Animation Advanced Action Layout
GCC Academy
Hello
I am Jiwon Kang, and I am in charge of the action drawing session
In this session, we will learn about layout
First, we will learn about the concept of layout and the types of screens
Then, we will learn how to emphasize points on the screen
Finally, we will learn to draw the layout
while croquising the video screen
Layout Concepts and Types
Layout is the design of the screen
Even if you have excellent drawing skills and techniques
if you neglect the layout, the charm of the drawing and the technique
will not be noticeable
Even if you draw hard, it is not noticeable, and when you feel something is lacking
you should check the layout
Layout is a technique for systematically arranging content
Like design, readability is the most important functional reason
and the next is the delivery of the message
If readability is good, it will naturally catch the eye like a video
without having to try hard to observe it
The layout should make important information visible
and naturally guide what to look at
and what to look at next
This is what you have to do first
Even if you look at the example layouts
each person will see the same thing first
and the same thing later
regardless of which screen or object
is visible first
and what is naturally visible next
This is the design of the layout
The second reason for the layout is the beauty of the image
It is also called mise-en-scène
Even if it is not a video, the beauty of the screen or canvas itself
comes from the composition
If the composition is interesting, the picture becomes interesting
A special layout is bound to arouse curiosity
If the fourth scene, with the soldiers here
had been shot completely from the front
would the gaze have been drawn?
Or if the ballerina in the front
had been in the same position as the other ballerinas behind her
would it have been this interesting?
When a good layout is used, it evokes an emotional response
The nuance of the line that I mentioned, which leads to
the character of the line and gesture drawing
continues to the layout
As in the example, all lines give a sense of anxiety in the diagonal line
and a sense of stability in the horizontal line
and the layout does the same
Also, the arrangement of what to show first
and what to show later through the flow of the gaze
can have an effect similar to the plot of the image
What is shown first and what is shown later
what appears first and what appears later
these are similar effects
Also, through these lines, through the lines on this layout
you can know what points to focus on and what to omit
You can reduce unnecessary work on the picture
if the layout is good
it becomes much easier to organize later
If the picture is not organized even if you describe everything one by one
from that layout, that canvas, and that end to this end
it is not enough
However, if the composition has strong and weak points
you can describe more in the parts you want to emphasize strongly
and you can lighten the parts you want
to omit more
Then, you can draw an efficient picture
Let's take a look at the layouts one by one
First is the split composition
The split composition is a composition that divides the screen into two parts
You can create visual balance symmetrically
or emphasize one side more asymmetrically
to guide the gaze
In the case of the first scene, the symmetry is off
So, you first see the side where the person is close-up like this
and then naturally see the back
Also, if you place important elements in the center, your eyes will be focused
In this scene, the third and fourth pictures below
would be relevant
This split composition can be divided into two like this
or have a feeling of center alignment
Strictly speaking, the former composition, which is divided into two
is called a split screen in English
and it focuses more on showing different scenes
or creating a sense of balance through symmetry
In this case, the two pictures at the top are relevant
Important things are not in the center
but exist on both sides like this
If the center is divided or symmetrical like this
giving the feeling that the screen is divided in half
it is a split screen
It is often used in directing when showing different scenes
Now, the latter
The composition where the object exists in the middle
is called the central composition
or the inverted Y composition
This means the inverted Y
a composition where the object is in the center
and the triangle below the inverted Y
If you first understand the two-part composition, it is easy to understand
If the important element is in the middle, it also affects center alignment
Next is the third-part composition
After dividing the screen into three parts horizontally and vertically so that there are
nine squares in total, the main element is the intersection
That is, the second picture is displayed
This is the intersection where the horizontal and vertical lines overlap
It is the most basic arrangement
Even if it is not located at the intersection, many screens
can be divided into three parts if they leave appropriate margins above and below
When you take a composition that is neither
too centered nor too far to the edge
create 1/3 naturally
I mean
this or this point
Forming the rule of thirds is natural
because it creates important lines at these points
That is why it is often called the Rule of Thirds in English
and acts as an essential rule beyond composition
How important is this? This grid of thirds is drawn
when we take pictures with our cell phones
That means it is a very basic screen composition
Next is the horizontal composition
The screen is divided into equal parts by dividing it lengthwise
and this division is formed horizontally
That is why it feels stable
A straight line that is spread out horizontally
