]

Gonna try this on paper.

[@toothboy6866]

woah ty this is so helpful ^^

[@disruptersanimations1275]

Glad I found this channel I'm subbing

[@cristopherrose9356]

Good video! Im gonna try animation someday, and I really hope to do well in it.

[@DenvaProbablyDraws]

I’m definitely trying this

[@yezzzsir]

Been looking for good exercises to try (...besides a bouncing ball lol) will be doing a ton of these from now on, thanks!

[@IdentityEvolution]

Thanks for this it's could help me alot

[@kheii3503]

So I've been taking some courses of drawing and I guess it works but I also wanted to learn animation because that's actually what I want, so I'll definitely will try this, it actually looks like a fun exercise to do. Glad KZbin recommended me this vid :DDDD

[@sondersighs]

Id like to add it might help with perspective and learning storyboarding too. Thank you!

[@kaleeshsynth9994]

I've been doing doing this lately and my drawing skill are improving.

[@thepunniyapa2.091]

Hello brother, could u please help me in accessing the course through your userid, i m not able to afford it with such price, please bro🙁

[@paolaanimator]

If I can't find a footage of something specific, I'm not a great actress but I record myself doing the action and then use that video as practice for animation. But I've been doing more live drawings recently rather than animating, so I better get back to animating. Thanks for the video and advice!

[@Keetz]

I just started Glenn Vilppu's online course and I was procrastinating starting this week's lesson by watching this and when you said his name I was totally caught off guard lol

[@azaria2435]

I needed this video

[@Thrasherbear]

I think I just figured out the live action part. I have an assignment for animating a pitching animation. and while the idea is to animate a character throwing a ball, the style of a cartoon character wasn't appealing to me. So, I got my best friend that's a university pitcher to send me a clip of his pitching practice as reference to animate this project. It made the assignment easier, but also gave me a great opportunity to study movement and how the physics of his anatomy move through the motion of pitching. Really cool stuff and I got a lot more out of this small assignment than I would have otherwise.

[@kellybmackenzie]

I clicked for the puppy but stayed for a good tutorial, nice video! This was really helpful, I really love that idea!

[@AlbertoGomez-oi5ou]

the most practical channel ever

[@dueces1640]

yo, this is a really cool idea. got to give it a try on my days off