1-2-3
Animated Picture
Sometimes the smallest movements bring the biggest magic. Inspired by calming, looping animations like those from LoFi Girl, an animated idle scene adds subtle motion to an otherwise still image—making it feel alive, immersive, and full of quiet energy. Whether it’s flickering lights, drifting smoke, or gently swaying leaves, these small details create atmosphere and mood without distracting from the overall scene.
Your Mission is to design and animate a looping animated picture that brings a peaceful, everyday moment to life. You’ll focus on subtle, smooth animation cycles that enhance atmosphere and storytelling without overwhelming the viewer.
​
​Project Goals
-
Learn basic principles of animation and looping cycles
-
Experiment with subtle movement to create mood and atmosphere
-
Use digital tools to combine illustration and animation seamlessly
-
Develop storytelling through visual detail and motion
FIRST: make sure your KRITA is set up correctly for animating
Level 1
You MUST do all of the animation exercises below:
If you have already completed an Animation Cycle (this semester)
you may either:
- repeat one or more of the exercises to see if you can do better / faster.
- skip ahead to the assignments for this project.
1
Rolling Ball
(Timing)
Animate a ball rolling along a roller coaster.
2
Bouncing Ball
(Stretch & Squish)
Animate a ball rolling off the abrupt end of a rollercoaster and bouncing on the ground.
3
The Potato Sack
(Path of Action)
Animate a little potato sack hopping (flopping?) from one side of the canvas to the other
4
Jumping and Falling
(Follow Through)
Animate a simple character jumping up and falling back down ​​​​​
All four exercises should be completed within ONE 5-day week.
LVL1 CHECKPOINT
AFTER completing ALL 4 exercises,
but BEFORE moving on:​
​
1) Name your files correctly:
-
Firstname-Lastname-CycleNumber-Project-Level-ExerciseNumber
-
ex) Laura-Ulrich-1-Rotoscope-1-1RollingBall
-
ex) Laura-Ulrich-1-Rotoscope-1-2BouncingBall
-
-
Failure to follow this naming protocol will lead to a missing mark.
-
Use hyphens in image or file names --- no spaces.
-
Even though Windows and Mac computers allow spaces, the web is built on systems that do not handle spaces well. When a file name has a space, web browsers often change it to %20, which can cause broken links or make files not load correctly.
-
Using hyphens (-) instead of spaces helps your files work properly online.
-
​
2) Do the level 1 reflection
-
Move it to your Media Design folder in your OneDrive.
-
RENAME IT
-
Firstname-Lastname-CycleNumber-Project-Level
-
ex) Laura-Ulrich-1-ActionFigure-1
-
-
Answer the questions. You can focus on one exercise or answer for both.
​
3) Hand in all 5 files
Level 2
​BEFORE YOU BEGIN
​1) GET the level 2 DESIGN BOOKLET
-
Move it to your Media Design folder in your OneDrive.
-
RENAME IT
-
Firstname-Lastname-CycleNumber-Project-Level
-
ex) Laura-Ulrich-1-ActionFigure-2
-
Failure to follow this naming protocol will lead to a missing mark.
-
​
2) Choose your level 2 assignment (below)​
​​
3) Start the booklet before starting your assignment
-
Answer the questions in the following sections:
-
The Assignment-ID and timeline questions.
-
KNOW WHAT YOU’RE PRACTICING​
-
FEEDBACK
-
PLAN YOUR APPROACH
-
​
4) do your assignment​
Pick and Do 1 Assignment:
A
Swinging Rope
Animate a looping swinging rope to practice follow-through, overlap, and smooth wave-like motion.
​
focus on:
-
follow-through and overlapping action
-
smooth arcs and wave motion
-
clean, seamless looping
​
Choose this if you want to practice smooth, natural motion that feels fluid and continuous.
B
2-Second Transformation
Create a short looping animation where one shape or object smoothly transforms into another.​
​
focus on:
-
clear start and end shapes
-
smooth in-between motion
-
a loop that resets cleanly
​
Choose this if you enjoy experimenting with transformation and creative transitions.
