The Art of Animation:Master

[Rodney]

Hey Curtis!

 

Folks.... if you don't join the current round... with the legendary Curtis Rhoads no less... you have only yourself to blame!

 

Enter into 2005 completing the exercises from The Art of Animation:Master!

(New and Improved! Now with 100% more Vong!)

 

 

[dls9347]

Will my 8.5v work the same as these tutorials?

Blessings, Diane & Raven

[Rodney]

Diane (and Raven),

 

There will be parts of the exercises where you'll have to depart from the lessons a little bit. In a few cases having v8.5 may even be a benefit. Interface differences are probably your biggest concern. You may have to do some model substitution but I think that should work well too.

 

The first edition of TAOA:M was put together right around the same time that v8.5 was the main version in use (as I recall-I'm sure I'll be corrected if that isn't the case). 2001 was a great year as I recall.

 

The fact that you are a v8.5 user actually is worth extra points (from me) as you help show others what is possible with the resources at their disposal.

A:M v8.5 was a great program and it still is!

 

I trust you've downloaded the book off of the FTP.

If you need an assistance you have but to ask.

 

Who else wants to join in the fun?

[Fishman]

Got AM 2003 for Christmas. Here's Exercise 1!

[Fishman]

Here's Exercise 2! Getting kicked off the computer, so 3 may be a while

Exercise_2.mpg

[jnord71]

I am currently working on the Flower Power tutorial. I have made the stem and the first leaf. Everything looks fine in the wire frame view(8), the leaf doesn't appear in the shaded view while the stem looks fine(9), and the shaded part of the leaf doesn't appear in the wire frame and shaded view while the stem's wire frame and shaded parts can both be seen. I know the leaf is really there in all three modes because I can select it, but why can't I see the shaded part. I have updated my video card driver to the most recent version and have searched the past forum entries without finding any describing the same problem. Thanks for your time.

 

Jeff

[Hutch]

If you could post a pic it would be easier to see what the problem may be. It sounds like you just haven't constructed your leaf properly but I can't be sure without seeing it.

[Rodney]

why can't I see the shaded part

 

I'd guess you don't have a valid patch there.

Maybe a stray CP added or something.

 

As Hutch suggests, a screen shot would help solve the problem.

[jnord71]

Here are pictures for the wire frame, shaded, and wire frame and shaded views. This was done on AM version 9.5.

 

Jeff

[jnord71]

Sorry. Here is the wire frame.

 

Jeff

flower_power__wire_frame_.tga

[jnord71]

here is shaded.

flower_power__shaded_.tga

[jnord71]

here is wire frame and shaded.

 

Jeff

flower_power__wire_frame_and_shaded_.tga

[Rodney]

we should have been more specific I guess.

 

How about a shaded wireframe view (maybe a closeup on the part that isn't showing which I understand to be the leaf)

 

Rodney

 

*I typed too soon. You read our minds. Thanks!

A closeup shaded wireframe of the leaf would help.

Edited December 28, 2004 by Rodney

[Rodney]

Here is something close to what it should look like...

(a bit more rounded in the tutorial of course)

 

Note: The bottom one is for people that don't like 3 point patches in their model (see the tip of the leaf). You can select the spline, hit Y, and it'll create the fourth CP in the middle of the spline.

[jnord71]

here is the close up of the wire frame and shaded.

 

Jeff

flower_power__wire_frame_and_shaded_close_up_.tga

[Rodney]

Jeff,

It almost looks like the splines aren't connected...

(see intersections identified by red circles)

 

In order to render the splines must be connected to make valid patches.

[Rodney]

Still with us Jeff?

[Rodney]

You are off and running Fishman!

 

(I've never seen that unregistered imprint before)

[lhvio89]

Here are some excercises that I did...

 

Excercise 4- It's A Pitch:

 

Front View

Top Left View

 

(Yes, I realize that the knight is not on the ground, slips backwards, and his shoulder sorta goes in an impossible direction, but thought I'd post anyway )

 

Excercise 5- Take A Walk:

 

 

Rabbit Walking Along Path

Rabbit Walk Cycle From Front

 

Thanks for your crits and comments!

