Season 4 animation

[Original Raw and Uncut]

In my opinion Season 4s animation is overrated, I mean it's pretty good but not film quality.
The first half of this season looked pretty alright and it was pretty smooth, but the colors were almost as dull as
S2's. The second half didn't look right and the designs were too sketchy and rough and too hard to look at at times, not only that but the outlines were too thick and the designs looked basic.
Here are some pictures so you can see what I mean:


First Half:

Second Half:

 

[Cha]

inb4 Jibbix

As for me I never noticed any changes in the season. I like the animation though.

 

[Homie]

the films animation was meh

And there's the word "overrated" again.

 

[nicoyazawa227]

I like the second half better.

 

[Jibbix]

Hahahahahahahhahahahaha

No.

First off, I don't get how the second half of the season can look "sketchy" and "not right" and "basic" at the same time, so I'm going to ignore that misstep in language. Second off, while the animation is not "film quality" (and why on earth is that a detractor? SpongeBob is a show, not a movie), it is without a doubt the best animated Season with the best designs, loosest animation, and greatest drawn boards. Even if you dislike the off-model designs, every character moves so fluidly, is animated in such a loose style, that it absolutely destroys every Season that isn't Season 1 or Season 9.

SpongeBob is a show with very intricate designs, designs that are hard to draw (characters like Sandy and Squidward are very hard to draw well), and even harder to animate. Season 4 took the characters, and made them 20x more expressive. They moved 20 times better. SpongeBob became smaller and the lines became thicker, but why is that a problem? Yeah, SpongeBob looks like White American cheese instead of cheddar, but that's because something was up with the digital ink at Rough Draft around this time, the same thing is evident in Mandy's hair in "The Grim Adventures Of Billy And Mandy". Season 4 took the characters and moved and animated them wonderfully in ways no Season has done since. Squidward's breakdown near the end of Driven To Tears, his insane expressions in Skill Crane, are staged in such a way that it's pushing the way the character moves and acts in a way that only can be done in animation. SpongeBob's expressions in Have You Seen This Snail, Patrick's expressions in Patrick SmartPants- they're so expressive, and it's so much better than the 5-7 era where we got the same 5 expressions for every character and everyone moved in the stiffest way possible. The sequence in Ghost Host at the end is probably some of the best animation and direction I've seen in a kid's cartoon.

Yes, it's off-model, but not in a bad way at all. The designs are simpler, not worse. No other season has been able to rival the expressiveness and fluidity and overall solid level of art and animation being cranked out at that time. If you just personally don't like it, then whatever, but from an objective "good animation" standpoint, Season 4's animation is great. Best of the show. Hands down, only Season 1 and 9 can stand up to it.

don't be talkin crap about animation man you will get killed every single time

 

[Popeyes Haunted Barnacles]

Looks okay. I liked it best in episodes like "Skill Crane", "New Leaf" and "Krabs vs. Plankton." The backgrounds weren't bright at all and they could really still do plenty with the poses. I think Sherm Cohen helping out with boards for much of the season also helped. I'd also like to say I really liked the animation in eps like "Mrs. Puff You're Fired", "Rule of Dumb", and "Ghost Host."

 

[mandythescientist17]

Hahahahahahahhahahahaha

No.

First off, I don't get how the second half of the season can look "sketchy" and "not right" and "basic" at the same time, so I'm going to ignore that misstep in language. Second off, while the animation is not "film quality" (and why on earth is that a detractor? SpongeBob is a show, not a movie), it is without a doubt the best animated Season with the best designs, loosest animation, and greatest drawn boards. Even if you dislike the off-model designs, every character moves so fluidly, is animated in such a loose style, that it absolutely destroys every Season that isn't Season 1 or Season 9.

