How to match a drawn Chinese character to a database of stroke animations?

How to make hand drawn 2D animations?

• I'm 15 and I want to become an animator. People from CalArts that I've spoken to that are in the animation program to start off with regular pencil animations. Thing is, I HAVE NO IDEA how! I was thinking, if I draw my drawings and scan them onto my computer, is there an animation software that can take those scans and animate them?

• Answer:

  There are programs, Toon Boom for example. However, it is important that you know the basics to check if the outcome is right. Take note, every character animates differently in various situations. Hm... sounds confusing. Let's put it this way. A geeky boy walks differently from a bully ones. And that bully kid may scram like hell when he's scared -- all depending on how the story goes. Computers are created only to assist. No worries, an animator doesn't need to put up much detail in his drawings, it's the clean-up's and in-betweener's job. He focuses on how a movement progresses to another every frame in a certain pace. I used to be in that industry, and believe me people who work in pencils are respected, paid higher, and advance faster in their careers than those who can't work w/o their computers. Try searching for local indie animation studios. They are usually open for trainees. And another thing, if you could buy Preston Blair's animation books like this one: http://www.amazon.com/Cartoon-Animation-Collectors-Preston-Blair/dp/1560100842#reader_1560100842 do so. They're cheaper than other animation books yet very direct & easy to understand. I had one & it helped me alot. Visit this site too: http://www.animationarchive.org/2006/05/media-preston-blairs-animation-first.html Preston Blair was the god who put Mickey into life in Disney's Fantasia. ;)