What is blocking?
1. Terminology from Film and TV
- Blocking is a term borrowed from film and television, though it is also essential in animation. It refers to the initial setup of key poses and the foundation of the animation’s movement.
- In animation, blocking can be seen as the “skeleton” of the animation, where the core poses and movement arcs are defined.
2. Blocking in Animation
- When translating an idea from reference to animation, blocking serves as the foundation for conveying the action. However, reference and final animation should not be identical. The animation should be adjusted to suit the intended style, mood, or emphasis.
- Example: A character’s head might be tilted more towards the audience than in the reference, or they may not be as upright as the reference suggests. These small adjustments help to create a more dynamic, personalized animation.
- Be mindful of contrast in shapes between the different poses to ensure visual interest and clarity in movement.
3. Tips for Effective Blocking
- Efficiency is key in the blocking phase. It’s essential to get the idea out quickly without over-detailing, focusing on the major poses and timing first.
- Copy-paste can be a helpful technique to speed up the process when creating repetitive actions or movements.
- Don’t neglect hand and finger movements—it’s crucial to also fix the hands, fingers, and wrists, not just the palms or the basic position of the arms.
- While it’s tempting to rely heavily on the timing of your reference material, avoid being too dependent on it. The reference should guide the action but should not define the final product too rigidly.
- Tools like Anamonolok can be helpful for visualizing the timing and ensuring that the poses transition smoothly.
- When working with FK/IK (Forward Kinematics/Inverse Kinematics), remember to switch between them as needed to get the most fluid motion.
- While working in stepped mode, always check your animation in spline mode to ensure smooth transitions and adjust poses where necessary.
4. Mental Tip
Embrace Imperfection
- Perfection is often unattainable in the early stages of any animation. It’s essential to focus on completing the work first and refining it later. As the saying goes, “It’s better to have something finished than something perfect that’s never completed.”
- Progress is achieved through iteration, and continual improvement is a natural part of the creative process.
Synchronization of Movement
Coordinating movement across the body is crucial for achieving fluid and realistic animation. Small adjustments to each part of the body help to create harmony and maintain proper weight distribution.
In animation, all body parts should move and be keyed simultaneously to maintain consistent, believable motion. For instance:
When animating the arm, the movement of the shoulder must also be taken into account, as it will naturally be affected by the arm’s motion.
Progress on my shot
After revisiting my earlier concepts, I came up with a completely new idea for my animation, though it still involves a sword. The concept centers around the act of pulling a sword from its sheath, a gesture commonly seen in many films, particularly those involving royalty or epic battles.
To make the animation more unique and engaging, I decided to add a slapstick element at the end: the sword breaks as it is drawn from the sheath. This unexpected twist adds humor and surprise to the scene, providing both a visual and narrative contrast.
I find this new idea to be more compelling and manageable compared to the previous concepts. It offers a good balance between complexity and feasibility, and I have already filmed several references to guide the animation process.