To start I will be talking about the appeal of animation. Animation is used all over the world for numerous forms of media. Such as animated films, music videos, advertisements and educational videos. Animation attracts a lot of attention as it is engaging.
So why is animation appealing?
Appeal is one of 12 principles of animation. As audiences like to see charm, a well thought out design, simplicity and quality. A weak drawn design or drawing can lack appeal for the viewer. Also a design that is complicated can also lack appeal. So having a balance is key. Using awkward shapes and unrealistic moves can have low appeal. (Lasseter, 1987)
Appeal is anything a person likes to see, a quality of charm, pleasing design, simplicity, communication and magnetism. “Your eye is drawn to the figure that has appeal, and, once there, it is held while you appreciate what you are seeing. A striking, heroic figure can have appeal. A villainess, even through chilling and dramatic, should have appeal” (Thomas and Johnston, 1981 p68)
Having well thought out drawing adds to appeal “Only simple and direct attitudes make good drawings and without good drawing we have little appeal” (Thomas and Johnston, 1981 p69) Also having a simple design can benefit the characters appeal “Believe it or not, simplicity is the key to designing good characters. Many times, the most amazing characters turns out to be the simplest to construct.” (Maestri, 1996, p.10)
There is a difference between appealing animation and unappealing animation is that they are not limited to subject matter, what matters is how you present your concepts, ideas and emotional highs/lows to the viewer. The important thing about appeal in animation is that the viewer feels the character is real and interesting. To help make a better connection between the character and viewer, the character must be likable and have baby like face, such as bigger eyes tends to be effective especially for children. Appeal includes having an easy to read design, solid drawing and having personality. There is no exact formula for getting this right but it starts with a strong character development and being able to tell the story through the animation. (Hurd, 2017)
Animation appeal also lies in the personalities it creates. It allows characters to develop a personality. Their actions, attitudes and appearances must mesh to create a well rounded character who will capture and keep the attention of the viewer. (PowerHouse Animation Studio, 2019)
Some examples of character with appeal:
-Exaggerated features for example bigger eyes
-Bright colours
-Simple design not overly complicated
Another factor that makes animation appealing to children is when the child can be part of the story. For example with shows such as Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. where the characters like Mickey Mouse talk to the child breaking the fourth wall and asking them questions to help with the progression of the story. (Kaur, 2014)
Animation has a universal appeal because it can be created to suit virtually anyone’s preferences. For example bright colours and simple designs can be used to create characters for children and more detailed designs can be aimed more towards adults. This versatility allows animation to adapt itself to the preferences and needs of their target audiences, regardless of their age allowing it to appeal to almost everyone. (PowerHouse Animation Studio, 2019)
References:
Hurd, E. (2017). Appeal: The 12 Basic Principles of Animation | Animation Mentor Blog. [online] Animation Mentor Blog. Available at: https://blog.animationmentor.com/appeal-the-12-basic-principles-of-animation/ [Accessed 6 Feb. 2019].
Kaur, R. (2014). Why kids love cartoons so much?. [Blog] MyIndia. Available at: https://www.mapsofindia.com/my-india/society/why-kids-love-cartoon-so-much [Accessed 3 Feb. 2019].
Lasseter, J. (1987). Principles of traditional animation applied to 3D computer animation ACM SIGGRAPH Computer Graphics, 21(4), pp.35-44. [Accessed 6 February 2019].
Maestri, G. (1996). [Digital] character animation. Indianapolis: New Riders, p.10
PowerHouse Animation Studio, I. (2019). What Makes Animation Appealing?. [online] Slideshare.net. Available at: https://www.slideshare.net/powerhouseanima/what-makes-animation-appealing [Accessed 3 Feb. 2019].
Thomas, F. and Johnston, O. (1981). The Illusion of Life Disney Animation. New York: Walt Disney Productions, pp.68 69.
Let's Talk - Project Blog 