SpongeBob is a show with very intricate designs, designs that are hard to draw (characters like Sandy and Squidward are very hard to draw well), and even harder to animate. Season 4 took the characters, and made them 20x more expressive. They moved 20 times better. SpongeBob became smaller and the lines became thicker, but why is that a problem? Yeah, SpongeBob looks like White American cheese instead of cheddar, but that's because something was up with the digital ink at Rough Draft around this time, the same thing is evident in Mandy's hair in "The Grim Adventures Of Billy And Mandy". Season 4 took the characters and moved and animated them wonderfully in ways no Season has done since. Squidward's breakdown near the end of Driven To Tears, his insane expressions in Skill Crane, are staged in such a way that it's pushing the way the character moves and acts in a way that only can be done in animation. SpongeBob's expressions in Have You Seen This Snail, Patrick's expressions in Patrick SmartPants- they're so expressive, and it's so much better than the 5-7 era where we got the same 5 expressions for every character and everyone moved in the stiffest way possible. The sequence in Ghost Host at the end is probably some of the best animation and direction I've seen in a kid's cartoon.

Yes, it's off-model, but not in a bad way at all. The designs are simpler, not worse. No other season has been able to rival the expressiveness and fluidity and overall solid level of art and animation being cranked out at that time. If you just personally don't like it, then whatever, but from an objective "good animation" standpoint, Season 4's animation is great. Best of the show. Hands down, only Season 1 and 9 can stand up to it.

don't be talkin crap about animation man you will get killed every single time

I think Mandy's hair color changed in Season 7 because they had Marc Perry as the art director instead of Rae McCarson.

 

[Original Raw and Uncut]

Hahahahahahahhahahahaha

No.

First off, I don't get how the second half of the season can look "sketchy" and "not right" and "basic" at the same time, so I'm going to ignore that misstep in language. Second off, while the animation is not "film quality" (and why on earth is that a detractor? SpongeBob is a show, not a movie), it is without a doubt the best animated Season with the best designs, loosest animation, and greatest drawn boards. Even if you dislike the off-model designs, every character moves so fluidly, is animated in such a loose style, that it absolutely destroys every Season that isn't Season 1 or Season 9.

SpongeBob is a show with very intricate designs, designs that are hard to draw (characters like Sandy and Squidward are very hard to draw well), and even harder to animate. Season 4 took the characters, and made them 20x more expressive. They moved 20 times better. SpongeBob became smaller and the lines became thicker, but why is that a problem? Yeah, SpongeBob looks like White American cheese instead of cheddar, but that's because something was up with the digital ink at Rough Draft around this time, the same thing is evident in Mandy's hair in "The Grim Adventures Of Billy And Mandy". Season 4 took the characters and moved and animated them wonderfully in ways no Season has done since. Squidward's breakdown near the end of Driven To Tears, his insane expressions in Skill Crane, are staged in such a way that it's pushing the way the character moves and acts in a way that only can be done in animation. SpongeBob's expressions in Have You Seen This Snail, Patrick's expressions in Patrick SmartPants- they're so expressive, and it's so much better than the 5-7 era where we got the same 5 expressions for every character and everyone moved in the stiffest way possible. The sequence in Ghost Host at the end is probably some of the best animation and direction I've seen in a kid's cartoon.

Yes, it's off-model, but not in a bad way at all. The designs are simpler, not worse. No other season has been able to rival the expressiveness and fluidity and overall solid level of art and animation being cranked out at that time. If you just personally don't like it, then whatever, but from an objective "good animation" standpoint, Season 4's animation is great. Best of the show. Hands down, only Season 1 and 9 can stand up to it.

don't be talkin crap about animation man you will get killed every single time

Chill Chill Chill i'm just stating my opinion on season 4s animation!! Plus squidward did not appear in Driven To Tears.

 

[Jibbix]

Chill Chill Chill i'm just stating my opinion on season 4s animation!!

Hahahahahahahhahahahaha

No.

Plus squidward did not appear in Driven To Tears.

My bad, I meant Born To Be Wild.

 

[Original Raw and Uncut]

Hahahahahahahhahahahaha

No.

