Anime-Beta TNG

wELCOME cONSUMER wrote: I like the suggestion about an animated sequence, but I fear exactly how complex incorporating such a category might be. Things like load time, bandwidth and file size are all things that would have to be considered. And if only one or two people were going to submit entries to such a category, I don't see it as a worthwhile pursuit. However, if someone can detail the process here (perhaps throw together a simple tutorial) for people interested in submitting entries to this category, then we could figure out a way to incorporate this new idea. If enough people are eager to submit entries, then we can try to make it work.

A great free tool (it's open source I think) to aid in the creation of motion gifs is called Gimp.

Personally, what I do first, is get the cel/sketch onto the computer in a digital file format.

Then I clean it up in Adobe Photoshop (currently running Elements). I do each sketch in the setup in its own layer. I line up the registration holes at the top. I make them slightly transparent to do this.

Part of the clean up process involves blanking out the while background (usually marked by X's when its in doubt between characters).
Another part is making sure the lines are darkened.

I keep a majority of the notes the animator made on the sketches.

When all this is complete, I make sure that instances where I am supposed to merge layers (hand/eye/mouth) are done on the appropriate layers.

I resize the image to a smaller size, to shorten the download time.

After all this, I save this file under a new name, and keep it as a psd file with all the layers intact/still seperate -this means there are no "partial" layers. Mouth layers are merged with Faces that are supposed to have that mouth layer.

I open this file in Gimp. Double check to make sure that they are in the correct order.

Go to filters --> Animation --> choose "Optimize for Gif"

I save it as a Gif file.
I chose the animation setting.

There is a step I may have missed in Gimp. But I think that is pretty much all there is to it. Hope it helps.

edit: needed to add the forgotten step in gimp.

RoboFlonne wrote:I think 3 awards are nice!

1. Platinum
2. Gold
3. Silver

I was thinking Gold, Silver and Bronze. Platinum and silver look too similar in color anyway.

kymaera wrote:"Anything Goes"

I like this name because of Ranma. Change made.

Thanks for the tutorials guys. Some links to where these programs might be downloaded may be helpful as well.

Is there a general feeling of dislike for the Group category? If I removed it, I still would not bring back Couple and simply drop the notion all together. I'm starting to think Couple/Group is no longer necessary because the other categories cover enough emotions and scenarios. I don't know. What do you guys think? If it was removed, it would probably be replaced by the animated sequence category.

Spare some change?

I like that there is a romance category

I'd like to see cels of groups myself, so I'd like to see the Group category stay.

What about merging Children / Cute in the same category?. I know there are non-cute children, but if we name it something like "Childish / Cuteish" it might work. If we can only have one i also prefer the cute one.

As for the "Anything goes" category i still have my doubts about it. As it doesn't have a conrete theme we would be comparing completely different cels.

As for the animated sequences category, looks like a good idea to me. And as creating these animations takes a lot of work, we could make make this category like an "additional category". I mean, say for example that we can submit 4 entries to the contest, then it would be 4 (max) + 1 optional to the animated category. This way we may be able to get more entries on this category.

darksuzaku wrote:If we name it something like "Childish / Cuteish" it might work.

That makes no more sense than "creatureish/cuteish". As soon as you throw the word "cute" in there, you limit a category significantly.

"Men", "Women" and "Children" covers all human bases. BUT, while super cute makes my teeth ache... if some people love it, I don't see why we shouldn't just keep it. It's not as though one more category will make or break the balance.

A couple of questions (that may have already been answered!)

Are Rilezu cels permitted in any category? And what is the difference between them and Hanken?

Also, about fan cels - are they just allowed in the 'Fan Art' category, or can we nominate them in some of the others? I have one that would be perfect in another category, but I don't want to be causing pandemonium.

Thank ya very much!

Although I have no intentions of entering it, I would like to see the "group" category. A lot of the cels I admire in various galleries are simply nice group-shots, and would probably not fit into any of the other categories offered.


As for the "animated sequence" category...that seems pretty restrictive, in my personal opinion. It is VERY rare to see a collector with a whole sequence of cels, so this category would almost exclusively be for people who collect the 'paper' aspect of animation (ie - newer shows) and who are tech-savvy enough to properly animate a sequence. Most individual douga are rather plain-looking, so I don't see this category as asthetically pleasing as the others. Just my two cents.

