D’source 1
Digital Learning Environment for Design - www.dsource.in
Design Course
Exposure Sheet
Animation Techniques
by
Rohit Kelkar and Prof. Phani Tetali
IDC, IIT Bombay
Source:
http://www.dsource.in/course/exposure-sheet
1. Introduction
2. A Basic X-SHEET Template
3. Conventions
4. X-SHEET in Modern Animation
Softwares
5. Video
6. Contact Details
D’source 2
Digital Learning Environment for Design - www.dsource.in
Design Course
Introduction
Exposure Sheet
Animation Techniques In the production process of any kind of animation (2D or 3D) the story is broken down into chunks called se-
by quence. Each scene consists of smaller chunks called scenes.
Rohit Kelkar and Prof. Phani Tetali
There are multiple people working on a scene/sequence in a production pipeline, so it becomes necessary to have
IDC, IIT Bombay everyone follow a common set of instructions.
Exposure sheet/ X-sheet is a tool used in animation which contains instructions to be followed for a particular
scene. It contains notes about the action, timing, camera movement and additional footnotes as required.
In old studio environment, x-sheet also served as an indispensable communication tool between the studio and
the cameraman who’d shoot the final cels into film.
Source: Since this helps the animator to create a map of the animation for others to follow, it is also popularly called a
http://www.dsource.in/course/exposure-sheet/intro- Cheat Sheet or Dope Sheet.
duction
You can act out a scene physically before you start doing the thumbnails, you can scrub through the audio and
time out exactly at which frame each vowel sound happens, and you can time out the actions the character
makes according to the audio.
1. Introduction But once all of this is laid out on an x-sheet, it becomes much easier to manage all of this and keep all those
2. A Basic X-SHEET Template things in perfect synchronization.
3. Conventions
4. X-SHEET in Modern Animation
Softwares
5. Video
6. Contact Details
D’source 3
Digital Learning Environment for Design - www.dsource.in
Design Course
A Basic X-SHEET Template
Exposure Sheet
Animation Techniques A basic template of an x-sheet comprises of a table with several rows and columns. Each row represents one
by frame of animation. A classic x-sheet holds up to 4 seconds of animation, i.e. 96 rows.
Rohit Kelkar and Prof. Phani Tetali (Many classic x-sheets also have markings for Footage, i.e. 6 feet of the film reel, and 1 foot= 16 frames.)
IDC, IIT Bombay
The sheet then has the following columns:
Action
This column holds the timing planned out for the scene, how long the scene should take; and also the action of
the character, at what point would the character have a particular pose.
Some animators also annotate the key and breakdown poses within this column to make the action clearer.
Source:
http://www.dsource.in/course/exposure-sheet/basic-
Dial
x-sheet-template
The dial holds the breakdown of the pre-recorded dialogue (or the beats of the music in case of no dialogue) to
know at which frame to hit a certain phoneme.
1. Introduction Cel Levels
2. A Basic X-SHEET Template There are generally five of those columns, each representing one layer of cel, meaning to say one x-sheet can hold
up to 5 layers of animation, although these many are never usually required.
3. Conventions
4. X-SHEET in Modern Animation Background
Softwares This column has the background numbers and for how long to hold one and when to switch to another.
5. Video
Camera
6. Contact Details The commands for the camera are put down in this column. If you want the camera to pan, or zoom in or just
shake, all of that goes in here.
D’source 4
Digital Learning Environment for Design - www.dsource.in
Design Course Scene, Sequence and Sheet numbers
Exposure Sheet The respective numbers are to be mentioned here.
Animation Techniques
by
Rohit Kelkar and Prof. Phani Tetali
IDC, IIT Bombay
Source:
http://www.dsource.in/course/exposure-sheet/basic-
x-sheet-template
1. Introduction
2. A Basic X-SHEET Template
3. Conventions
4. X-SHEET in Modern Animation
Softwares
5. Video
6. Contact Details
D’source 5
Digital Learning Environment for Design - www.dsource.in
Design Course
Conventions
Exposure Sheet
Animation Techniques The movies and animations that we watch are generally shot 24 frames per second, i.e. 24 fps.
by
Rohit Kelkar and Prof. Phani Tetali If we draw 24 drawings for one second, with each drawing held for 1 frame, the animation is said to be on Ones.
