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Student Work

Animation & Illustration

The State University of New York at Fredonia 2022 - 2024

Ball & Tail Project - Introduction to 2D Animation

Ella Maines, James Gibbons, & Nova Sawyer

In this project students combine newly gained knowledge of the animation principles of timing and spacing, weight, squash and stretch, anticipation, wave, and overshoot to create an engaging animation starring a ball with a tail. Students can either choose to make the ball an inanimate object or make it a living being. This project also challenges their sense of pacing.

Flour Sack Project - Introduction to 2D Animation

Elliot O’Grady, Lucas Wingfield, & Bo Braithwaite

The flour sack project comes from an old Disney exercise in which students must animate a living sack of flour. It is a great first character animation project and necessitates that students incorporate all of the beginning skills that they learn through simpler exercises in the opening weeks of the semester.

Introduction to 2D Animation - Rotoscope

Julia Gorman, Laura Pollock, Nate Dennis, & Nathan VanVolkinburg

This project requires students to act or direct in their own reference video to use as the base for a rotoscope animation. They are encouraged to play with possible styles through exploratory drawings before the animation process begins. 

Cut-out Animation - Introduction to 2D Animation

“Maris” by Pamela Pantin

Students go through an entire pre-production unit which includes rounds of storyboards, designs, sound design, and the creation of an animatic before they are able to build and animate their paper cut-out. They have full creative freedom with the content of the animation. Some of the only requirements are that the animation is made in Dragonframe with a top-down camera setup and that the final film incorporates sound design of some kind.

Cut-out Animation - Introduction to 2D Animation

“Cattle Ranch” by Isabella Weber

Another example of a sucessful cut-out animation.

Climate Design Blitz - Intermediate 2D Animation

Nate Dennis & Heaven Warner

In this1-week project initiated by a visiting artist, students worked in groups to visualize a future version of the place they currently live if we handle the climate crisis well. Nate’s team found a nearby abandoned building and reimagined it as a self-sustained co-living space with rooftop gardens and community center. Heaven’s group focused on equity and bringing fresh water and urban farms to city spaces.

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Morph Project - Intermediate 2D Animation

Ella Maines, Roen Cloutier, & Evie Osborne

The morph project challenges students to dedicate themselves to a thorough design process and link two symbols through animation. Students explore ways to create meaning through juxtaposition and transition. They also gain a lot of experience in iterative design, solid drawing, and 2D effects animation.

Animated Documentary - Intermediate 2D Animation

“The Beach” by Emily Neiswonger & Cameron Kerr-Smith

The Animated Documentary project asks students to use animation to respond or interpret research or unscripted source material. They are given a lot of freedom to explore a topic and animation technique of their choice. They are also given the option to work individually or collaboratively. 

Animated Documentary - Intermediate 2D Animation

“Abstractions, the lake” by Luke Johnson

A very different approach to the animated documentary project. Luke decided to work with layers of abstraction. He wrote a poem based on a real experience he had the previous semester and then interpreted it further through abstract character and symbol.

Animated Documentary - Intermediate 2D Animation

“The Sentiments of Nicotine” by Jules Schmidt

Many students see an opportunity to use the project to learn about personal histories and to connect with family. Jule’s wanted to explore a very human side of her family members’ relationship to nicotine addiction without casting judgement. 

Illustrated Book (WIP) - Advanced Animation & Illustration

Cameron Kerr-Smith

This is the work-in-progress first spread of a picture book written and illustrated by Cameron Kerr-Smith. She is currently on track to finish her 42 page book about two sisters created from an artist’s trash, navigating both the dangers of their new world and the tensions of their sibling relationship.

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Animatic (WIP) - Independent Studio Project

“Departure” by Evie Osborne

The working animatic made as part of an Independent Studio Project. Evie is currently working on finalizing background designs and beginning rough animation. When a student wants to create an entire short film, I work with them on a pre-production phase for the first half of their final year. Animation and post-production are typically done in the second half. I encourage student-directors to solicit production help from younger students so that all involved gain experience in a collaborative pipeline.

Comic - Advanced Animation & Illustration Project

“Dream Bound” by Bella Krawczyk

Sample pages from a comic made as a semester-long project for Advanced Animation & Illustration. Bella successfully reached the goal of completing the first chapter of a graphic novel they are developing.

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Doll Line Design - Advanced Animation & Illustration Project

“Mythic U” by Guinevere Devlin

This extensive design project included character turnarounds, schematic fabrication plans, alternate outfits, packaging design, and story beat illustration for a line of six original dolls. Gwen also developed a unique story and description for each character and completed a prototype of one doll by the end of the semester.

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Visual Development - Advanced Animation & Illustration Project

“Wastelands” by Devon Kennedy

These samples represent two of many design pages made as part of a visual development project for an original video game. Devon explored all of the components (characters, landscape features, interior and exterior building spaces, props, and material call-outs) needed to visualize a human outposte on an alien planet.   

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2D Animated Game - Capstone Project

“Butcher’s Lament” by Fern Anderson

Fern wrote, animated, and coded the opening stage of their game which explores a limbo-world after death where characters grapple with mistakes made on Earth.  As the game progresses, the main character is torn between groups who embrace community and characters who are fueled by greed.

© Abbey Paccia 2016.

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