First off, I don't get how the second half of the season can look "sketchy" and "not right" and "basic" at the same time, so I'm going to ignore that misstep in language. Second off, while the animation is not "film quality" (and why on earth is that a detractor? SpongeBob is a show, not a movie), it is without a doubt the best animated Season with the best designs, loosest animation, and greatest drawn boards. Even if you dislike the off-model designs, every character moves so fluidly, is animated in such a loose style, that it absolutely destroys every Season that isn't Season 1 or Season 9.

SpongeBob is a show with very intricate designs, designs that are hard to draw (characters like Sandy and Squidward are very hard to draw well), and even harder to animate. Season 4 took the characters, and made them 20x more expressive. They moved 20 times better. SpongeBob became smaller and the lines became thicker, but why is that a problem? Yeah, SpongeBob looks like White American cheese instead of cheddar, but that's because something was up with the digital ink at Rough Draft around this time, the same thing is evident in Mandy's hair in "The Grim Adventures Of Billy And Mandy". Season 4 took the characters and moved and animated them wonderfully in ways no Season has done since. Squidward's breakdown near the end of Driven To Tears, his insane expressions in Skill Crane, are staged in such a way that it's pushing the way the character moves and acts in a way that only can be done in animation. SpongeBob's expressions in Have You Seen This Snail, Patrick's expressions in Patrick SmartPants- they're so expressive, and it's so much better than the 5-7 era where we got the same 5 expressions for every character and everyone moved in the stiffest way possible. The sequence in Ghost Host at the end is probably some of the best animation and direction I've seen in a kid's cartoon.

Yes, it's off-model, but not in a bad way at all. The designs are simpler, not worse. No other season has been able to rival the expressiveness and fluidity and overall solid level of art and animation being cranked out at that time. If you just personally don't like it, then whatever, but from an objective "good animation" standpoint, Season 4's animation is great. Best of the show. Hands down, only Season 1 and 9 can stand up to it.

don't be talkin crap about animation man you will get killed every single time

I don't think all of season 4 animation is bad, infact some parts move pretty fluent and smooth like the talking krabby patties in
"Fear Of A Krabby Patty" or Spongebob's laughing in "Funny Pants". But i'm just saying basic designs do have an effect on the smoothness of animation, i'm just sayin' =/

Yeah, SpongeBob looks like White American cheese instead of cheddar, but that's because something was up with the digital ink at Rough Draft around this time, the same thing is evident in Mandy's hair in "The Grim Adventures Of Billy And Mandy".
don't be talkin crap about animation man you will get killed every single time

What you mean? o.o Season 2 had the same problem but it was produced 5 years earlier.

 

[end]

My bad, I meant Squid Wood

 

[Jibbix]

I don't think all of season 4 animation is bad, infact some parts move pretty fluent and smooth like the talking krabby patties in
"Fear Of A Krabby Patty" or Spongebob's laughing in "Funny Pants". But i'm just saying basic designs do have an effect on the smoothness of animation, i'm just sayin' =/

what's wrong with the basic designs

What you mean? o.o Season 2 had the same problem but it was produced 5 years earlier.

*shrug*

The change in yellow color happened at the same time in both SpongeBob and Grim Adventures, so I assumed that's what it was.

 

[Original Raw and Uncut]

what's wrong with the basic designs

They can be sometimes hard to look at, plus it can make the animation stiffer, it's just too bizzare to explain.

The change in yellow color happened at the same time in both SpongeBob and Grim Adventures, so I assumed that's what it was.

But the thing is in some S4 episodes spongebob is pale, and other S4 episodes he's a vivid dark yellow. Basicly it goes on and off throughout the 4th season

 

[Supmandude]

I feel like this Season had good storyboards and character designs and stuff because they're drawn really loosely, but I think at some stage of the animation, they could have done better because it looks really stiff. I think boring layouts is the problem, but I'm not sure. It doesn't move nearly as good as Seasons 1-3, though. SpongeBob in particular just has way too stiff of a body even though he still has good expressions.

the films animation was meh

The film's animation was the single greatest thing of all time. It had all the best artists and the layout artists make it the best animation I've ever seen in my life. I hope the sequel looks even half that good.

