WEEK 3 24/01/13
Ball and Tail
This week we started the Ball and Tail part of the term. We had to work with a pre-made rig of a ball and tail with steps. The brief was to animate the ball with a lifeless tal to go up the pyramid steps. We were asked to at least give the ball a bit of personality and since the ball had a squash feature to it, we had to add squash and stretch and bounce, something we had been learning in the other lessons.
Above: This was a simple test to show the ball and tail going left and right. This was a test before using the whole rig and the steps. In the previous lessons we were only working with moving a ball, but now we had to learn to animate the tail. Since the tail was to be lifeless, we had to make sure the tail would swing and move as if it were dead.
Below: This was a bit more playing with the idea of follow through after watching a tutorial about follow through and how important it is to show follow through.
Below: This was a bit more playing with the idea of follow through after watching a tutorial about follow through and how important it is to show follow through.
Below I tried to animate the ball with a small hop and squash. This was to get me ready for the next part where I needed to animate the ball going up stair. It was rather easy to make the bounce and squash and felt rewarding.
WEEK 4 (29/01/13 - 31/01/13)
For this lesson we had to plan and animate a ball going up, around or down the set. Here are two storyboards I did to help plan what I was doing.
As you can see, the idea was that on the first jump, the ball doesn't make the step, but then it does in the end and manages to make it to the top. Finally it looks over the edge but tips forward and tumbles down.
As you can see, the idea was that on the first jump, the ball doesn't make the step, but then it does in the end and manages to make it to the top. Finally it looks over the edge but tips forward and tumbles down.
Above: Here is my initial blocking out of the ball's movement as well as a bit of rotation. Obviously the tail has not been animated as of yet, but it was best to get the initial movement of the ball first.
Below: Here is another test, finally adding some movement to the tail as well as some squash. By this point I was getting really confused because the movement of the tail and figuring out how it would move with the ball was really difficult to understand and adjust. Also, I had to remember that the tial was made of three separate parts that needed to be moved each and would be affected by the other if one is changed.
Below: Here is another test, finally adding some movement to the tail as well as some squash. By this point I was getting really confused because the movement of the tail and figuring out how it would move with the ball was really difficult to understand and adjust. Also, I had to remember that the tial was made of three separate parts that needed to be moved each and would be affected by the other if one is changed.
Above: Here is the playblasted version of my ball and tail animation getting to the top. The ball doesn't make it the first time, but finally leaps for the first step and makes it. Then it continues to the top with ease.
Below: Here I added some camera movement. I thought it would make the scene a little more interesting and look a bit more final.
Below: Here I added some camera movement. I thought it would make the scene a little more interesting and look a bit more final.
Evaluation
This was actually a really difficult piece when I was planning it. I think I over complicated the amount of keyframes and muddled myself up, hence I cut down my piece and even changed a few things from my initial storyboard. However, I got the hang of it in the end as I added the squashes and stretches. I wish the rig did have extra squash rigs so I could squash the ball a bit more on point as it hit the side of the steps.
Surprisingly, despite the tail only having to be dead, it was really hard to do so. Trying to understand the physics of it was confusing but I probably should have taken reference and made my own ball and tail to see how the dead tail may react in real life and physically manipulate the object which I'm sure would have helped.
I think it will be easier to animate a tail that is part of the ball as a moving and active limb to it (like an animal's tail).
I learnt most about how to cut keyframes and figure out what keyframes are needed. I know that when it comes to blocking out the animation, it shouldn't have too little or too many frames. At the start I had too many frames and got really confused when it came to editing each part of the tail or.
I perhaps should have done more tests with the ball and tail and will most likely go back to do more experiments.
Surprisingly, despite the tail only having to be dead, it was really hard to do so. Trying to understand the physics of it was confusing but I probably should have taken reference and made my own ball and tail to see how the dead tail may react in real life and physically manipulate the object which I'm sure would have helped.
I think it will be easier to animate a tail that is part of the ball as a moving and active limb to it (like an animal's tail).
I learnt most about how to cut keyframes and figure out what keyframes are needed. I know that when it comes to blocking out the animation, it shouldn't have too little or too many frames. At the start I had too many frames and got really confused when it came to editing each part of the tail or.
I perhaps should have done more tests with the ball and tail and will most likely go back to do more experiments.