 

Logan H.

[Rodney]

Welcome aboard Logan.

 

We're always hoping people will join in and add critiques here as well as in the WIP.

People that have gone through the exercises usually can provide some of their experience as well.

 

Glad to have you with us.

[lhvio89]

Thanks Rodney!

 

And thanks for anyone's crits and comments in advance!

 

Logan H.

[jnord71]

You were right. The splines weren't connected. Problem solved. Thanks for your help, Rodney.

 

Jeff

[Fishman]

(I've never seen that unregistered imprint before)

Rodney: I think that was from the avi to mpg converter I used. I didn't render it as a quicktime and couldn't post it. Rather than rerender I converted it. Must have added the water mark since I'm in the trial period.

[lhvio89]

Ok....so I just started working on the Door is Stuck exercise....It is in no way near complete, and I have to make a load of changes to what I already have (timing, fixing constraints, make it look like he is actually trying to open the door instead of hump it )

 

Anyway, please comment/crit. Thanks,

 

Logan

 

Just getting up on door

A little further along

[lhvio89]

I have a little problem...Somehow, I saved the project I was working on as the one on the CD (so I overwrote the CD file.) I want to start completely over on the Door is Stuck exercise....so, can someone please send me the original .prj file from the CD?

 

Thanks.

 

~Logan H.

[lhvio89]

Well, I started over on The Door's Stuck (I found a version that I saved at the very beginning...still would be appreciated if someone would send me the original CD file)...and this is what I have so far....I still have to fix some constratint things, and make his left elbow stay down, but so far I am pretty happy with how it is turning out. Oh, and I am not exactly going like the tut. wants it to go, sorta gonna make it different, and longer....

 

Here it is

 

Logan H.

[Rodney]

Somehow, I saved the project I was working on as the one on the CD (so I overwrote the CD file.)

 

Logan,

Maybe I misunderstand. What you've typed is rather impossible with a read only (CD) file.

[Rodney]

Logan,

Your attempt is perhaps the first I've seen where the foot sliding actually fits the scene.

 

Shaggy looks like he really is struggling enough for his feet to slide toward the door. Nice.

 

Adding a keyframe before and after a change in action usually will create the sharp change from one pose to the next.

 

Keep it up. He may just beat that door yet!

[lhvio89]

Thanks Rodney...

 

About overwriting the file....that is not really what I meant....what I meant is that somehow the Project associated with my library's The Door's Stuck has been pointed toward the one I have been working on....I fixed it now though

 

Logan H.

[lhvio89]

Little update on my Door's Stuck animation....just fixed the wild elbows (I think I am going to have to fix the feet sliding with the new elbows though)....I will prolly have the rest of the animation done by late tonight or sometime tomorrow morning/afternoon...

 

Logan

 

Here is the updated video

[lhvio89]

So, I am done with The Door Is Stuck (although there is loads of room for improvement, including the screwed up arms and hands...I will revisit this exercise later). Quick question though. I have been having trouble with the timing of the door opening....I can't remember the exact second/frame I wanted it to happen, but I had the door open at, let's say, 00:05:02...had it open some more at say 00:05:06, etc....well, the problem is, that the door would start opening way before 00:05:02, somewhere around 00:04:24 or so (theses are just hypothetical numbers, since I can't remember the exact ones.) So, I had to go back through each frame, and put the door where I thought it should go, which sometimes made the door look like it was just bouncing in its frame....What am I doing wrong?

 

Well, thanks for your crits/comments....on to the next exercise!

 

Logan H.

 

The Door Is Stuck

[Rodney]

Logan,

I'd say what you are running into is a situation where you need to keyframe the door shut and key frame it open.

 

Another way you could approach it (which is outside the exercise a little) would be to make a separate action of the door opening and drop that onto the doorframe model in the choreography. Timing the opening of the door could be a headache if you aren't ready for that though.

 

Adding a few keyframes would probably be your best bet (and stay closer to the exercise). If you want the door to stop at specific places you can force a keyframe in those positions as well.