is originally a line that feels stable
That is why it is stable, so it expresses a static atmosphere
and like the first or second, it expresses a sense of space
Because it is straight, a wide horizon matches
However, this also matches, but the effects that can be felt in the division composition
such as the sense of balance due to symmetry and the guidance of the gaze due to asymmetry
can also be expressed here
In the two scenes above, the background
takes up the upper part of the divided part
This is a method often used in horizontal compositions
Even if it is not a horizontal line
it is most stable when about half of the edge of the screen
is the background or empty
Next is diagonal composition
Unlike other straight compositions, diagonal compositions
are diagonal and give dynamism
Diagonal lines are tense because they are unstable
Tension is also connected to dynamic energy
Because it is connected to dynamic energy
the gaze is guided to move dynamically without stopping
This is where the guidance of the gaze is different from
straight, vertical, and horizontal compositions
Diagonal lines are basically tilted rather than vertical and horizontal
When standing upright, the field of vision
is always horizontal and vertical
so diagonal lines assume situations where I cannot stand upright
such as when I move or my body tilts
That is why they create a sense of unease and tension
The 'Titanic' on the lower left is a famous disaster movie
So, to add to the tension of the genrㄷ
an oblique composition was used
Also, as I mentioned
tension can be dynamic energy
Compositions with action shine more in an oblique line
Also, as I mentioned, the flow of sight is naturally induced
Now, if you look at the Lion King scene
on the lower right
the first thing you see is
the monkey on the top, and as you read it
As your gaze naturally flows like this
you see the lion and your parents behind it
Next is a diagonal composition
This is a composition where two diagonal lines intersect to form an X
and your gaze is sucked toward the vanishing point
This is the most basic composition used in a one-point perspective
These are also overlapping oblique lines
forming vertical and horizontal lines at the end
From a 1-point perspective
everything except the inward lines is vertical and horizontal
Therefore, it provides balance and stability
that vertical and horizontal lines can provide
And this wide sense of space behind is emphasized
Since a 1-point perspective is mainly used
it gives an artificial feeling due to the vertical lines
This gives a balanced and stable feeling
but at the same time, it also gives an artificial, cold, stiff
and solemn atmosphere
Since the line of sight is directed toward the vanishing point or the intersection
the line of sight is focused on the center element like this
Next is the triangular composition
This refers to the shape of the screen elements
in the shape of a triangle or arranged in such a way
Naturally, the rest of the triangle will have a margin like this
Because of the creation of the natural margin, the flow of sight is harmonious
Now, in the case of large and small objects
the line of sight flows from the bottom to the top
If you look here, there is one large layer like this
and then this small layer on this side
forming a triangular composition
In this case, this wide
and large thing flows from the bottom to the top
In this case, where the perspective is felt
this is similar to the diagonal composition from before
so the perspective line flows from this side to this side
So, the line of sight is focused on the top vertex
Also, the line of sight is now gathered in the center
when this acts as a frame like this
The triangle can be a silhouette of an object like the first one
A line according to size and position like the second scene
A case where the margin and line of sight are gathered at the vertex like the third one
Or it can act as a frame like the fourth one
That much can lead to various lines of sight
and the line of sight flows or focuses on one of these three points
the top and bottom of the vertex or the center
The common effect is a stable screen
The fact that the bottom is wider and gets smaller
as it goes up is a visual characteristic of this triangle
This equilateral triangle allows for stable support without falling over
That is why it is also visually like that
Types of Cuts and Rules for Layout Composition
Next, let's learn about the types of shots
A shot is the basic unit of filming
Since the camera is usually fixed when filming
the most important factor in distinguishing shots
is the size of the elements within the subject
Most of the elements are people in the video
Therefore, the nature of the scene is largely determined
by which part of the person is filmed, how much, and to what extent
This is a filming term, but the effect is the same in pictures
I will briefly introduce what effects can be achieved
depending on how large a person is contained in a scene
Let's start with the closest one
Extreme close-up
This shot enlarges and shows a part of the person's face
or a specific part of the body, such as the hands
It looks like the expression of emotion is maximized
It is often used to maximize tension or show emotions in detail
This type of shot is often used when acting with eyes
It is especially impressive in pictures
when the eyes, mouth, and hands are drawn in detail
It goes without saying that it is also used in cartoons
Next is a close-up shot
This is a shot that focuses on the entire face of the person
This is also used a lot to express the emotions of the person
When communicating with people
focusing on the other person's face is common
So, this composition is often used when
dealing with everyday communication
