Boarding Action

The above sequence was done by Vadim Bazanov for RIO. I really like his simple yet clear style.

Two things you need to know about boarding action:

• Draw lots of panels

• Animate it!!

Your main goal is to show the action clearly. Cool action does not necessarily mean flashy camera work and cool angles. Those things can help but you've got to have the drawing chops to pull it off. More importantly is finding the right key pose or combination of poses that describes the action the clearest.

Observe:

The punch in the first instance is staged poorly. The secong punch is only one drawing but works so much better. Often times the aftermath of an action tells more than the lead up.

Approach to Action

Think about the story you have to board and then start drawing shots. Doesn't matter if they are in order or not, just EXPLORE! Find the best angle! This is what I was getting you to do in the last assignment.

Sometimes you have more than one right angle. Trial and error! You can rearrange the shots later.

Remember the red dot? The same thing applies double in your action sequences. Once you have the viewers attention on a certain spot on the board keep it there.

You need variation on your boards to keep the illusion of movement going in your boards. Use opposing action arcs and 2 or 3 drawing cycles.

Notice the opposing body positions. It makes the visuals more interesting.

Silhouette!!!!

Remember to keep your silhouettes clear.  What's the guy on the right doing? Who knows? If your silhouette is clear, your drawing will most likely read.

Avoid repetition in your shot selection. Don't always go for the low angle foreground shot with something off in the distance. If you find that you are repeating a certain kind of shot, freeze frame some action scenes and learn some new shots.

Effects

You can also spice up your panels with effects:

Thumbnails

I never do thumbnails. I think it's a waste of time. Draw it full size because if you make a good drawing it's done! You can use it! You don't have to draw it 'for real'.

Check out all the different shots here. Observe the background, it moves while the character stays in one place. You'd learn alot if you reverse boarded this sequence.