IDC, IIT Bombay If we draw 12 drawings for one second, with each drawing held for 2 frames, the animation is said to be on Twos.
While animating, you need a combination of both. It is best to animate on twos while reserving ones for very fast
actions.
So while numbering your drawings on the x-sheet while animating on twos, always use odd numbers, subse-
quently skipping every next row; and when you want to smooth something out or need a very fast action, just
Source: add in the ones with even numbers.
http://www.dsource.in/course/exposure-sheet/con-
ventions
If you want to hold a drawing for a specific number of frames, just indicate it with a straight line, and then get
back to the next odd number respective to the frame number.
1. Introduction
2. A Basic X-SHEET Template
3. Conventions
4. X-SHEET in Modern Animation
Softwares
5. Video
6. Contact Details
D’source 6
Digital Learning Environment for Design - www.dsource.in
Design Course
X-SHEET in Modern Animation Softwares
Exposure Sheet
Animation Techniques X-sheets and their usage have also evolved with the way animation is produced.
by
Rohit Kelkar and Prof. Phani Tetali Modern day animation softwares (like ToonBoom, Adobe Flash, Autodesk Maya) have a tool called Timeline,
IDC, IIT Bombay which in many ways is similar to the x-sheet, but more interactive. You can move your key frames around and
adjust your timing easily, and you can also have your recorded audio for animation on another layer and move
frame by frame on it.
Although a handful of them still have the classic x-sheet built into them along with the timeline (like ToonBoom
and Autodesk Maya), as it provides a clearer and simpler overview.
Source:
http://www.dsource.in/course/expo-
sure-sheet/x-sheet-modern-animation-softwares
1. Introduction
2. A Basic X-SHEET Template
3. Conventions
4. X-SHEET in Modern Animation
Softwares
5. Video
6. Contact Details
D’source 7
Digital Learning Environment for Design - www.dsource.in
Design Course
Exposure Sheet
Animation Techniques
by
Rohit Kelkar and Prof. Phani Tetali
IDC, IIT Bombay
Source:
http://www.dsource.in/course/expo-
sure-sheet/x-sheet-modern-animation-softwares
1. Introduction
2. A Basic X-SHEET Template
3. Conventions
4. X-SHEET in Modern Animation
Softwares
5. Video
6. Contact Details
Nonetheless, be it 2D animation or 3D animation, it is always better to have your animation planned out on paper
first, with all the key poses and the timing and spacing worked out. Hence, having a physical x-sheet always comes
in handy.
D’source 8
Digital Learning Environment for Design - www.dsource.in
Design Course
Video
Exposure Sheet
Animation Techniques
by
Rohit Kelkar and Prof. Phani Tetali
IDC, IIT Bombay
Source:
http://www.dsource.in/course/exposure-sheet/video/ Exposure Sheet Exposure Sheet - Filling X-sheet
exposure-sheet-animation
1. Introduction
2. A Basic X-SHEET Template
3. Conventions
4. X-SHEET in Modern Animation
Softwares
5. Video
6. Contact Details
Exposure Sheet - Animation
D’source 9
Digital Learning Environment for Design - www.dsource.in
Design Course Contact Details
Exposure Sheet
Animation Techniques This documentation for the course was done by
by Rohit Kelkar at IDC, IIT Bombay.
Rohit Kelkar and Prof. Phani Tetali
You can get in touch with Rohit Kelkar at
IDC, IIT Bombay
Email: rkelkar492[at]gmail.com
You could write to the following address regarding
suggestions and clarifications:
Helpdesk Details:
Source: Co-ordinator
http://www.dsource.in/course/exposure-sheet/con- Project e-kalpa
tact-details Industrial Design Centre
IIT Bombay
Powai
1. Introduction Mumbai 400076
2. A Basic X-SHEET Template India
3. Conventions Phone: 091-22-25767820/ 7801/ 7802
4. X-SHEET in Modern Animation Fax: 091-22-25767803
Softwares Email: dsource.in[at]gmail.com
5. Video
6. Contact Details
