Model sheet
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
In animation, a model sheet is a document used to help standardize the appearance, poses, and gestures of an animated character. Model sheets are required when large numbers of artists are involved in the production of an animated film to help maintain continuity in characters from scene to scene, as one animator may only do one shot out of the several hundred that are required to complete an animated feature film.
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[edit] Purposes
Model sheets have also been used in the past to maintain graphic continuity over the years for long lasting cartoon productions of short or short features such as the Looney Tunes or Merrie Melodies series.
Model sheets are drawings of posed cartoon or comic strip characters that are created to provide a reference template for several artists who collaborate in the production of a lengthy or multiple-edition work of art such as a comic book, animated film or television series. Model sheets usually depict the character’s head and body as they appear at various angles (a process known as “model rotation“), includes sketches of the character’s hands and feet, and shows a several basic facial expressions.
Model sheets ensure that, despite the efforts of several or many artists, their work exhibits unity, as if one artist created the drawings (that is, they are “on model”). They show the character's structure, proportions, attire, and body language. Often, several sheets are required to depict a character’s subtler emotional and physical attitudes.
[edit] Specific annotations
Model sheets also provide notes that present specific information about how to develop particular features of the character, such as his or her head shape, hair length and style, size and position of the eyes and the mouth.
[edit] Examples
There used to be a lot of model sheets on the internet, however many animation studios demanded people to take them down. Model sheets are not in public domain. Some of these are specific to particular completed or ongoing projects, whereas others are more general and inclusive of a studio’s entire collection of characters. Animation studios besides Disney and fans also post model sheets on their Internet Web sites. Larry’s Toon Institute provides a generic model sheet for the purpose of introducing the concept of model sheets [1].
There is also an online model sheet for DC Comics' Superfriends [2] and Archie Comics. In some cases, these sheets may have been posted by fans or others rather than the company or studio that owns the characters.
[edit] Copyright
Not only the characters are copyrighted. Model sheets and any material created by the Animation Studio is protected by copyright. They are not supposed to be copied and distributed on the internet without the permission of the animation studio. A few websites owners that were displaying model sheets were asked to remove most of its content. However you may be able to find generic model sheets, and a few animation studios have them on their websites. Not everything is fair use. For more information on copyright issues, fair use, please check the website of the Copyright Office.
[edit] Unintended uses
Although model sheets originally are intended for artists who work for the studios that own the characters for which these templates are developed, other artists, such as those who create fan art, profit from them by adapting their characters to their own uses. In addition, parents often download and print model sheets as free coloring books for their children. Individuals should remember that the characters depicted on such model sheets are owned by their creator and are protected by copyright.ja:キャラクターデザイン zh:人物設計