 

Rodney

[Rodney]

I like your 'punchline'.

 

If you could add a few frames at the end to allow the viewer to understand what has happened that might be good.

 

I'm watching it loop so that might be the cause of not feeling the impact at the end.

 

Keep at it... it is really starting to come together.

[lhvio89]

Thanks Rodney....yeah, the end does go by pretty fast Not exactly how I wanted it to look, but...I will go back and fix it after a few more exercises...

 

Also, just reposting my question from above---

 

Quick question though. I have been having trouble with the timing of the door opening....I can't remember the exact second/frame I wanted it to happen, but I had the door open at, let's say, 00:05:02...had it open some more at say 00:05:06, etc....well, the problem is, that the door would start opening way before 00:05:02, somewhere around 00:04:24 or so (theses are just hypothetical numbers, since I can't remember the exact ones.) So, I had to go back through each frame, and put the door where I thought it should go, which sometimes made the door look like it was just bouncing in its frame....What am I doing wrong?

 

Thanks,

~Logan

[Rodney]

Logan,

Look a couple posts above this.

 

Keyframes are the answer.

Enough people have trouble with this that we'll try to provide some specific information via a link in the future.

 

For now though... keyframes.

 

Best,

Rodney

[lhvio89]

ahhh ok...thanks,

 

Got another question now....On the "Can you say that?" exercise, I've got a problem when it coes to adding a dope sheet. When I add it, Under each word, is the breakdown of it's sounds (Like under Secret it will have

S

e

c

 

r

e

t

or something like that. I can't get it to look all nice like in the book (all the words in one view, with the wave sample showing also.) I have to pan, zoom in, scroll up, etc, etc...and seeing the breakdown of every word is very annoying (oh, and also, it couldn't find the dictionary for a while, so I had to copy one from v10.5 into the v11 folder.)

 

Logan H.

[Rodney]

couldn't find the dictionary for a while, so I had to copy one from v10.5 into the v11 folder.

 

This was a know issue at some point.

Sounds like it still is an issue.

 

I'm not sure what you mean by the following:

seeing the breakdown of every word is very annoying

 

The breakdown of words is what allows you to match the dialog with the action/lipsync. I'm not sure how else you'd be able to match the movements accurately without them being broken down. The other alternative, which many people opt for, is to forego the dopesheet entirely and lipsync pose to pose.

 

As David Rogers (the man who wrote the book) says, the dopesheet is most useful for blocking out the intial phonemes. After that you may want to break away from the dopesheet.

 

As far as annoyances, You should be typing in the words as in the exercise not as individual letters. I don't think you are doing that though... I hope.

 

Rodney

[lhvio89]

I didn't mean that the break down of the words is annoying.....I meant being able to see the word that I typed in, and the letters below it that make up the word....here, let me post a scrn. shot of what I mean....(also, not being able to see the wave sample, and all the words in the exercise like the screen shot in the book.)

 

Err....okay, nevermind.... As I was taking a screen shot, I found the little + and - things next to the individual words....they were on -, therefore, showing all the letters/sounds of each word....duh..."Animation:Master is designed to work just like windows..." lol

 

Anyway, how can I shrink the dope sheet vertically, instead of horizontally?

 

Thanks,

Logan

 

P.S.---What is the avg. time per frame for rendering the Can you say that exercise? for most ppl? I would assume that it would be much longer than a walk cycle for instance....but right now, it is rendering at around 4:50 a frame....is that normal?

 

Thanks

[MarkusAralius382]

Hey Logan I like your animation, it actually made me laugh! Also you should download the fixed shaggy so his hands arent so messed up, sorry if I posted this late after you finished the animation. I also have a question for you Logan, how do you attach files like you did where you can just click on the letters, I know its hyperlinked but is it to a website or to your file?

[lhvio89]

Thanks Mark....Yeah, I though about downloading the fixed shaggy, but didn't do it before I finished this round of animating The Door's Stuck...When I revisit it, I will be sure to download the fixed one though, cuz, yea, his hands are really screwed up

 

As to attaching files, it is directly to my file (which is hosted on my site)....All I do is click on the "http://" button in the Code Buttons section of when you add a reply to a post, and fill in the link to the file, and what I want it to say.

