Animation is Hard

[thumperness]

I have come to the conclusion that animation is hard. This might actually take a little practice to have things do what I want them to. I do not even have the Stuck Door project to a point that I'm willing to share where I am. The frustrating part is I know what I want it to look like; I know what some of the comments are going to be, but it just won't come together like I wish it to. I guess timing is the largest issue followed by secondary motions. But we keep trudging along and practice practice practice.

 

[Paul Forwood]

Most people have some way of videoing themselves these days, whether it be on a handy cam, a digital compact, a mobile phone or even a web cam. Act out your sequence in front of a camera and use that video as a reference. Just going through the process will teach you a lot about timing. It's NOT cheating!

[Gerry]

That's not a rant! Around here that's a completely normal post. Hang in there. Everyone deals with the learning curve differently, but I was doing 3D animation for over five years before I stopped feeling like a beginner.

[Vertexspline]

Thumperness-----if it makes you feel any better I have many frustrating moments daily but also have some aha moments too as I am sure you do as well. This stuff is not easy.....if it was everyone could do it. I think you ended your post with the key words Practice ...practice practice........

 

I feel beginners think all the time " we are not getting it ". But imagine of what you knew four weeks ago and now know.....Its a big application...lots to know and more to practice ---but keep it up....you are making progress I am sure just not as fast as you would like !! (that's how I see it at least for myself).

[thumperness]

I can definitly see where it is easier working with a soundtrack or music. At least as far as some of the timing is concerned.

 

Thanx for the encouragement. I'm not even close to quiting but it's all good. That's one of the reasons I like this board so much. You get some honest critiques (kri-teeks) with a dash of 'way to go'...'Keep it up'.

[TheSpleen]

go with the mistakes. That's what I do. After awhile there are less and less of them.

[robcat2075]

Part of the problem is that "The door is stuck" is a bit too big a leap from the previous animation exercises in TAoA:M.

 

Another part is that the strategy of Blocking->Breakdowns->Polishing is not introduced. That would help you approach the task of dong a "scene" in efficient manner.

 

That's a huge concept and probably a bigger one than could be handled in the short tutorials format of the original TAoA:M but I hope to address that in the NewTAoA:M.

 

For now, show us what you have so far and maybe you'll get suggestions. Make sure it's compressed so we can DL it quickly.

[mouseman]

Another part is that the strategy of Blocking->Breakdowns->Polishing is not introduced. That would help you approach the task of dong a "scene" in efficient manner.

 

That's a huge concept and probably a bigger one than could be handled in the short tutorials format of the original TAoA:M but I hope to address that in the NewTAoA:M.

I've not had particularly good luck with blocking and then going to breakdowns. There are always problems with things not being where they need to be. I don't mean problems with keyframes in wrong places or anything like that. But rather logistical things like, "Hmm, the character has to take 15 steps to get from point A to point B in the current set; if he gets there in the time allotted, he will be running."

 

Of course, straight ahead animation is problematic, too! Sometimes I'll do stupid things like animate from one position / camera location, and then when I get him to where he needs to be and look at another angle, I find out that my character is leaning to one side.

 

As others have said, the important thing is to keep at it. The "A-ha" moments will come in time. I think doing the forum projects really helps develop skills. Thumperness and Vertexspline, you guys should both jump into the next forum project! It will be hard, but it will be worth it.

[thumperness]

you guys should both jump into the next forum project! It will be hard, but it will be worth it.

 

I have been waiting anxiously for it to start...

 

and who changed the name of this thread?

[robcat2075]

"Hmm, the character has to take 15 steps to get from point A to point B in the current set; if he gets there in the time allotted, he will be running."

 

15 steps is a lot of steps! I bet it would be hard to find a movie where a character takes 15 steps in one shot.

 

Maybe something about your shot needs to be rethought?

[mouseman]

"Hmm, the character has to take 15 steps to get from point A to point B in the current set; if he gets there in the time allotted, he will be running."

15 steps is a lot of steps! I bet it would be hard to find a movie where a character takes 15 steps in one shot.

 

Maybe something about your shot needs to be rethought?

