Animation – is Illustrator what I should be using?

i have illustrator part of cs6 master suite, purchased indesign, photoshop , premiere. while using premiere, i've had dip regularly encore, audition , after effects, yet haven't opened illustrator. i'm hoping here can save me time advising me whether illustrator suitable purposes. i'm not professional, keen amateur, want use quality software , equipment finest job can.

 

 

background

i'll using premiere converting audio-visuals hd format. in 1980s right three-screen slide shows. challenge transforming 4.5:1 format 16:9, but, partner says, keep me out of mischief. part of transforming, i'll introducing small number of video clips (hence need premiere) , short animation sequences, 10 seconds @ most. have little idea of software use animation, of software in adobe collection illustrator seemed @ least have right name, here am.

 

 

some thoughts

i have friend, steve, watercolour , sketch artist, , he's quite keen animation. has shown me few shorts he's done on ipad finger. said him: "we can better that". idea is:

 

1. buy wacom cintiq 22hd fancy pens, connect imac, , open appropriate software.
2. sit steve in front of cintiq , let him go.
3. steve wields pen generate outline of first frame. no colouring in, no background @ stage, 'pencil test' type of thing. chuck jones' sketches road runner cartoon, except better (i can dream, can't i?)
4. steve might generate 24 fps smooth motion, might decide draw 12 (or 8) per second , have software interpolate missing frames – if that's possible.
5. when we're happy 'pencil test', background , colouring in done.
6. when finished, project imported premier become part of audio-visual.

 

 

illustrator or else?

is illustrator suitable want do? if not, suitable software? won't doing complicated stuff 3d, plain animations – character in motion against background may in motion.

another option, since have cs6 master collection flash, allow animations.

 

you may want flash creating frame-by-frame animation using keyframes, onion skinning, etc.

http://www.adobe.com/devnet/flash/learning_guide/animation/part04.html

http://help.adobe.com/en_us/flash/cs/using/ws4c0e4220-5c0c-44c0-b58d-496a5424c78b.html

 

you can work illustrator , flash, exporting illustrator layers frames, etc.,

http://help.adobe.com/en_us/illustrator/cs/using/ws714a382cdf7d304e7e07d0100196cbc5f-6358a .html

http://helpx.adobe.com/flash/using/illustrator-ai-files-flash.html

 

flash works pretty after effects , premier, basic info can seen here:

http://help.adobe.com/en_us/flash/cs/using/ws4333d4c7-7e7d-4284-bc4f-754b9cce8b78.html

 

why not starters, sit friend down , see software best, determin starting point workflow , outcome?

 

anyway, food thought , further pondering.

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