DVD Descriptions:

Character Design for Animation Part 1 - Headshots and Creating Compelling Personalities with Gil Rimmer

In this DVD, Gil Rimmer simultaneously develops two characters, Francis and Paulo, who are classic pugilists in a fictional turn of the century metropolis. This first in a two DVD series focuses on creating the faces and heads of the two fighters, using dynamic silhouettes, rhythms, graphic design and composition principles. Gil stresses the various visual relationships within individual characters while addressing the complementary relationship between the two fighters. Through a methodical process, beginning with a design brief followed by reference gathering, through traditional approaches to silhouette design and ending on detailed orthographic views and expression sheets, Gil shares his thoughts about the design process and its place in the animation production pipeline.

Character Design for Animation Part 2 - Look and Feel, Full Body Character Development with Gil Rimmer

In this second in a two DVD series, Gil continues to develop Francis' and Paulo's designs into full-body orthographic and 3/4 views. The demonstration finally culminates in a "look and feel" master shot posing the fighters in an alley behind Paulo's butcher shop. In the process, Gil reinforces the key principles from the first DVD: dynamic silhouettes, rhythms, graphic design and composition. He then explores the design brief further, introducing unique lighting approaches, shadow and light relationships, larger composition fundamentals, color treatments to complement the mood, and applying textures, atmosphere and visual effects to enhance the final result.