SpongeBob is a show with very intricate designs, designs that are hard to draw (characters like something was up with the digital ink at Rough Draft around this time, the same thing is evident in Mandy's hair in "The Grim Adventures Of Billy And Mandy".

How could there be something wrong with digital paint? It's not like they have to mix colors and it's also not like they're working on Mario Paint or something where they have a limited color choice. The only thing I can think of is if one person chose the colors himself and had a really messed up monitor that caused the characters to look darker than they were, but I doubt that.

 

[SpongyDevotee]

All I could say is, I liked Season 4's animation, and I thought it somewhat looked cuter, especially in the first half of the season.

And SpongeBob's eyebrows in this season definitely is one of the reasons why I believe that the animation is cuter.

 

[Sanic The Hedgehorg]

Season 4's animation was great

 

[Patrick NotStar]

Hmm, now this sure is one animated debate.

 

[Squidina]

Hahahahahahahhahahahaha

No.

First off, I don't get how the second half of the season can look "sketchy" and "not right" and "basic" at the same time, so I'm going to ignore that misstep in language. Second off, while the animation is not "film quality" (and why on earth is that a detractor? SpongeBob is a show, not a movie), it is without a doubt the best animated Season with the best designs, loosest animation, and greatest drawn boards. Even if you dislike the off-model designs, every character moves so fluidly, is animated in such a loose style, that it absolutely destroys every Season that isn't Season 1 or Season 9.

SpongeBob is a show with very intricate designs, designs that are hard to draw (characters like Sandy and Squidward are very hard to draw well), and even harder to animate. Season 4 took the characters, and made them 20x more expressive. They moved 20 times better. SpongeBob became smaller and the lines became thicker, but why is that a problem? Yeah, SpongeBob looks like White American cheese instead of cheddar, but that's because something was up with the digital ink at Rough Draft around this time, the same thing is evident in Mandy's hair in "The Grim Adventures Of Billy And Mandy". Season 4 took the characters and moved and animated them wonderfully in ways no Season has done since. Squidward's breakdown near the end of Driven To Tears, his insane expressions in Skill Crane, are staged in such a way that it's pushing the way the character moves and acts in a way that only can be done in animation. SpongeBob's expressions in Have You Seen This Snail, Patrick's expressions in Patrick SmartPants- they're so expressive, and it's so much better than the 5-7 era where we got the same 5 expressions for every character and everyone moved in the stiffest way possible. The sequence in Ghost Host at the end is probably some of the best animation and direction I've seen in a kid's cartoon.

Yes, it's off-model, but not in a bad way at all. The designs are simpler, not worse. No other season has been able to rival the expressiveness and fluidity and overall solid level of art and animation being cranked out at that time. If you just personally don't like it, then whatever, but from an objective "good animation" standpoint, Season 4's animation is great. Best of the show. Hands down, only Season 1 and 9 can stand up to it.

don't be talkin crap about animation man you will get killed every single time

Squidward's hard to draw? O.o
I find him and Plankton the easiest, and picked up Squidward's style pretty quickly. I'll admit the 4 legs can be rather tricky sometimes - though even that doesn't seem to be where most people have trouble getting him on model.

Other than that, I agree about the animation you've mentioned in those episodes, it was excellent.

 

[PhilipB]

I'm not a fan of season 4's more 'loose' animation. It felt too much of a change after the great animation of season 2 or 3, like this was suddenly a completely different show. I knew after watching that sneak peek that things wouldn't be the same. Took me a whole season to admit it to myself though...

 

[Popeyes Haunted Barnacles]

I'm not a fan of season 4's more 'loose' animation. It felt too much of a change after the great animation of season 2 or 3, like this was suddenly a completely different show. I knew after watching that sneak peek that things wouldn't be the same. Took me a whole season to admit it to myself though...

I think it changed for the worst completely after Season 5 and that's when the animation got much stiffer, blander and ugly looking, not to mention really boring to look at too compared to previous seasons. Really took a lot out fo the show IMHO.