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Walk cycle! (first attempt)

By Stribs | Friday, November 26, 2004 at 3:39pm

Hiya, Sorry i can't attach it, i dont know how to make the file small enough! just on a little page!

www.geocities.com/rambo_99uk/walkcycle.html

i know its rough! where should i go from here? Any help would be much appriciated!

thanks

Andy

Stribs's picture
Submitted by Stribs on

right ive tried again! I dont know if im making progress or moving backwards! I can't control my mouse very well! Wacom pads are so expensive!

Stribs's picture
Submitted by Stribs on

right ive tried again! I dont know if im making progress or moving backwards! I can't control my mouse very well! Wacom pads are so expensive!

click Here

Vivec's picture
Submitted by Vivec on

Hi Im a BA student in my second year and as you prob guessed I do animation although Im interested mainly in 3D work doing 2D i the best way to start it gives you a better feel for wait and timing which are the two things you need to be a good animator. from there things like squosh and stretch come in. The walk cycle is a hard one to master so take your time. maybe if you did some simple animations like a bouncing ball. you could try having a rubber ball bounce then a cannon ball. get a feel for it. Also if you like 2D drawings start a sketch book draw two or more things a day doesnt matter what try getting into a life drawing class. theres no substatute for good drawing in animation. Even 3D animators are good drawers. keep it up hope to see some more of your work.

Character Animator

Me and the Graph Editor have a understanding

madaman90's picture
Submitted by madaman90 on

Not to be a dick, but people....if over 3000 of you are looking at a walkcycle (including me because I thought that it HAD to be outstanding), then you gotta wake up and look at something else.

I didn't read a single one of the posts. All I saw was the first take, and stop me if I'm being too judgemental, but over 3000 views equals something really cool or something really interesting.

What did I miss?

kcdragon's picture
Submitted by kcdragon on

You'll get it eventually. Nothing great is ever easy (just keep trying to tell yourself that).

Wacom pads are expensive. I bought one of the low end ones (Graphire 4x6) because I just had to have one. It's only $99, but it doesn't have the resolution or tools of the advanced artist boards. Still, thought I'd try something affordable before blowing a wad on something I never use.

Just stick with it and passion will beat obstacles all the time.

Stribs's picture
Submitted by Stribs on

like the little quote at the end! like you say i dont wanna go spending all that money and not being able to use it comfortably!

YourFoxyGrandma's picture

If you want to try and stick with scanning 'drawn on paper' stuff, you should consider investing in a lightbox, animation paper, and a pegbar. You can buy a lightbox at some art stores, although they can be expensive. I actually made one out of some thick foamcore, a sheet of plexiglass, and a desklamp. If you want the design so that you can make one yourself, I can post it for you.

As for the animation paper and pegbar, I'll assume you know little on the subject...Animation paper is punched, sortof like a 3-hole punch, except two of the holes are a flatter oval shape. A pegbar has three pegs, one round in the middle and two flatter, oval-shaped ones on the outside. You can attach a pegbar to your light table and use it to register your paper. Likewise, when you are scanning your drawings, it's important to attach a pegbar somewhere on your scanner so that your drawings stay registered.

Animation paper and pegbars can be hard to find in stores. Buying them online is usually the best way to go. A ream of paper is usually something like $20. Pegbars are about $2.

Hope this helps!

Stribs's picture
Submitted by Stribs on

I have home made light boxes and a peg bar! light box is a small glass table which i stick a desk lamp underneath! peg bar couple of drawing pins through with blue tak underneath! Nothing professional, but as wel all know im just starting out! the scanning part is whats causing alot of problems!

I did my first ever pencil test yesterday of the walk cycle! Check it out!

WalkCycle

amy's picture
Submitted by amy on

Hi, are you studying animation at uni?

Stribs's picture
Submitted by Stribs on

Did you see the animation! lol! no not at the moment, im hoping to though! Im just starting out, want to get the basics really first! Then go on from there to make beauty and the beast 5!

amy's picture
Submitted by amy on

Firstly, I'd like to point out that it's difficult to see exactly what is happening in this short cycle as it moves very fast. Therefore, I am sorry if my comments are not very accurate. I'm assuming that the red arm and leg is one side of the body and the black is the other...please tell me if I am wrong. When the right leg is in front of the body, the right arm should go back...and vice versa. Also, and more inbetweening for a smoother cycle.

Hope this helps.