If there is no particular effect, most people often use this composition
The face is often used as a reflection of the impression in the entire picture
No matter how detailed and pretty the picture is
people now look for the face first
No matter how many details and how great they are
drawing only the face is the easiest
and most fun
and difficult thing for most people who draw pictures
That is why many people draw only the head and face
Next is a medium shot
This includes the person's waist and thighs
Now, this is the composition that shows
the actions, hands, arms, gestures
In addition, the surrounding environment is
now open to both sides
Since the surrounding environment can be seen in general
it is a composition that is often chosen
This cut is often used as a routine
and safe close-up
so it is often used in a flat composition with no special angle
There are no special high angles
low angles, or anything like that
Next is a full shot
The whole body of the character is captured
The character and the surrounding environment are captured
so the character's position is well recognized
Now, since the feet are visible, you can see where the character is standing
and how he is standing
It is also used often
when there is an active action scene, so it is good to capture the whole body
Now, when there is intense movement, such as action or dancing
if the body that moves is cut off
the movement will be cut off
So, this shot is used a lot because
the effect is often halved
If this shot is on a widescreen
if the actual character ratio of 7 heads is included
as you can see now, the face
is not easily visible at once
So it is not used often
But now, in the case of animations where the main character
is 3 or 4 heads tall or shorter
the entire body is captured, the facial expressions are clearly visible
and even the surrounding background and distance from surrounding characters
are captured perfectly
so everything is appropriate
and so it is a cut that is secretly used more in animations than in live action
Next, the camera moves further back, right? It’s a long shot
It shows the person and the surroundings from afar
The scale of the background becomes more emphasized
Now, it starts to look more like the background than the person
On the contrary, the person will look small and weak
It is also often used to show the foreground
Now, the master shot
is the first shot that shows
what kind of background this is
In all works, the master shot is used a lot
In addition, when it is shot from further away
the surroundings look extreme
the person looks very small
and the surroundings look extremely vast
so the background becomes the main focus
These are shots called extreme long shots
Next, we will learn a little about emphasizing points within the screen
The composition and rules of photography and video are also used in paintings
When drawing, there are many cases where things are not organized
In such cases, some elements are good to check
In particular, the guidance of the gaze
often used in video screens' grammar, is important for change
The more changes there are in the internal elements, and rhythm
the more the gaze is naturally guided, and the path of the picture is formed
Even without a path, a picture can feel static
However, if not organized, it is very likely to become
a messy picture and a picture that never ends
The example shows a picture that is often difficult to organize
On the left, Before has objects A, B, and C
And even if you draw all the people in detail
it will never be complete
On the right is an example of an improved layout
Let's look at how to organize a picture
one by one through the layout elements
First is the composition
We discussed the lines representing
the screen and shapes
like triangles or diagonal lines
It would be good to form a large composition with these
The composition should be expressed
as simple shapes connected by lines
Since the lines in the composition are the flow of sight
important things should not be outside the lines
It is better to leave
the outside of the lines empty or not place important elements
Of course, it depends on the nature of the composition
I organized this picture by borrowing the diagonal composition
I said the sight flows more naturally
in the diagonal composition than in vertical and horizontal lines
So, it gives a little more liveliness than the basic frontal arrangement
In the case of the example, the important elements of the diagonal line that serve as a guide
such as the face, head, A, B, and C, were arranged
And the upper part of the diagonal line that does not pass was left as a margin
and the body, which originally existed as a large mass
was arranged to make the diagonal composition stand out
Next is the silhouette
The silhouette is organized based on the largest element
The silhouette is important for the gathered and separated parts
and the space between the silhouettes
The separated parts of the silhouette focus more on the eyes
In this picture
the object A that the character holds is separated
Separated means a lot of space on the left and right
And the more crowded the parts
the less interesting the silhouette becomes
In severe cases, it is even considered as the background
For example, I said that
the nuance of the lines is especially important in action scenes
If they are crowded, no matter how hard you draw them, they will look boring
For example, there is a scene where a fist is extended
Then, the line from the fist to the arm
and the body should be visible
but if the angle is facing the front
it will be like this
Let's say the fist and arm are completely trapped inside the body
The silhouette will be buried inside the body like this
If you change it to the same silhouette
which one gives you the feeling of extending
the fist and clear movement?