LVL2 CHECKPOINT
AFTER completing your assignment,
but BEFORE moving on:​
​
1) Name your file(s) correctly:
-
Firstname-Lastname-CycleNumber-Project-Level-WhichOneYouPicked​
-
ex) Laura-Ulrich-1-AnimatedPicture-2-ASwingingRopeKrita
-
-
Failure to follow this naming protocol will lead to a missing mark.
​
2) FINISH the level 2 reflection​
-
aka the last section in the Design Booklet.
​
3) Hand in BOTH (2) files
Level 3
The Project
Time to get started! For this project, you will create an animated picture — a drawn scene that comes to life through subtle, looping animations. This style is often used in lo-fi animations, game backgrounds, and ambient visuals.
​
Your goal is to tell a mood, moment, or story through small, intentional movements rather than big actions.
Instead of animating everything, you’ll choose what moves, when it moves, and why.
​
​​​​​​BEFORE YOU BEGIN
​1) GET the level 3 DESIGN BOOKLET
-
Move it to your Media Design folder in your OneDrive.
-
RENAME IT
-
Firstname-Lastname-CycleNumber-Project-Level
-
ex) Laura-Ulrich-1-ActionFigure-3​
-
​
​2) fill out the booklet as you do the project.
Your Animated Picture must include:
-
One fully illustrated scene (interior or exterior)
-
2–4 looping animations within the scene
-
A total loop length of 20–30 seconds
-
At least:
-
One continuous loop (e.g., snow, rain, steam, flickering light)
-
One occasional or triggered loop (e.g., page turning, blinking, curtain swaying)
-
-
Clear separation of layers for background, midground, and animated elements
-
A seamless loop that plays smoothly from start to finish
​
Focus on:
-
Subtle, believable motion
-
Looping cleanly (no visible jumps or pops)
-
Using animation to support mood and atmosphere
-
Making intentional choices about what doesn’t move
Ready to Make?
-
Software: Krita
-
Canvas size: 1920 × 1080 pixels
-
Frame rate: 12 FPS
-
Total animation length: 20–30 seconds
-
Your final animation must loop cleanly
​​​​​
To Help You Get Started:
Here is a recorded video tutorial to help you.
​
1) Choose a Scene with a Mood
Pick a simple setting that feels calm, cozy, lonely, peaceful, or mysterious.
Examples:
-
A bedroom at night
-
A café on a rainy day
-
A snowy street
-
A quiet forest or beach
Think about how it should feel, not what’s happening.
​
2) Decide What Moves
(and What Doesn’t)
In your Design Booklet's Prototype section, list:
-
1 thing that moves constantly
-
1–2 things that move occasionally
-
1 thing that stays completely still
Stillness is part of good animation.
3) Plan Your Loops
For each animated element, decide:
-
How long the loop is (e.g., 1 second, 3 seconds)
-
How often it repeats within the full 20–30 seconds
-
Whether loops overlap or play separately
Sketch or thumbnail your loop timing before animating. Trying drawing a simple line--- and mark along it when your different loops play.
4) Animate in Layers
-
Animate one loop at a time
-
Test each loop on its own
-
Then combine them into the full scene
Keep animations simple and readable.
​
​
a REMINDER:
This project is not about doing more drawings — it’s about making smart animation choices. A quiet scene with 3 well-designed loops is stronger than a busy scene where everything moves.
​​​
​​
This project brings together everything you practiced in Levels 1 and 2:
you've got this!​​​
LVL3 CHECKPOINT
AFTER completing your project:​
​
1) Name your file(s) correctly:
-
Firstname-Lastname-CycleNumber-Project-Level​
-
ex) Laura-Ulrich-1-Rotoscope-3Krita
-
ex) Laura-Ulrich-1-Rotoscope-3Final
-
-
Failure to follow this naming protocol will lead to a missing mark.
​
2) FINISH the level 3 reflection​
-
aka the last section in the Design Booklet.
​
3) Hand in aLL 3 files
​
4) Return to the Media Design page and repeat the 1-2-3 cycle with a new project!​​