Category: 3D Computer Animation Fundamental

Weight Shift(Spline)

For the previous homework about weight shift, I modified the version from blocking to spline.

I find the outcome somewhat bouncy and unstable, possibly due to excessive movement in the body and the ankle of the leg. To address these issues, I made adjustments and created the next version of the weight shift.

Walk Cycle

Fig-1: Animator’s Survival Kit P.108

In every walk cycle, there are five key positions: contact, down, passing pose, up, and another contact, as illustrated in the image above. The repetition of these movements creates the foundation of a walk cycle. Regardless of whether the character is a princess or a superhero with distinct personalities and traits, they all adhere to these fundamental principles in their walk cycles.

Fig-1: Animator’s Survival Kit P.119

Walk Cycle: Reference

Walk Cycle: Outcome

I am uncertain about the body tilting left and right, as it appears somewhat awkward to me. I plan to address this issue to improve the overall animation.

Upon reviewing the animation from the front view, I noticed that the body has shifted to the left. This presents another issue that I need to address.

I attempted to remake the walk cycle by following the tutorial’s guidance and found that copying and pasting frames is much more efficient than recreating each pose from scratch. Additionally, I incorporated a subtle shift of the ball’s body in the front view, making the movement appear more natural.

Ball with tail(Spline): Previous Homework Changes

Following feedback on my previous assignment, I implemented several modifications. These included refining the trajectory arc, adjusting the time the ball remains airborne, and altering the shape of the ball during its ascent and descent. Additionally, I modified the tail’s form to ensure it follows the ball’s motion more cohesively.

This reflects the revisions made to the earlier version.

This is the revised version, incorporating adjustments to the trajectory arc, airtime, and the shape of both the ball and its trailing tail throughout the motion.

Weight Shift

In today’s lesson, we focused on weight shift. The primary objective of the animation homework is to ensure that the weight accurately follows the leg bearing the load.

In other words, when the weight shifts from right to left, the body should initially tilt slightly to the right. As the weight transitions to the other side, it should then tilt slightly to the left, creating a sense of movement. Additionally, it is essential for the body to maintain alignment with the line of balance throughout the animation.

Line of Balance

Fig-1: EtheringtonBrothers

We must ensure that in every frame, when a line is drawn between poses, the distribution of positive and negative space on the left and right remains balanced. This approach mimics the actual balance that a person exhibits in the real world.

Weight Shift: Reference

For this task, I recorded several reference videos of myself, experimenting with both faster and slower movements. My goal was to incorporate exaggeration into my actions; however, upon reviewing the footage, I felt that the level of exaggeration was inadequate. After further attempts, I captured improved results that more effectively convey the desired effect.

Weight Shift: Planning

While planning the animation, I found it challenging to map out each keyframe as the animation complexity increased. In simpler animations, such as a bouncing ball, planning was more straightforward; since the ball lacks limbs, it was easier to illustrate overlapping details like shape variations and speed adjustments without elements covering one another. However, as the animation involves more complex forms—like characters with legs—layering different elements can create confusion, making it difficult to keep the planning process organized.

To address this, I plan to use digital drawing tools with distinct colors for each frame in future projects, which should help clarify each element and improve readability in the planning phase.

Weight Shift: Outcome

My weight shift blocking ended up differing somewhat from the demonstration in class, as I based mine on a different reference video. Nonetheless, I did my best to align with the demonstration as much as possible, and this was the resulting animation. Some adjustments are still necessary, particularly regarding the rotation of the foot, body, and various angles.

Posing

This week, I created several poses based on the preliminary sketches I had drawn earlier.

Ball with tail(Blocking): Previous Homework Changes

For the previous “Ball with Tail” homework submission, two major issues were identified. First, the time the ball remained on the ground was insufficient to convey a proper sense of weight. Second, the tail flick after the ball made contact with the ground occurred too quickly, resulting in an unnatural motion due to incorrect timing.

In response, I attempted to address these two major issues, and the following is the revised outcome.

Ball with tail(Spline):

This week’s task involves further developing the “Ball with Tail” animation. Specifically, we are required to convert the ball animation from blocking mode to spline mode.

Blocking

This refers to the animation technique in which key poses are created to establish the timing and placement of characters and props within a given scene or shot. It serves as the initial stage of animation development, often used to provide a rough indication of timing, indicating where the character should be positioned and what poses it should adopt at various points in time.

Spline

This refers to the animation technique aimed at creating smoother motion. When keyframing an animation, the software automatically generates the intermediate frames between key poses. This process represents the second stage in the animation development workflow.

For this completed task, I found the animation to be relatively smooth in blocking mode but somewhat unnatural in spline mode. I am uncertain whether the issues lie in the timing or the pacing (i.e., the placement of keyframes). I plan to make further modifications after receiving feedback in the upcoming lecture.

Pendulum: Previous Homework Changes

In a recent assignment on pendulum animation, my tutor provided feedback that emphasized a critical aspect to improve: the “end shake,” or follow-through action in animation. Upon reflection, I recognized that my representation of the follow-through was not realistic, as it did not include the natural “S” and “C” curves that are essential to the progression of the shaking movement.

