Over the Summer
During the summer, I decided to tackle the Ellie walk cycle animation, as it was recommended to prepare for upcoming projects. Initially, I struggled immensely with the process. This was my first experience working with a rig, and I found it incredibly challenging to understand how to manipulate the model effectively. It took a surprisingly long time to grasp the basics of movement.
However, once I overcame this initial hurdle, I found the animation process to be relatively straightforward, thanks to the provided video tutorial. While I acknowledge that Ellie’s walk appears somewhat stiff and her excessive blinking suggests a potential eye irritation, I believe it was a decent first attempt considering my lack of experience.
Walk Cycle with personality
My first animation cycle, a sneaking walk, was a challenging but rewarding experience. I chose to animate a sneaking walk, using the “sneaking guide” provided in class.
Early on, I encountered difficulty with foot placement. The character’s feet would sink too deeply into the ground, creating an unnatural effect. It looked as if the character was struggling to move, rather than gliding effortlessly through the scene. This was resolved by raising the entire model slightly, resulting in a more grounded and realistic movement. The subtle adjustment made a big difference, and the character now seemed to move with a playful “bop” to each step, adding a touch of personality to the animation.
Another challenge arose with arm jitter. The arms seemed to be moving erratically, lacking the smooth, controlled movement I was aiming for. This required a bit of tweaking and adjustment. I experimented with keyframe timings and posture, trying different combinations until I achieved a stable and natural arm movement. The key was to ensure that the arms moved in sync with the rest of the body, creating a sense of balance and fluidity.
The most significant hurdle, however, was the timing of the poses. This demanded a deep understanding of the interplay between movement and expression. I had to carefully consider when and how far to move specific limbs to create the desired effect. It was a delicate balancing act, and it took a lot of experimentation and refinement. One frustrating moment occurred when I accidentally over-extended a step, creating an unintended stumble. It was a comical error, but it highlighted the importance of meticulous attention to detail. Fortunately, I was able to quickly rectify the error by adjusting the keyframes and adding more in-between frames.
Despite the challenges, I learned a lot from my first animation cycle. It taught me the importance of careful planning, meticulous execution, and the value of experimentation. It also reinforced the importance of seeking feedback and collaborating with others. I’m grateful for the opportunity to have tackled this challenge, and I’m excited to apply the lessons I learned to future projects.
Walk Cycle
Tackling the walk cycle after completing the sneak cycle (walk with personality) was an interesting experience. I found the walk cycle, surprisingly, much easier to create after working on the sneak. Perhaps it was the experience gained from animating the more nuanced movements of the sneak that made the walk feel more straightforward. However, I still encountered some challenges, particularly with the feet sliding awkwardly and the transition between foot movements. It seemed that the feet were dragging a bit too much, creating an unnatural, almost cartoonish effect.
I spent a considerable amount of time trying to resolve these issues, even with the provided guides. The guides were helpful, but they didn’t quite address the specific problems I was encountering. Fortunately, with encouragement and advice from friends, I managed to make adjustments. They suggested focusing on the timing of the foot movements, ensuring a smoother transition between steps. This involved tweaking the keyframes and adding more in-between frames to create a more natural flow.
To achieve a smoother transition into the animation loop, I decided to duplicate the first frame and place it outside the rendering. This ensures that when the animation loops, it seamlessly jumps back to the first frame without any noticeable errors. It’s a simple trick, but it makes a big difference in the overall smoothness and believability of the animation.
The walk cycle, despite its initial challenges, became a rewarding experience. It taught me the importance of careful timing and the value of seeking feedback from others. I learned that even the most basic animations can be improved through attention to detail and collaboration.
Run Cycle
The run cycle was a surprisingly enjoyable challenge, a welcome change from the intricacies of the walk and sneak animations. Perhaps it was the fewer frames and larger movements that made it feel less daunting, or maybe it was simply the confidence gained from tackling the previous two cycles. This was my third animation, and I started to notice a recurring issue with accurately timing the crossover of the legs. It’s a subtle detail, but it can make a big difference in the fluidity of the movement. I’ll definitely work on improving this in future animations.
I also experimented with applying drag to the movement of the feet and wrists, with varying degrees of success. I felt I achieved this better with the feet than the wrists, likely due to the smaller range of realistic motion and my own inexperience. The wrists, being more delicate, required a subtler approach, and I wasn’t quite able to capture the desired effect. Regardless, I was pleased with the outcome, particularly the way the feet interacted with the ground.