This one
So, if you lump them together, it's better
to lump them together around the unimportant parts
In the case of this picture, I set this as important
Then, this body will become a large lump
Since it's already lumped together
I'll place it in the corner like this
But if there's no large silhouette
all the objects will be divided individually
so that the silhouette will disappear
That's why the existence of these things is also very important
Also, you can't see the contents of a large lump unless you look closely
So, the lumped part is less noticeable
closer to the edge of the picture or inside the lump
So, if you place important things in this place
you should think about it at least once
Next is the margin
Margin is necessary for the silhouette to stand out
Depending on the form of the composition you borrow
you need to provide margins to focus so that your gaze is not distracted
In the case of the layout on the right
as I indicated earlier
I made a diagonal line like this and gave the upper part
as a margin
The margin follows the silhouette
but it is better if the composition influences it more
For example, this can also be a margin
but if you do the silhouette first
the margin will be placed like this
Therefore, it is good to set the margin at the same time
when setting the composition first
so that you can create the big picture first
If you empty the above and below this diagonal line
if you do it based on the diagonal composition, important things are placed like this
If this is also intentional, it doesn't matter
However, it feels empty
When you want to give a complete feeling with a single illustration
leaving two sides of the picture's edges empty
and filling in two sides is generally stable
This is a diagonal composition, so I filled it in like this
but in the case of a two-part composition, you can fill it in like this
or like this
What does it mean to fill it?
It means filling the range recognized as an object
not a background
This would be the background
It doesn't matter if there is a fancy mural in the background
As long as we see it as a background
it is good if the background and object occupy this much of the corner
Next, consider the size and position of the elements
I adjusted the size and position of the elements
that draw the eye by changing them
The most important order is usually the largest
Here, I set the head as the most important
and then equally important are
A, B, and C in order of importance
Looking at what is closest to the center
you can get a sense of the location
The closer you get to the edge, the less important it is
And the size is the same
This is the biggest, and then it gets smaller
And the line of sight flows in order of size
Complex elements of various shapes
are used as the most important standard shape
For example, when there is a human body like this
the human body is made up of various shapes
But what stands out the most to us? The face
So this is the standard
So, if it is arranged like this
it stands out like this and becomes a triangle composition
The standard is the most important point
among the most important connected objects
For example, a picture whose size is inevitably fixed
In that case, the margins and positions are differentiated
This method can be used mainly in compositions with little influence on perspective
such as a telephoto lens
Next is rhythm
Rhythm means that changes in size and selection of positions
should be based on regular transformations
so that the gaze is naturally guided
For example, when there are the same things
which one would the gaze flow
more naturally to
something like this or this?
Of course, it would be this way
This would be a composition where a person
would have to force their gaze to move like this in a messy way
Right?
That is why it should be based on regular transformations
Rhythm means the range that we can predict
through our perception
If 2 and 3 come out after 1
you feel order through regularity even in change
but as we saw earlier, if it is arranged like 1, 5, 2, 4
it would be similar to confusion, right?