I did exaggerate a bit. I think I just haven't done enough of it, and I will get better over time. I am really looking forward to doing the 2011 project, especially since my own project is going so slow!

[John Bigboote]

I was chatting with another animator the other day who said, 'I was going to beat myself in the head for 12 hours a day to kill myself- but then I discovered being an animator is much faster...'

 

With the proliferation of animation being EVERYWHERE in our lives, many people tend to think it is an easy gig. Wrong-ola. Some people take to it better than others, but most great animators are old people. Stick with it.

[knipple]

I was chatting with another animator the other day who said, 'I was going to beat myself in the head for 12 hours a day to kill myself- but then I discovered being an animator is much faster...'

 

With the proliferation of animation being EVERYWHERE in our lives, many people tend to think it is an easy gig. Wrong-ola. Some people take to it better than others, but most great animators are old people. Stick with it.

 

 

I've found that if I was struggling with a tutorial or having trouble with a certain part, the Video version of the tutorial helped a lot!!

[thumperness]

I've found that if I was struggling with a tutorial or having trouble with a certain part, the Video version of the tutorial helped a lot!!

 

The stuck door has no video tutorial because it was supposed to be thought of as like a mid-term.

[thumperness]

I did notice that one of the poses (sketches) in TAoAM does not seem to be achievable while keeping the hands on the door knob. It's the fully arched one with his feet both up on the door frame. At least I couldn't do it.

 

I'm sitting on it for a bit as i think of a new direction.

[robcat2075]

That's a toon render of an actual shaggy so it must be possible.

 

You don't have to do that exact action, you can do anything where he's got trouble with the stuck door.

[Rodney]

I did notice that one of the poses (sketches) in TAoAM does not seem to be achievable while keeping the hands on the door knob. It's the fully arched one with his feet both up on the door frame. At least I couldn't do it.

 

It is likely you have run afoul of two Pose Sliders that control the balance of the character. They are named Balance and Balance Rigid.

 

You'll find them under User Properties in most of the characters used with TaoA:M.

To locate these:

 

- Select the Character in the Project Workspace

- Open User Properties

- Open Rig

- Adjust the Pose Sliders to 0 Percent on Balance and Balance Rigid.

 

This should free the character up to (properly) defy gravity.

 

In the attached screen captures I've used Thom but Shaggy's setup should be similar.

[thumperness]

It is likely you have run afoul of two Pose Sliders that control the balance of the character. They are named Balance and Balance Rigid.

 

Likely. But not the case... I had already set them to zero. It's like the arms are just too short. I'm going a different direction though.

[Vertexspline]

chris ---- I do hope to be able to "jump into" the next forum project . I have been spending most of my time relearning alot of AM and in particular trying to get lots of practice modeling -i guess I should throw in some practice with TAOAM (I have reread it if not practice it all yet) (Also going through the David Rodgers book) --and some Barry Zunder videos .

 

The joy and struggle of Animation Master is ---its all you. Its starts with a blank screen.

 

Now that can be extremely fulfilling for the more adept and more than slightly frustrating for the novices. But Thumperness I can tell is undaunted and marches forward ---go Thumperness Go!

[robcat2075]

Here you go... feet on the door, hands on the knob, leaning back... it can be done.

[Rodney]

It's like the arms are just too short.

 

You could accomplish that by selecting the forearm bone and moving that forward. That will make Shaggy's arm muscles appear to stretch against the pull of the door. This is an effect you cannot get by merely aligning Shaggy's arms and placing his hands on the door. The other classic method is to animate the Door knob being pulled outward. Either way the primary gain to be had is a sense of weight, solidity and force.

 

In traditional animation this is often accomplished by drawing straights verus curves.

In this case the straights being observable in the upper arm, forearm, hand and doorknob being pulled.

While the curve is demonstrated in the curvature of Shaggy's hips, spine, neck and head as he exaggerately pulls back and yet somehow... ridiculously... still fails to open that C@#$&! door!

 

Added: Nice demo Robert!

[Vertexspline]

Nice demo Robert....very informative once again!