Another challenge was determining the character’s airtime and the level of exaggeration in the poses. I wanted to create a dynamic and visually appealing run, but I also wanted to maintain a sense of realism. This involved a lot of repetitive editing, adjusting the timing and posing until I found a balance I liked. Ultimately, I’m happy with the result, and I consider this one of the more satisfying cycles to animate.
Overall, the run cycle was a rewarding experience. It presented challenges that forced me to think critically about the nuances of animation, and I learned valuable lessons that I can apply to future projects. I’m excited to continue developing my skills and to tackle even more complex animations in the future.
Run and Jump
The run and jump animation was the final piece of the puzzle, and it quickly became my favourite. I decided to reuse my existing run animation, as I was completely satisfied with its outcome. For the vaulting motion, I turned to YouTube for inspiration, referencing an animation by “Dellyeoman” and a real-life video of a vault by “ItZTrickingdude.” To enhance the illusion of the jump, I quickly created a simple environment consisting of a gymnastics mat and a vaulting table.
One frustrating aspect of the animation process was ensuring the character’s hand remained consistently placed on the table throughout the vault. Every edit required meticulous attention to hand placement, which consumed a significant amount of time and became quite irritating. Despite this, I still found the animation process immensely enjoyable. Once I achieved a reasonable level of hand consistency, I had a blast animating the transition from running to vaulting, the leg throw over the table, and the landing.
Rendering presented another challenge. I couldn’t get the eyes to render properly in Eevee for both the run and jump animations. With the deadline looming, I didn’t have time to troubleshoot this issue. As a result, I rendered the sneak and walk animations in Cycles and made a note to address the Eevee rendering problem in the future when I have more time. Apart from this rendering issue, the animations went smoothly.
Overall, the run and jump animation was a rewarding experience. Despite the frustrations with hand placement and rendering, I had a lot of fun bringing this dynamic sequence to life. I’m eager to tackle similar challenges in future projects and further refine my animation skills.
References:
https://youtu.be/2fVafGGR5oM?si=HbwUBQHTArAzXr3W
https://youtu.be/NM1roAOpTZM?si=G5ruPCar2xV9iIFe
Reflection
This module presented a unique set of challenges, both personal and professional. Life threw some curveballs my way, significantly impacting my ability to dedicate time and energy to my work. While I could have managed this situation better, I acknowledge that time management has always been a struggle for me. I’m committed to actively addressing this weakness, as it’s a recurring issue that I need to conquer. Unfortunately, this resulted in a lot of rushed work and unnecessary stress. However, I’m pleased with the final animations and incredibly grateful for the support of those around me who kept me motivated and reminded me to take breaks. Animation, while a passion, can be incredibly frustrating when things go wrong, and I’m learning the value of stepping away when needed. This is a valuable lesson, as I’ve always found it difficult to detach myself from projects.
I regret neglecting the 2D portion of the module due to these circumstances. I was genuinely excited about this aspect, as it aligns more closely with my personal animation style. I chose to focus on 3D because it allows me to animate much faster. However, I plan to dedicate some free time to exploring 2D animation, which I wish I had done earlier.
Despite the setbacks, I’ve made some progress in my animation skills. However, I’ve also taken a few steps back in terms of my habits, particularly time management, procrastination, and distractions, compounded by personal life events. Nevertheless, I’m proud of the work I managed to complete and will seek guidance from relevant resources to address my less-than-ideal habits.
Looking ahead, I’m determined to prioritise self-care and create a more balanced approach to my work. I’ve learned the hard way that neglecting my well-being ultimately hinders my productivity. Going forward, I’ll make a conscious effort to set realistic deadlines, break down large tasks into smaller, manageable chunks, and prioritise my mental health. This module has been a valuable lesson in self-awareness and the importance of setting healthy boundaries.
While I’m not entirely satisfied with my performance this time around, I’m confident that I can learn from these experiences and apply them to future projects. I’m excited to continue developing my animation skills, both in 2D and 3D, and to refine my workflow for greater efficiency and enjoyment. With a renewed focus on self-care, time management, and a healthy dose of self-compassion, I’m confident that I can overcome these challenges and achieve my creative goals.