Even in a picture, if the largest element is next to the smallest element
and the middle element is next to that, the rhythm would be broken
The rhythm would be broken
Even changes like this, where the size gets smaller
create a sense of rhythm with a certain flow, like a gradient
In the picture
on the right of the example
small objects are arranged sequentially
In the picture on the left before modification
all elements are the same size
If there is no change, even if they are arranged consistently
there is no sense of rhythm
Since five objects of similar size are spread out
you can't tell where to start and where to look
This is an unorganized picture
The rule of thirds is the composition we discussed earlier
This is one of the famous compositions
but it is a rule that must be followed more than just composition
Split screens completely divided into two
or central compositions with the subject in the middle
are often intentional
In general, most cool art places important things
on one of the thirds in one place
If it is outside the thirds, it is close to the edge
so it is not immediately visible
or if it is divided into threes on the wider side
If it is too much inside the thirds
Right? That is it
It looks like a two-part composition
However, since it is likely not the intended composition
for example, let's say it is in the middle of this screen
Then, it feels too much in the middle and stands out, right?
This is often used to direct
through this feeling of being out
but this composition is quite awkward
when inducing a natural scene
And headroom, this screen, this blank space
from the head to the end within this frame
This is called headroom
When leaving a margin here
if you refer to the rule of thirds, it will be natural
Didn't the headroom form naturally?
Next, angles and perspectives form a natural flow
of sight in themselves
Angles are not elements of the layout
but they are very important in the formation of the layout
The sight always flows toward the vanishing point
It flows like this
And most realistic backgrounds are formed
with one vanishing point
As I mentioned last time
there will probably be a vanishing point at this end
but it becomes extremely excessive if it's inside here
So, most of the time, the vanishing point is visible on one side
So, the diagonal line toward the vanishing point
this diagonal line always takes priority in the flow of sight
So, no matter what composition we use
we have no choice but to see the objects
in order along this diagonal line
If we use the flow formed by this perspective
to place the elements in the right place
we can naturally take many of the elements above
As you can see in the example
angles such as high and low have large changes due to perspective
so changes in size and location are naturally formed
In the case of the high angle above
a triangle composition based on the head was used
and as the gaze flows toward the vanishing point
these three elements are naturally passed through one by one
Or, even if the changes in size are not arranged in order
a sense of rhythm is felt
and if this friend were here
a sense of rhythm would be naturally formed
but even though they are spaced out like this
we do not feel that they are arranged in a messy manner
When you look at it naturally, you can see all three people
That is why you can feel a sense of rhythm naturally
It feels more independent than a flow lined up in a row
The low angle below used a diagonal composition
What is a diagonal composition?
It expresses a deep and wide sense of space
the main element in the middle
is positioned exactly in the middle size
At the same time, the main element in the middle
is not cut off, and the headroom is placed exactly like this, which is perfect
This is just right, and the rest are natural
The size is too big to be seen
or adjusted to be small, so they don't attract attention
So, the center is completely focused
and the main elements of the picture are felt
The important thing is to leave the vanishing point empty
in order to see the effects of perspective and the vanishing point
If the vanishing point is blocked like this, it feels stuffy
and you can't see the effects of the vanishing point
This picture also has perspective
but you can't feel the vanishing point, and it just looks flat
You can't feel the flow of perspective as much
Video Croquis Focused on Layout
You know this layout in your head
but it's difficult actually to apply it
Learning this by doing a screen croquis on the video is best
Lastly, we'll practice layout drawing
through screen croquis
You'll sometimes come across a screen with a nice mise-en-scène as you watch the video
So, let's pause the screen for a moment to do a croquis
Here is an example of a scene from
the famous movie 'Chungking Express'
Before drawing, first, figure out the overall composition
When looking at the whole thing, it is easier
to figure it out from a distance or by zooming in
The bigger you draw, the more confusing it becomes
If you figure out what kind of composition was used
and proceed according to the composition, there will be no confusion
The composition in this scene
is probably one of the layouts I haven't introduced
It seems to be composed of the golden ratio based on the horizontal
Based on the central figure, the left and right sides
based on the exact center here
are 8:5
In this case, it is not completely divided into thirds, nor is it completely in the center
