The way IOL introduces me to sound in relation to animation through a practical experience is simple amazing. Without any experience in animation before, this course and each theme has helped to watch cartoons from a different perspective, focusing more on the execution, locomotion representation and technical aspects of these animated productions, and of course Sound is not the exception.
This exercise, as Nick stated, helped me to think outside of the box trying to represent visually these sounds but through an unusual way. The premise of not using characters or trying to recontextualize the images that are usually attached to an specific sound was completely a chalenge, plus my lack of experience using the software.
Regarding my Studio project, I'm pretty sure that Sound is going to play a major roll as it is going to be a Cinematic (animated illustrations/secuences). Even when the illustrations and post production effects will be high quality I sure that without sound or with the wrong sound effects, tracks, etc, the whole project can stumble and fall.
The thumbnails and storyboard will define a whole set of actions and suggest a range of sounds that due to general culture, media and other resources we can think of.