Amy

amy's picture
Submitted by amy on

ha ha. Do you mind me asking how old you are?

Stribs's picture
Submitted by Stribs on

yes it does! I think i rushed it abit, but just trying to get the simple basics! of how it moves, i want to do it by pencil but dont know how to then get it on to computer! I heard in animated films its about 24 frames to a second! crazy!

Stribs's picture
Submitted by Stribs on

Im just a meer 18!

amy's picture
Submitted by amy on

Yes, 24 frames per second! I have done thousands of drawing for all of my short films...it's enjoyable though, and very rewarding to watch the final piece :)

amy's picture
Submitted by amy on

So, time to think about BA (Hons) Animation soon then? How long have you wanted to be an animator? Or is this just a hobby?

Stribs's picture
Submitted by Stribs on

Ive wanted to be an animator for years! since about 15 i'd say! Think i watched some behind the scenes programme of an animated film and looked great! Ive got dis heartened a few times by my lack of ability! have you a website or any to show???

amy's picture
Submitted by amy on

I've wanted to be an animator all my life. I've always loved to draw and really like to bring my drawings to life. You can visit my site, if you'd like. www.freewebs.com/amygibbard

amy's picture
Submitted by amy on

I'm working on my site as we speak, so sorry for the parts that aren't working at the moment.

Stribs's picture
Submitted by Stribs on

i just wish i knew what i was doing!!!

amy's picture
Submitted by amy on

So do I! :D hee hee

amy's picture
Submitted by amy on

'The Animator's Survival Kit' is an excellent book! I think you should read it...helps a lot.

Stribs's picture
Submitted by Stribs on

i have picked it up before, very daunting book, very big, with so many aspects of animatioN!

amy's picture
Submitted by amy on

Yes, but it's the most useful book that I have come across. It's quite simple, actually, with loads of examples. Something to add to your Christmas list! :)

Stribs's picture
Submitted by Stribs on

i wnat to be able to do a fluent walk cycle, without it being a stick man and with a head! how long have you been doin it?

amy's picture
Submitted by amy on

I've only been doing walk cycles for three years

amy's picture
Submitted by amy on

I prefer lip-syncing

Stribs's picture
Submitted by Stribs on

i have loads of ideas for animations, i even did a little short once, about 50 frames, but when i scanned it into the computer they came up different sizes and looked wrong!

amy's picture
Submitted by amy on

yeah, it's best to work small if scanning images in.

amy's picture
Submitted by amy on

tracing through thin paper...as you would normally do...to a small scale and then tracing the images onto one sheet of paper and scanning them in.

amy's picture
Submitted by amy on

Do you have any more work on the net?

Stribs's picture
Submitted by Stribs on

Afraid not. and i wasn't to sure what you meant about putting them all on to one piece? I have a few drawings floating about! where are u from?

amy's picture
Submitted by amy on

Anyway, it's late...I'm also from England...and I must go to bed. Good night and good luck with your animating!

Amy

Stribs's picture
Submitted by Stribs on

thankyou, you too!

amy's picture
Submitted by amy on

Just answered your question :) I'll explain later...very tired at the moment. Nite.

kcdragon's picture
Submitted by kcdragon on

Not to jump into your conversation here (well, exactly to do that, but without malice), but Stribs, if you're trying to get into computer animation you should consider working with an animation program. Scanning in individual drawings and flipbooking them really isn't the easiest way to do it in my opinion.
I played with MoHo and liked it very much. I don't have the disposable cash for the bigger software so I can't speak for them, but having the right equipment and software helps immensely.
Amy, I really like your animation and reel. Your artwork is very nice and clean. I'll keep checking your site for changes :D

Stribs's picture
Submitted by Stribs on

I would really like to do traditional animation! back to the roots!=)

when you see pencil drawings move im so much more impressed then the computer ones, Not that the computer ones are not impressive! when you see animators sitting at there desks with there light box flipping the pages making a character move, Thats what i want!

kcdragon's picture
Submitted by kcdragon on

Ah, then you need to get a stationary camera mount w/ camera and some good onion skin paper.
You're really going at it from a birth method. Good luck with it.

Here's my final 2 cents on the subject. If you're going to draw them and then scan them in for the animation (animated gif, flash, etc), then use the onion skin paper and either get an auto loader for the scanner or put a physical barrier for aligning the paper.

Best of luck to you Strips, keep us posted on your progress.