Animation Exercises

[musashidan]

every single walk cycle lacks any kind of follow through leaving the motions kind of jerky looking.

[3dcga]

The animation is basically supposed to be less cartoony and more into realistic. But I think its because of the camera thats making it seem jerky. But thanks anyway for the feedback. Point noted :)

[musashidan]

follow through isn't specifically for cartoon animation,it's based on real life motion,if you swing a limb around it's not going to stop dead and snap back it will continue on the same path untill it decelerates to its natural apex and then return along the same path gradually accelerating.

[3dcga]

I totally agree with you. :) Thats why I animated keeping that in mind. I think I better post some side views of these walks so that it doesnt seem without any follow through.

[rnton22]

I don't think there's such a lack of follow through that the first post implies. In a few parts, yeah it could use some more, but some of them, if any more was added it would start to look cartoony. Maybe the curves on the arms could be smoothed out a little more in places, mainly the wrist, but that doesn't neccesarily mean follow through. If any follow through is added it could be on the hand/wrist, but on most I wouldn't change it. It's more tasteful animation without overexageration. One thing I would look at though, you have a lot of expression in the upper body for the different walks, but not for the legs. Try messing around with the legs to add to the feeling of each walk, if you want.

[musashidan]

I don't think there's such a lack of follow through that the first post implies. It's more tasteful animation without overexageration.

I didn't say anything about overexaggeration,i said the arms seemed to snap back unnaturally as they reached the apex of the arc.Also,exaggeration is a key principle of animation whether it be cartoon or otherwise,without it animation looks lifeless.

[rnton22]

yeah, never putting down exageration, but adding more follow through in those would add more exageration than the choosen style of semi realism would call for. To me it doesn't look like more follow through is needed, which would just add more distance traveled on the arc. They snap back because the splines on the keyframes aren't smoothed out (sorry, thought I said that, then read my post and I said curves, so that didn't say what I was trying too). So adding more keyframes of follow through would just make longer arcs that still snap, I think it's the existing key frame splines that need to be smoothed.

[musashidan]

Yep,you're right,the ease in/ease out interpolation is probably causing the problem.

[3dcga]

Thanks guys! Really appreciate your feedback/help. I updated the files and added a box lift animation. Please do continue providing your feedback on them.
Thanks a lot in advance! http://cgchar.toonstruck.com/forum/Smileys/default/cheesy.gif

http://www.ihud.com/file.php?file=1128565925/walks.zip (http://www.ihud.com/file.php?file=1128565925/walks.zip)

http://www.ihud.com/file.php?file=1128566135/runningjump.zip (http://www.ihud.com/file.php?file=1128566135/runningjump.zip)

http://www.ihud.com/file.php?file=1128583255/boxlift.zip (http://www.ihud.com/file.php?file=1128583255/boxlift.zip)

[musashidan]

Boxlift looks good,there is a nice sense of weight,that he's lifting mostly with his legs.The only thing i would say is that there is too much movement/shuffling of the feet.

[3dcga]

Hmmm...I agree with the feet. I think I gotta reduce the movement. Thanks again for the comments :)

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