Walking....

[rasamaya]

hey, realistic is a big first goal.

You have many options...

- Video tape your self walking and rotoscope over it; its kinda like tracing, but is a good way to learn timing and flow.

-There are a few Muybridge(google it) gif animations out there. You can also import one of these to an animated image plane. note: you may have to convert to an image sequence using qtime or whatever.

-I use Auto keyframes(after setting my first manually on all). I use IK and FK. Learn the graph editor and dopesheet well.

-Jeff Lew has produced some great DVDs

-Learning to make one WalkCycle and using the graph editor to: Post infinity offset
This makes your character walk forever.

-I like to make maya Charaters(animation menu). Then I create poses and clips.

-I recomend reading traditional cartoon animating books. And try it on paper!

-Use playblast to preview proper frame rates.

-Dont expect the world on your first try, but dont settle for halfass either.

-Watch girlfriends walk naked, record roto, then show me before and after :)

-Have fun

I hope I helped a little

Poof!

[QNL]

could you tell me about rotoscope?

[rasamaya]

Rotoscoping is a technique where animators trace live action movement.

An example would be the new Scanner Darkly Movie, if you havnt seen it, search CGTalk news, there is a twenty minute preview somewhere.

Another example is the movie Waking Life.

Any ways, to get started.

Just focus on the legs first. Import an image sequence into Maya(animation of a walk cycle), make sure you check sequence in attribute editor; and there is an option called Frames right the expression "=frame" .
If it is a side profile, you would have atatched the image sequence to the side orthographic camera(or even better if you matched your 3dcamera to the real cameras attributes).

Now, scale your scene so it matches your imported footage. Now keyframe all joints(or constraint controllers). Click the auto keyframe button on your bottom left.

Now adjust your rig to look like your image plane, scroll to the next 3-4 frames and repose your rig to the updated image plane.

Continue this process untill you have one full cycle. Make that cycle the length of your time slider. Hit play and watch.

To make things smooth remember the graph editor...

Goodluck

Poof!

[QNL]

Hey, I dont want to be nooby...

but i really dont understand this part.. ive tried stuff and i cant get it right..

Just focus on the legs first. Import an image sequence into Maya(animation of a walk cycle), make sure you check sequence in attribute editor; and there is an option called Frames right the expression "=frame" .

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