Colouring Pixar
Sunday, 16 December 2012
Below is a full colour script of part of the incredibles movie by Pixar.In this it clearly shouts excitment in colour and the influence that they will have on the viewer.Each shot shows clear areas of interest and changes within mood from one board to the next.As we can see it is obvious to tell that the top right 4 images has a clearly gloomy mood to theme while the middle section incorporates excitement and action from the deep red hues to the shadowy shades of blue,While the end 2 images show a much more calm and collected mood with tints of blues and no colours and are too bold or provoking.The story seems to flow through with colour by its side leading the way, each shot flows to the next in colour relating to the previous and the one after.By doing this Pixar are able to achieve a relationship between each shot making sure that the viewer is always drawn into the movie and never lost between shots.Clearly the life within the Pixar movies comes partly from there use of colour.
The overarching themes
Pixar has lead the way through there films always following a clear structure to what they do and how they produce films.There use of colour is amazingly perfected every time an the way they use it to tell there stories is influential.There clear use of all colour theories brings there stories to life and tell the audience exactly what is going on with any words needing to be used.As previously mentioned Saturation seems to be a major player within there work to create the emotional connection that each story needs while there use of broken colours help to bring out there clearly well composed scenes and emphasize exactly where the focal point in the scene is.The audience are lead through there films hand in hand and are told exactly where to look,There use of tints and shades allow the viewer to be drawn into each scene making areas pop out and others fall into darkness.They show a understanding of colour in a much more meaningful way and adapt there colours to help tell the story.By using there colour scripts they can easily plan out what is going to happening with the colour in each sequence and make sure that every part has the emotional connection it deserves.
Here we see all areas of colour theory in one. The saturated and desaturated areas of the middle bottom image of the colour script, the deep hues and harmonious colours of the third colour script, the use of broken colours in the bottom right image,the use of colour proportion in the second from top colour script and finally the use of tints and shades in the top left image.All of these areas adding up to what makes a very influential and strong colour/story lead film.
Tints and Shades
Tints and shades can be used in the most simple ways but can be used to go a long way within a scene.In the image below from up in can be seen that only tints and shades have been used this allows for a very interesting and different looking scene.It clearly demonstrates how by just using one colour and its tints and shades the whole image can be brought to life.the shadows areas still seem rich in colour while the much bright areas pop from the image emphasizing what is meant to be seen.The eye is directed to the focal point and we understand exactly what is going on.By limiting the colour palette the scene can become a lot more interesting and different, allowing the audience to be transported to another place and pulled into the scene. it clearly shows that by limiting your colour palette this does not necessarily you will be removing the life from the image.
Saturation
Saturation is a simple colour theory but can be used in amazing ways. Pixar show this in all there work and try to incorporate it in every area they can.
In the images above we can see how they differ so much from one another,the top image shows a clearly desaturate tone within the image and tells the story and mood in a simple way.We can see how the character is feeling and the use of colour helps to influence this.Saturation can either bring a scene to life or push in back into a much darker and gloomy place.By mastering this it can be seen that anything is achievable and what ever mood you would like to create can be done in the simplest of ways.In the second image we can see how it is much more saturated and full of life,the use of bright purples and the bright yellow/white bulb creates a strong complimentary while the saturation brings all the areas of the scene out into focus.Again by doing this the colour has a strong influence on what we believe is happening within the scene and in general influence the mood in which we see.If this scene was more desaturated.I believe the story would not be read or understood the same and the same for the first image.If the first image was much more saturated it would clearly not show a gloomy mood and many of the audience may become confused on what is happening,the audience are lead through in a way that means they do not have to think as much about what is happening and instead can sit back and enjoy what is being shown to them.
Influence on colour
Setting the stage Pixar have shown a strong interest in the way colour affects story and by doing so they have influence many other animation companies to follow in there footsteps. Ofcourse colour theory has always been around and has always been used but in my opinion Pixar has shown everyone exactly how it can be used so well.They clearly think about every shot as it comes and try to incorporate there colour theory into it so that each shot has its appeal to the audience.
