The final look of 'Showtime'...

These shots show the layouts of the film- how the film will hopefully look when made, showing the characters and the backgrounds together...

 

So thats it for now...pre-production is over, and its time to move on to another project, but once thats complete, it's on to making the film- what all of this has been leading up to...

Decorating the world with props...

The next step was to design the series of props and other animals that will go into the film...

 

The pencil and rubber is obviously a major part of the film and will need to be designed and made into something that can be re-used alot, so may be made in illustrator to suit the look of the animator desk design...

The world concludes...

This background design will be for the initial shot where the animators desk is introduced. I think I will use the more cutout style from earlier so that the 'actual' world contrasts the sketchy drawn look of the 'paper' world. I want it to include a lot of details- toys, sketches, papers, the general look of an animators studio and work space... 

 

These are the background designs for the end scene, where the circus master is drawn into a calm, hilltop area, sat on a porch, enjoying the views, peace and tranquility... 

I'm thinking now, the porch design isn't really working and it may be more successful to have him sat on the hilltop, painting at an easel...

The world continues...

I'm finding it difficult to pin point a specific style for the setting. I want it to remain in a drawn style, looking sketchy and rough, and make sure that the characters are clear and the animation is the main focus... 

 

These designs are working the best up to this point. They're simple, using only the details that are neccesary, and remain soft for the characters to stand out on top of them...

These suit the more 50's style that inspired the look of the characters to begin with, so would be a look that I'd like to carry through the film...

This style I really like, but doesn't suit the drawn, sketchy look that I wanted...

These backgrounds are keeping the simplicity of the design, keeping a drawn and sketchy look, but with the added interest of a slight faded colour, giving an older look it may keep things a little more appealing...

 

Still after all of the tests I feel that the simple black and white background is the clearest, most appealing look. the characters sit nicely and stand out ontop of it, and it keeps the drawn look- plus its clear, bright and hopefully easy on the eye yet memorable.

The world begins...

 

Now that the characters have been finalysed, it's time to look at the world they will live in. The main setting will be the circus stage...

 

Now it needs a style that will suit the mood of the film and the look of the characters that have to fit into it...

The simple line drawing on a white background leaves the characters standing out in the most effective way...

The sidekick in action...

Now the dog is finally designed, I can start to see how he might look in action...

 

The master in action...

The master is now ready to be tried in a variety of poses and expressions to give an idea of how he will look in the film...

 

The loyal sidekick springs to life...

The dog sidekick is fully designed, and the turnaround is working effectively. It also felt better with just the one sidekick rather than two...

 

The model sheet may seem a little overcomplicated, but the shapes still work. The sheets will hopefully help during the animation, making sure that everything stays in the place it needs to...

 

The dog now needs some colour. I dont want him to be too bold or strong, and he needs to sit nicely with the circus master...

 

He seems to work quite nicely in white, with hints of colour on his costume and face, but then Ive got to think that if the backgrounds are staying black and white, the dog may not stand out as effectively as it could...

Keeping the colour light and bright will keep the dog interesting and appealing, without being too bold or striking. These colours will mean he will sit nicely on the backgrounds without becoming lost...

I like the way he looks in all of his different costumes. They still maintain his simple appearance, and dont overcomplicate the design...