Subsequently, I attempted to revise the pendulum animation based on the feedback provided.

While it may not be perfect, the follow-through now appears more natural than in the previous version.

Ball with tail: Planning

In this week’s lesson, I also worked on the ball with tail animation, which I found quite challenging. This was due to the increased complexity of animating both the ball and the tail simultaneously. Additionally, it was my first time using the blocking technique, which involves keyframing only the essential poses in an animation.

Below are my initial plans. Ultimately, I chose to proceed with the design on the left, as the one on the right proved too complex. I preferred to focus on refining the details rather than pursuing a more intricate approach.

Ball with tail(Blocking): outcome

This is the result of my ball-and-tail animation. I am uncertain whether it achieves the desired level of smoothness or if I have incorporated an adequate number of keyframes. I plan to continue practicing the shaking motion and the follow-through of the tail to enhance these elements further.

This animation was created using the “Blocking” method.

Blocking

Blocking refers to a technique in animation where the keyframes remain static and do not alter when navigating between them, whereas spline animation involves smooth transitions that change as one moves between keyframes.

Another notable difference between these two animation techniques is their representation in the graph editor.

The Graph Editor functions as the engine of the animation software Maya. It facilitates the smoothing of animations by adjusting speed, pacing, and easing effects, among other features. All keyframed elements can be visualized within the Graph Editor, allowing for the editing of various settings, including translation, rotation, scale, and other keyable controllers, either collectively or individually.

In the Graph Editor, blocking is represented by straight horizontal lines, indicating that there is no connection between the different keyframes. Consequently, changes between the keyframes are not visible, reflecting the discrete nature of this animation technique.

In the Graph Editor, spline animation is represented by connected keyframes, creating smooth curves. When you navigate between the keyframes, you can observe the gradual changes in movement, showcasing the fluidity of this animation technique.

Bouncing Ball: Previous Homework Changes

In the previous homework submission, there were two significant issues: the pacing and the rotation at the end of the animation.

Pacing

Pacing refers to the speed of animation, encompassing both fast and slow movements. It also pertains to the proximity of keyframes associated with different actions. When keyframes representing distinct actions are positioned closely together, the animation transitions between these actions rapidly.

Regarding the pacing, some frames caused the ball to jump too slowly, while others made it move too quickly, resulting in inconsistent motion. As for the rotation, the ball did not spin at the correct speed, which made the movement appear somewhat unnatural.

So then, I tried to fix these issues and the following is the outcome.

Pendulum: Reference

In this lesson, we created an animation of a pendulum. Although I had some prior experience with animation, I had never had the opportunity to animate a pendulum before. While it may seem simple at first, achieving perfection in the animation is more challenging than it appears. To ensure accuracy, I used my lanyard as a reference for testing the animation.

While it may not be as accurate as a real pendulum, it helped me better understand how the lanyard swings with minimal energy and how it eventually comes to a complete stop.

Pendulum: Planning

With this insight, I began drafting my pendulum animation.

My planning often differs from the final outcome. While the initial concept seems smooth, the actual animation does not always reflect that. I realise I need more practice to better understand these basic animations and to improve my planning for future projects.

Pendulum: Outcome

This is the result of my pendulum animation. I found the most challenging aspect to be the final phase, where the pendulum slows down and eventually comes to a stop. Additionally, I feel the speed in this version is a bit off, and I plan to make further adjustments after receiving feedback on Friday.

Tail Animation Exercise

In addition to the pendulum, I have been practicing tail animation in my spare time. This helps me better understand the movement, energy, and follow-through actions of a tail. I feel a great sense of accomplishment when I complete a tail GIF.

Pose Sketch

I have also created several sketches depicting various poses. I find the proportions of the human figure particularly challenging to render; when the proportions are incorrect, the overall representation appears distorted and unnatural. Moving forward, I will need to engage in further practice focused on observation and life drawing to enhance my skills.

I tried to make sure that each of these poses has the Line of Action.

Line of Action

Fig-1: Line of Action

The line of action is an imaginary line that represents the direction and motion of a character’s body, serving as the driving force behind their actions. A well-defined line of action enhances the character’s energy and liveliness, while also helping the audience anticipate what will happen next. For example, if a character is about to strike an object, the line of action must be clear and unobstructed, effectively conveying the imminent action.

Fig-2: Path of action – joshmctt.com

In the image above, the right cat is bent toward the left side while holding a weapon, indicating anticipation as it prepares to strike something on the right side. It demonstrates a clear line of action without overlapping, effectively conveying the forthcoming action.

Anticipation

Anticipation is a crucial element in animation, referring to the actions that occur before a primary movement. It provides the audience with clues about what will happen next, thereby enhancing the realism and vitality of the animation. Additionally, anticipation can serve as a transition between different shots. For instance, if a character raises their hand in one shot, it creates a connection to a subsequent shot where the character is prepared to punch someone. The following video offers a more detailed explanation of anticipation.