Animation from Pencils to Pixels

When all is said and done, there is a point where you are alone with an idea and have to bring it into reality. Every animator works in his or her own way but fundamentally there is a step-by-step process to achieve the best animation possible. This step-by-step process can vary from person to person, from style to style, of course. The following is therefore not a definitive approach to animating but it is essentially the way that I approach a scene of 2D animation, although the process can easily be applied to all animation with modifications of technique and procedure. It starts with a blank sheet of paper and a pencil (or a blank screen and a mouse for some digital animators), although the pencil is always my preferred starting point, whether ...