Lesson Plan: Bringing Your Drawings to Life! An Introduction to Animation in Procreate

Student: Kborden

Subject: Digital Art & Animation

Materials Needed

• iPad
• Apple Pencil (or compatible stylus)
• Procreate App (latest version installed)

1. Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, Kborden will be able to:

• Activate and navigate Procreate’s "Animation Assist" feature.
• Create a short, looping animation (2-4 seconds) of a simple object or character.
• Explain the purpose of "onion skinning" in creating smooth motion.
• Export the final animation as an Animated GIF.

2. Alignment with Standards

This lesson aligns with the ISTE Standards for Students (Creative Communicator 6), where students create original works or responsibly repurpose digital resources into new creations and communicate complex ideas clearly and effectively by creating digital objects such as visualizations and animations.

3. Lesson Activities & Instructional Strategies

Part 1: The Spark - What Makes Things Move? (10 minutes)

This is our warm-up to get the creative energy flowing!

1. Watch & Discuss: Together, let's watch 2-3 short, looping animations (GIFs). We can search for things like "bouncing ball animation," "character walk cycle gif," or "morphing shapes animation."
2. Think About It: As we watch, we'll discuss:
   • What makes the movement look believable or fun?
   • How do you think the artist made it? What do you think the first drawing was? What was the last?
3. Brainstorm Our Project: Let's brainstorm what YOU want to animate today. The goal is something simple but awesome for your first project. Ideas:
   • A ball bouncing and squashing.
   • A friendly ghost floating across the screen.
   • A flower blooming.
   • Your favorite emoji changing expressions (e.g., smiling to winking).
   Kborden, you choose the idea that sounds the most fun!

Part 2: Tool Time - Meet Your Animation Studio (15 minutes)

Here, we'll learn the key tools in Procreate. This is a hands-on walkthrough.

1. Set Up The Canvas: Open Procreate and create a new, Square canvas. This size is perfect for making GIFs.
2. Activate Animation Assist: Go to the Actions menu (the wrench icon 🔧), tap on Canvas, and toggle on Animation Assist.
3. Explore the Timeline: You'll see a new timeline at the bottom of your screen. Let's explore it together.
   • Frames: Each rectangle in the timeline is a frame. In Procreate, one layer = one frame. We'll draw on the layers to create our animation.
   • Add Frame: Tap "Add Frame" to add a new layer/frame to your animation.
   • Play Button: Press the play button to see your animation in action!
   • Settings: Tap "Settings" in the timeline. This is where we control the magic!
     • Frames Per Second (FPS): This controls the speed. Let's start with 8-12 FPS. A lower number is easier to start with.
     • Onion Skinning: This is the most important tool! It lets you see a faint outline of the frame before and after the one you're on. This helps you know where to draw next to make the movement smooth. Let's turn Onion Skin Frames to 2.

Part 3: Creative Lab - Let's Animate! (30-40 minutes)

This is where your idea comes to life. I'll guide you through the first few steps, and then you'll take over.

1. Draw Your First Frame (The "Keyframe"): On your first frame (Layer 1), draw the starting position of your object. For example, if it's a bouncing ball, draw it at the highest point. Keep it simple!
2. Draw Your Second Frame: Tap "Add Frame." Notice how you can see a faint "onion skin" of your first drawing? Now, draw your object in its next position. For the bouncing ball, you'd draw it slightly lower.
3. Keep Going!: Continue adding frames and drawing the next step in the movement. Use the onion skin as your guide. Don't worry about it being perfect; the goal is to create a sense of motion. Aim for at least 8-10 frames to make a smooth loop.
4. Test and Refine: Press the "Play" button often! See how it looks. Is it too fast? Too slow? You can adjust the FPS in the settings. You can also go back and edit any frame by just tapping on it in the timeline. This is your creative lab, so experiment!

Part 4: Showtime & Reflection (10 minutes)

Time to show off your work and think about what we learned.

1. Export Your GIF: Let's save your creation so you can share it!
   • Go to Actions (the wrench icon 🔧).
   • Tap Share.
   • Under "Share Layers," choose Animated GIF.
   • You can adjust the FPS one last time here. Make sure "Transparent Background" is off unless you want that.
   • Tap Export and save it to your Photos or Files. Congratulations, you're an animator!
2. Let's Talk About It:
   • What was your favorite part of making this animation?
   • What was the most challenging part?
   • How did the "onion skin" feature help you?
   • Now that you know the basics, what do you want to animate next?

4. Differentiation and Inclusivity

• For Extra Support: We can focus on a very simple animation with fewer frames (4-6), like a blinking eye or a wiggling line. We can also use a reference video (like a real ball bouncing) to trace the motion.
• To Challenge Yourself (Extension): Ready for more? Try one of these ideas:
  • Squash & Stretch: Make your bouncing object "squash" when it hits the ground and "stretch" as it falls and bounces back up. This is a core principle of animation!
  • Add a Background: Create a new layer and drag it to the very bottom of your layer stack. In the timeline, tap that frame and turn on "Background." Now it will stay put behind your animation.
  • Add Color and Shading: Once your motion looks good, go back into each frame and add color and details.

5. Assessment

• Formative (During the lesson): I will check for understanding by asking questions during the "Tool Time" walkthrough and observing Kborden's process during the "Creative Lab." The reflection questions at the end will also assess comprehension.
• Summative (End of lesson): The successful creation and export of a looping Animated GIF that demonstrates a clear sense of motion will serve as the final assessment, showing that the learning objectives have been met. The focus is on completion and creative effort, not perfection.