Mouth Animation also called Lip syncing, is important for any types of animations. If you wish to have it synced up with lines for your characters. Mouths can come in different shapes, sizes, and styles. (Make sure you draw the correct mouth that fits your character.)
The Process
In this mini lesson I will go in-depth over and a man’s mouth and briefly over a woman’s mouth. Each mouth shape should show the letter that you are trying to convey through your character when the audio plays. Make sure it’s correct through the whole way through the audio.
We will start first with the man’s mouth.
I will show a timeline through Adobe Animate. Each time it will make a frame on the timeline.
The dots on the timeline above is a frame. Each frame has a different mouth drawing on it.
In Adobe Animate, you can make the mouth process much faster. First draw the mouth in the stationary position first.
Highlight the mouth and right click on it. Scroll down to convert to symbol. Turn the Onion Skin on. (onion skin will help see the last and first frames you drew.)
Make sure the symbol is a graphic so it can play on the timeline as you draw the scene you can watch it play anytime. To make sure go to the frame pick tab at the top. (If it’s not there got to windows- pick frame picker)
Mouth Animation Shapes
Draw out all your mouths in any order on your timeline that you feel like that is helpful. It should take 10 single frames to do so. (at least I draw up to 10 different frames)
Mouth shape- A, AI, AHH
Mouth shape- TH
Mouth shape-V, F
Mouth shape- O, OOH,
Mouth shape- S, T
Mouth shape- P, B, M
Mouth shape- CH, SH, R, Q
Mouth shape- E, ahh,
Mouth shape- L
Default/ resting
Putting it on the Timeline
(Check if the graphic is off the loop feature, so when it’s on the timeline it’s not repeating annoyingly and you can set the mouths correctly on the timeline.)
Go to Key frame settings and by create key-frames click on single frame.
When you hear an O, you can place the correct mouth shape for the O on the timeline of your cartoon. Specifically, if you want accurate mouth animation so take your time as you select them.
The final example is the Woman’s mouth. It has the same shapes but consider the lips that you put on the character your animating.
Let’s look at my Characters Ashlie’s mouth. Her lips are consistent, clean and easy to tell which mouth shape she will use for the next word.
Woman’s Mouth Animation with Lips
Ashlie’s lips form over the mouth shapes that are used on top. If you want more stylized lips go for it. Just remember to draw clear mouth shapes.
An Example
Key Take-A-Ways and What to Remember
Practice with your own mouth animation when you animate lines for your own character.
Same mouth shapes when you want your characters to smile.
Given these points you can create short cuts when you can. Characters don’t have to open their mouth wide for all yells. ( More variety helps the character seem more real.) Sometimes some mouth shapes can be used for many different words.
Watch your favorite cartoons and watch their mouth movements.
Create anything! And questions you can reach me on my contact page for help.
Happy creating!
Work cited– Cartoon-network pic- https://www.directv.com/insider/top-cartoon-network-shows
Chowder Pic- https://collider.com/chowder-cartoon-network-underrated-modern-classic/
*- means will go over later in the future.