Companies such as Blue Sky Studios and Dreamworks are just a few animation studios which have shown that they want to incorporate this use of colour into there films too.From the images below it can be seen that all have used colour theory to benefit there story.Whether that be making the characters clearly noticeable and different from each other or whether that be to make a scene bold and exciting to look at.Colour theory seems to have become a inherent part of animation story telling and without it it seems the case that animation is not as successful as telling a story.I feel that by using colour the animations can contact the audience in a much deeper way and allow the viewers to relate to what is happening on screen.It could be said that by getting the colours right in your animations your half way there to contacting your audience in a way that brings the story to life.
Companies such as Blue Sky Studios and Dreamworks are just a few animation studios which have shown that they want to incorporate this use of colour into there films too.From the images below it can be seen that all have used colour theory to benefit there story.Whether that be making the characters clearly noticeable and different from each other or whether that be to make a scene bold and exciting to look at.Colour theory seems to have become a inherent part of animation story telling and without it it seems the case that animation is not as successful as telling a story.I feel that by using colour the animations can contact the audience in a much deeper way and allow the viewers to relate to what is happening on screen.It could be said that by getting the colours right in your animations your half way there to contacting your audience in a way that brings the story to life.
Up
From the moment you start watching up it can be seen that the design of colour has been thought about throughout. The opening sequence of this film clearly incorporates how colour can be used to lead the viewer through the film and create a emotional impact.The colour script follows a formulated theme as the film progresses through this sequence showing how as Carl meets Ellie his world is lit up in colour but as shee grows ill and passes away the colour is withdrawn from the shots and it becomes very desaturated emphasizing the way his emotions have changed.It is only when Russel enters carls house that the colour is placed back on the film representing the way Russel brings the light back into Carls life. Pixar didn't do this by accident it is only y clear design that they are able to do this and by doing so they can create a emotional connection to the viewer getting into the audiences mind.
As well as a clear emphasis on the colour scripts within there films it is also seen that colour proportion is used to a great effect.By Pixar selecting specific colours and amounts of colour they are able to create a focus within there shots and lead the eye of the viewer as seen in the image below.By having all the background as a similar blue and the house as a much more brighter and bold set of colours this allows the smalls but intense amount of colour on the house to pop out from the background.This is all due to the colour proportion within the image and the way the small amount of saturated colour allows it to become the focal point.Without this the scene would become very flat and not interesting in the slightest but by having this slant in the colour balance it really brings out the interesting areas with it.
Saturday, 24 November 2012
Wall.E
Wall.E is just one of those films with its amazing art style and clear design features it isn't hard to tell that this film is another Pixar one.
Pixar being Pixar have clearly decided within this film that the key is to transport you into another world and take you to that place never seen before and to do this colour is a big contributor.the way they use broken colours allows them to bring out them bright bold colours and keep the scene on a very similar colour scheme.This makes it seem very believable and attractive to the eye due to each colour having its relation to the next.Tints within this particular shot help to make Wall.E and Eve stand out from there surroundings while he shades help to build the scene up.
Pixar being Pixar have clearly decided within this film that the key is to transport you into another world and take you to that place never seen before and to do this colour is a big contributor.the way they use broken colours allows them to bring out them bright bold colours and keep the scene on a very similar colour scheme.This makes it seem very believable and attractive to the eye due to each colour having its relation to the next.Tints within this particular shot help to make Wall.E and Eve stand out from there surroundings while he shades help to build the scene up.
From this colour script above it can be seen that Pixar have gone for some really rich hues making each area pop from its surroundings and truly add that life it needs.This helps to add a clear focal point to each shot and understand how the contrast between colours focuses the eye in particular places.Still using broken colours this helps them to make these hues jump out and still relate to the underlying
colours within the each shot.
colours within the each shot.
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