2D Animation
by Happy Trails

The Happy Trails Animation team shares their 2D animation workflow secrets as they talk about the tools and techniques they use to create edgy, organic animation. Happy Trails is known for pushing the envelope of mediums, techniques and movements to create unique, humanistic animations for commercials and short-films.

As an independent studio in Portland, OR, Happy Trails has found that technology plays an important role in maintaining an advantage in the competitive world of animation. In this 74 minute DVD titled "2D animation", Happy Trails' principles, Andy and Amy Collen candidly discuss why they choose specific products from such manufacturers as Macromedia, Wacom, Bauhaus, and Adobe. They talk about using Bauhaus Mirage and Macromedia Flash as a comprehensive animation environment in their digital workflow that they feel is vital for an animator be highly efficient.

This DVD provides a detailed look at using a completely digital workflow to create a 2D animation project as well as using digital technology to seamlessly edit and enhance an animated short film that was initially created with pen on paper. Segments in the 2D animation project include techniques in Flash including: animating, drawing extremes, drawing breakdowns, inbetweening, inking and coloring. Segments in the animated short film using Mirage to blend traditional and digital art include: editing and adding detail, as well as adding a pan and scan camera move.