Yolanda's Blog

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.

This blog post examines the bouncing ball exercise, a foundational task in animation. In the lesson, we focused on planning and creating a bouncing ball animation, paying particular attention to essential principles such as timing, squash and stretch, and the natural arc that underlies all animations. Despite my previous experience in animation, I often face challenges due to time constraints on assignments, which limits the opportunity for thorough planning. However, this exercise underscored the critical importance of planning in the animation process. Presented below are my planning notes.

The way I used to make this animation is called keyframe animation.

Keyframe

In animation and filmmaking, a keyframe is a critical image or shot that defines the starting and ending points of a seamless transition between movements. Animation consists of a series of images, or frames, that combine to produce motion, commonly referred to as “moving images.” Typically, there are 24 or 30 frames per second, known as 24 fps or 30 fps, respectively. The frame rate, or the number of frames per second, significantly influences the smoothness of the animation.

As demonstrated in the example above, the 24 fps animation appears less smooth compared to the 30 fps animation. This difference arises because the 24 fps animation contains fewer frames per second, resulting in a slightly less fluid appearance than the 30 fps version.

In the image above, the man is shown running with various poses at different moments. The red vertical lines at the bottom of the image indicate keyframes, each representing a distinct pose. During the animation process, it is essential to keyframe these fundamental actions and make adjustments to refine the overall movement. The keyframe between these key poses are called In-Betweens. In the above example, the In-Betweens are frame 148, 153, 158 and 163. In other words, the key poses of the man must be captured as keyframes to complete the running animation effectively.

Bouncing Ball: Planning

The above plan is my initial sketch. Although it was based on a reference video of a tennis ball, I found it challenging to animate due to the closely spaced arcs. I then sought inspiration from an alternative video and developed a revised plan for the animation.

In comparison, my second plan includes more details, such as the squash and stretch of the ball when it hits the ground and bounces.

Squash and Stetch

The number of keyframes is clearly outlined, and I incorporated a wider arc to facilitate smoother animation. However, despite having a more structured plan, I encountered adjustments once I began animating. For instance, the timing I initially planned was not always precise, requiring recalculations during the animation process. Additionally, I needed to determine the amount of rotation, an aspect I hadn’t accounted for in my planning.

This image captures a view from my animation workflow. I added motion trails (represented by the red arcs) to verify the accuracy of the shapes and paths. This technique helped me stay aligned with the planned movements, making the animation process more manageable.

Arcs

Most animation occurs in arcs, whether it involves a bouncing ball, the movement of a tail, or the motion of a hand or head (which will be addressed later). This principle applies universally, as arcs are essential for creating natural movements in animation. The following video provides a more detailed explanation of the significance of arcs in animation.

Bouncing Ball: Outcome

We animated this animation in a software called Maya. It is an animating software which is used by many well known studios such as Disney.

While I am generally pleased with the final outcome of this task, I recognize that my repeated exposure to the animation may have introduced a level of bias, potentially leading to undetected errors or oversights. To enhance the accuracy and quality of the work, I plan to seek feedback from both my peers and my tutor.