Style Development in Animation and Game – Will Weston

Style development in animation & game design isn’t random or simply personal. It can indicate the age range of the viewers, the type of story being told, and even the physics of a film. Style also falls into general stylistic categories that can be mixed or used individually. Most importantly, animation or game styles are built around the story being told. In this 8-week (9 lessons) class, we start with a few exercises, then take a story, break it down and develop stylistic options and combinations that serve storytelling needs. I default to animation, but the skills and concepts are transferable so students can choose game design or even graphic novels if they wish. At the end of this class, students will have samples demonstrating their understanding of the visual development process. Most commercial media today is digital, but my students’ interests are varied so students may work digitally, traditionally, or combine the two (this can produce interesting results). All my Drawing America classes involve lectures, presentations, and individual recorded critiques of student work every week.