Flour Sack Walking

[.:shortdog:.]

I have been gone from A:M for a very long time! (1.5 years) I suddenly realized that today and decided to dust it off and play with a simple flour sack...I thought it would be a good exercise to make a walk cycle and possibly a few other actions. I am quite rusty and would like some tips for improvement.

 

Thanks!

sackwallk.mov

[Rodney]

I have been gone from A:M for a very long time! (1.5 years)

 

Eh??? Get outta here! It can't have been that long.

 

Glad to see you back.

[.:shortdog:.]

I have been gone from A:M for a very long time! (1.5 years)

 

Eh??? Get outta here! It can't have been that long.

 

Glad to see you back.

 

Eep! Thanks for catching that. Actually just one year. I was thinking I stopped in September, when really it was early January.

 

Thanks!

[Rodney]

Eep! Thanks for catching that. Actually just one year. I was thinking I stopped in September, when really it was early January.

 

Well, what I mean is that it just seems like I saw you posting here in the forum.

Egad! Where have I been.

 

My apologies for not seeking you out and dragging you back.

Now... get back to flour sack animating!

 

P.S. Now that you are back, if you don't get involved in TWO...

[.:shortdog:.]

Eep! Thanks for catching that. Actually just one year. I was thinking I stopped in September, when really it was early January.

 

Well, what I mean is that it just seems like I saw you posting here in the forum.

Egad! Where have I been.

 

My apologies for not seeking you out and dragging you back.

Now... get back to flour sack animating!

 

P.S. Now that you are back, if you don't get involved in TWO...

 

Perhaps you are thinking of someone else...I checked my 'recent posts' and have indeed been goen since January.

 

Will do. This one is the flour sack jumping/falling over sideways. Any advice is welcome...I know I have a lot of room for improvement ...also, I'm running out of ideas for actions? Does anyone else have some?

sackfall.mov

[Rodney]

Hey, I like that one!

 

Add some aniticipation at the very beginning and you've got a winner.

 

There is an old saying in animation "Go one way before you go the other."

You could do this in the form of Squash and Stretch where you squash him down and then as he expands/leaps he stretches out. Then plop on the ground where he squashes again.

 

Four sack exercises are such a great things.

The sense of weight alone can really contribute a lot to an animation.

 

As far as what other things you can do... wow... the possibilities are endless.

In general, if a character can do it... a flour sack can too.

 

Once you've got a basic idea (hitting head on door for instance) think about anticipation, think about distributing the character's weight, think about squash and stretch. BE THE FLOUR SACK!

 

Paul Daley and Frank Silas have put together some fun and educational flour sack projects.

The ones I remember the best are Paul's CG/Photo compositing and Frank's basic lessons.

 

Perhaps you've seen these already?

We can track them down if you are interested or if you can wait a little while they'll be on the Extra DVD (I think).

 

Keep it up!

[.:shortdog:.]

Thanks for the suggestions....I'll keep working. Be the flour sack...be the flour sack...

 

I have a book on A:M (Animation:Master 2002, A Complete Guide by David Rogers) which I will check for flour sack projects.

 

I haven't yet seen the ones you mention...If you have time to find one or two it would be great!

[.:shortdog:.]

Another try at animating the flour sack...this time it is hopping of of a crate.

 

I think the fall takes to long...

 

oh well.

 

if this topic is in the wrong section just tell me

sackandthecrate.mov

[Dhar]

Madeline, is this a Work In Progress? Or do you think this is more suitable in the Students folder where we learn the intricacies of animation?

[Rodney]

You've got some nice touches in this last one.

I've added some comments to the attached. Step through frame by frame to read them.

 

You've got some nice Arcs and Squash and Stretch in there.

 

Now we've just got to get you to exagerate.

You can always tame things down but its harder to add more.

 

The one thing I had planned to go into more but didn't get into the comments was a suggested path for Mr. Sack to fall on. As your trajectory isn't bad for a flour sack I'll leave it as is. There is something a bit cartoony about the sudden drop though so you might consider a fuller arc on his fall.

 

I'll track down the links to Paul and Frank's tutorials/exercises.

Now that I think about it David Higgins might have been involved too.

 

Here's the exercise by Frank Silas, David Higgins and Chris Wheeler:

http://www.franksilas.com/Lesson2.htm

sackandthecrate_analysis.mov

[.:shortdog:.]

Madeline, is this a Work In Progress? Or do you think this is more suitable in the Students folder where we learn the intricacies of animation?

 

Yes...you are probably right. It fits in students section. Can I move the topic myself or will I need to re create it?

 

Rodney - thanks for your help

 

Edit: Rodney, where is the attatched...? Have I missed it somewhere?

[Dhar]

Just make a new topic like : .:shortdog:. Bootcamp or Madeline's Bootcamp, that way we can find you easily and help you out