Summary Week Two

Max Hattler
Max Hattler began his art journey at a young age, as a child he mainly stuck to drawing
and painting mediums. He states that these mediums have a lot to do with animation as they are
tied closely together. He also claims that his work has a lot to do with abstraction, with many of
his ideas stemming from conceptual drawings and ideas. He also specializes in frame by frame
animation. This is all in the aim to take the viewer to “alternative spaces” outside of everyday
life. Animation is not solely about solid drawing, rather music, texture, lighting and overall mood
play a huge role in how the audience perceives an animation; playing heavily with the viewers
own imagination.

Steam-Boat Willie
Steamboat Willie is a classic film by Walt Disney, which showcases their most famous
character Mickey Mouse. The animation begins with an establishing shot of the steamboat, as it
moves down the river. Mickey is then seen inside said boat, steering the ship and whistling a
tune to himself. Suddenly a large cat-like creature appears looking very menacing, he grabs
Mickey, pulling him from the steering wheel; and as the genre suggests: no real words are
spoken. Mickey is kicked out and tumbles down the stairs as the angry cat begins to chew
tobacco. The boat then pulls up to a dock filled with animals, such as chickens and cows.
Mickey attempts to move the cow to the boat, but the cow is an incorrect size, which Mickey
then fixes by feeding the cow more hay. At this point Minnie Mouse comes rushing toward them,
but arrives too late as the boat is on its way out of port. Mickey sees this and pulls Minnie onto
the boat with a large hook. Unfortunately for Minnie one of the animals on board eats her
possessions, that being music sheets and a ukulele. As a way to solve this Mickey spins the tail
of the animal turning it into a record player, as they dance beside it. Mickey begins making more
instruments out of the house hold items he finds, this includes a washer, trashcan and even a cat,
goose, pig and cow. Once he finishes the song the angry cat comes back and punishes him by
making him peel potatoes. Mickey throws one of the potatoes at a pestering bird and the short
animation ends.

Chapter Three

Chapter thee is centered around space, movement and composition. It begins by telling us
both the elements of design (line, value, color, texture, shape, form, space) and the principals of
design (balance, pattern, emphasis, scale, contrast unity.) Shape is the perimeter around a two
dimensional shape. Shape is determined by an objects line, and is not subject to change, like
other elements of design. Form is the suggestion of three dimensionality from a two-dimensional
shape. Space refers to the way an object or character is placed/relates to a plane. Balance is the
way multiple objects interact cohesively in a plane. Pattern refers to the way an element repeats
within a plane. Emphasis is the “visual weight” of an object in reference to its plane. Scale is the
size of an object relative to its plane. Contrast refers to the emphasis of specific features of a
piece. Lastly unity is how all these elements work together cohesively.