JuniorMintKiss wrote:
Are Rilezu cels permitted in any category?

Yep! Relizu's! Are ok for any category!

ReiTheJelly wrote:Although I have no intentions of entering it, I would like to see the "group" category. A lot of the cels I admire in various galleries are simply nice group-shots, and would probably not fit into any of the other categories offered.


As for the "animated sequence" category...that seems pretty restrictive, in my personal opinion. It is VERY rare to see a collector with a whole sequence of cels, so this category would almost exclusively be for people who collect the 'paper' aspect of animation (ie - newer shows) and who are tech-savvy enough to properly animate a sequence. Most individual douga are rather plain-looking, so I don't see this category as asthetically pleasing as the others. Just my two cents.

I was sorta looking forward to an animated sequence catagory.

I wouldn't say you have to be tech-savvy. Just persistant...and perhaps a bit loopy as well.
It helps.

It seems to be easier to have cel sequences from shows like DaDaDa. Stuff that was pretty neat, but didn't catch on as much because it never came over except for fansubs...

I dunno. Couldn't Genga be used for the animated sequence catagory? Or, is it limited strictly to douga and cels? Genga can be quite nice and colorful sometimes. Its nice to see everything that goes into making a cel. At least, thats why I find them so attractive. The bare bones. Although, its more of a underlying structer that is used to build upon. ^_^

They're just pretty.

wELCOME cONSUMER wrote:Since we are opting for a time limit on submissions, should the number of entries per person be lowered from 5 (last year's max) to 4?

I don't know about this... it seems like it would put certain categories at an even bigger disadvantage (such as Mecha, which got so few entries last year).

JuniorMintKiss wrote:Also, about fan cels - are they just allowed in the 'Fan Art' category, or can we nominate them in some of the others? I have one that would be perfect in another category, but I don't want to be causing pandemonium.

You'll have to wait for an official response, but I'd say it will be negative, considering that this contest is based on the collection of production artwork. I prefer it separate because of this, and also because fan cels can span from something that looks like it is from an episode to something that looks better than most hanken cels.

ReiTheJelly wrote:As for the "animated sequence" category...that seems pretty restrictive, in my personal opinion.

No more restrictive than hanken, to those who can't afford, or female to those who collect males only, or hentai.

It is VERY rare to see a collector with a whole sequence of cels

It is rare, but I've had partial sequences of cels myself, which should also qualify.

Most individual douga are rather plain-looking

I agree somewhat, but the category wouldn't be about individual douga. When you put douga or shuusei or genga or roughs or cels together in sequence, the artwork acquires an entirely new dimension, which in some ways I find more beautiful than any single cel or sketch. For one, I feel the love for the art that the collector put into the GIF, because I know how much time it takes to scan and animate a twelve, a twenty, a seventy page set. The artwork changes from static images to dynamic art that can reveal even more about a show and its characters.

Votecounter checking in

Not Sir Phobos wrote:Votecounter checking in

So! Should I send my votes to you Phobos-san!

I suppose my point about the animated sequences is that the award would be going to the person who did the best job making an animated gif - not the person who necessarily owned the "best" artwork. It just doesn't seem to be in keeping with the other categories.
Once again, just my opinion.

ReiTheJelly wrote:I suppose my point about the animated sequences is that the award would be going to the person who did the best job making an animated gif - not the person who necessarily owned the "best" artwork. It just doesn't seem to be in keeping with the other categories.
Once again, just my opinion.

Wouldn't that be the general idea though? I mean frankly if the douga,genga, or cel that you use to animate looks like a car (in my defintition crap = poor looking but thats besides the point) then regardless how well you animate it, the end result will not look as good as someone with a great sketch etc who did not so good of a job animating.

I mean realistically,

Crap sequence + animated = crap result

vs.

Good seqence + animated = good result

Even if the individual with the "not so good" doesn't put forth half the amount of effort as the individual with the crap sequence, I am sure the quality will compensate for smooth animation etc.

This is of course my oppinon.