but you can draw it while keeping in mind that it is located
in the middle of the center and the thirds
It is most important to get a feel for the proportional details
such as where it is divided in
what proportion and how much space is left
And let's first look at the large mass of this screen
This screen is the walls on the left and right
And the person in the middle is the most central large mass
If there is no mass, it is first distinguished and displayed mainly in black tones
This is not a mass, either It is just distinguished
in black tones
However, even if this is not an element, the distinction between black and white tones
is the most important in the composition when it is visible like this
so the large mass is distinguished based on black and white tones
Like this, the top and bottom are appropriate
there is headroom here, and the bottom is empty
So, considering this, I only indicate the location like this
If possible, it is better to express the scene croquis
mainly in silhouettes rather than lines
Even if you draw it like this with lines
it is better to display it mainly in silhouettes like this
The lines are now black and gray
Gray like this
It is the cleanest to express in gray and white 3 tones like this
f you add a little more detailed tone
it can be described
This much is enough
Yes, I finished the croquis like this
You might wonder what kind of scene croquis this is
but it’s enough to draw it like this
If you diligently describe the details
you’ll neglect to grasp the composition
so it’s a method to exclude them
I’ll draw these things one by one
in black because the background is dark
And here, the upper body is white, so I’ll draw it in white
This is good as a croquis for capturing light
but we’re studying layout now
So this is the most noticeable subject
so I drew it in black
This black part, which corresponds to the wall
is actually out of sight, so I’ll leave it in black
and you can mark it like this
You can do this much
This part of the background is completely behind it
I’ll only mark it in white
and it’s better if the other details aren’t visible at all
Even if you just show that there is an object behind here
the black stands out overwhelmingly
The background and structure are minimal
This is because we only understand this much
and this much when looking at the whole picture
So, rather than neglecting the composition
it is best to exclude details and draw a croquis
showing only the large area like this
It is best to draw several small ones like this
It is best to draw several simple ones
This is because it is not a copy but a croquis
Also, it is better to draw a small picture like this
when composing the whole picture
Even if it is not a croquis
if you draw an image like this
before drawing an actual picture
it is quite difficult to lay out this large canvas
from the beginning
It is best to draw a small picture and think about the concept first
Draw many good compositions like this in small sizes
and analyze why this composition
is comfortable or attractive
You will naturally come up with a stable composition
without having to worry
Let's summarize what we learned in this session
First, we learned about the balance of layout
and the types of screens
Second, we learned about compositions
that can focus the eyes
Lastly, we learned how to draw croquis
focusing on layout
Thank you
Layout concept and types Layout concept Work that considers readability and message delivery through the arrangement of screen components
Produces visual beauty and emotional response, and maximizes the effect through the character of lines and the flow of vision
Types of layout Division of two: Dividing the screen into two parts and guiding the gaze symmetrically or asymmetrically Thirds: Dividing into nine parts and placing the main elements at the intersection
Horizontal composition: Expressing a stable and wide sense of space Diagonal composition: Dynamic and tense composition
Diagonal composition: Guiding the gaze to the vanishing point in an X-shape Triangular composition: Natural margins and harmonious visual flow in a triangular shape
Types of cuts and rules for composing layouts Types of cuts Extreme close-up: Enlarges a specific area to maximize emotional expression Close-up: Expresses facial expressions
Medium shot: Shows actions and environments by capturing up to the waist Full shot: Clearly expresses the entire body and surroundings Long shot: Emphasizes the background from a distance
Layout composition rules Composition: Composing a large composition with lines or shapes Silhouette: Organizing silhouettes based on large elements and utilizing margins
Margin: Making silhouettes stand out and providing margins except where focus is needed Size and location of elements: Guiding the eye through size and location Rhythm: Regularly applying changes in size and location
Rule of thirds: Placing important elements at the intersection of thirds Angle: Using perspective to form a natural flow of vision
Layout-oriented video croquis Learn layout drawing with screen croquis Understand the overall composition: Understand the composition and observe the
Croquis with silhouette: Use black-gray-white tones instead of lines See the big picture: Draw by separating the big picture first
Exclude details: Understand the overall picture by drawing several small and simple pictures