 

Logan

[hypnomike]

Nice work on "Door's stuck" Logan!

 

I agree with Rodney, the sliding feet work really well.

 

I had a real life "Door's stuck" today at work. I tried to get into one of the offices through a door I've used many times before. After much pushing I had to bang on the door until it was opened towards me...Doh! Have I learned nothing from these exercises?

 

Happy New Year.

 

Mike

[lhvio89]

Thanks Mike! Happy New Year to you too...

 

Yeah, I think that all doors should have sings on them telling you whether to push or pull. Well, actually, come to think of it, those sometimes don't help at all...they just make you feel more embarrased after struggling with a door for a while....but, hey, happens to everyone...right? (*hopes* )

 

Logan

[MarkusAralius382]

Anyway, how can I shrink the dope sheet vertically, instead of horizontally?

 

Thanks,

Logan

 

P.S.---What is the avg. time per frame for rendering the Can you say that exercise? for most ppl?  I would assume that it would be much longer than a walk cycle for instance....but right now, it is rendering at around 4:50 a frame....is that normal?

 

Thanks

By adjusting project workspace vertically it also adjusts the dope sheet. Umm i'm not sure that is normal for it to be 4:50 per fram because mine does it in 3 seconds, it may depend on what resolution and speed of your computer as well though.

 

ps

thanks for the tip on the attaching of the file!

[lhvio89]

Woah...3 secs per frame? That is what I usually get, but for some reason this one is taking forever!!! I have the settings on Final, resolution VGA, which is what I normally use....Ugh....and it's not like I have a bad computer or anything either....does anyone know what the reason could be for the huge slow-down in rendering speed?

 

Thanks,

Logan

[alejandro]

hello, everyone

 

i'm having a hard time understanding how to remove the constraints exlpained at the end of exorcise 6?

 

thanks

alex

[Rodney]

alex,

I'm not exactly sure where you are stuck.

 

If you are trying to delete a constraint that should be easy enough.

I suspect you may be trying to do something else though.

 

The first thing you'll need to do to delete a constraint is to locate it in the Project WorkSpace. You'll want to RIGHT CLICK on the bone, pick SELECT / CONSTRAINT and then you should be able to see the contraint name to delete it.

 

Let me know if we are on the same page here...

 

Rodney

[alejandro]

rodney, thanks for your prompt reply.

 

we are almost on the same page, the book hasn't really gone into the workplace menu yet,

i'm talking about pages 68 thru 70.

 

when i've tried doing these instructions the (i did it on the camera) camera stayed in the same place but turned around, this made if very difficult to see any action being on how the camera was facing the wrong way.

 

question 2

how do you use the timeline to to remove or edit keyframes?

 

for example, i cause the arm to swing in 3 keyframes, but then 2 seconds later i'm not happy with the results...

 

how do i eliminate those 3 keyframes if idon't even know where they are?...

 

thanks

alex

 

ps if this is explained later in the book, let me know and what page (i don't want to wear out your fingers)

[lhvio89]

ERRG!!! When I posted last, I began rendering "Can you say that?" ....it is still going!!! Why is this one taking sooooooo much longer than all the others to render?

 

Thanks,

Logan

[Rodney]

how do i eliminate those 3 keyframes if idon't even know where they are?...

 

Hard to eliminate something you can't find...

 

It shouldn't be that hard to find the keyframes just make sure you select the "show more than drivers' icon. From there if you select the bone in that action that looks wrong to you that should aid in attacking the right keyframes. You may find in some cases that until you get familar with the process it may be easier to start from scratch. There is a point where sometimes trying to correct a problem only leads to more problems and it's either a good time for a break or a fresh start.

 

Concerning the camera you might find it useful to switch views often. I tend to shift between camera, front, right and top view often. Some people like to set up their screen with multiple views... to each his/her own.

[alejandro]

i use all the camera angles, my problem is that i constrained camera1 to shaggy's back then when i wanted to remove the constraint it flipped around...

 

i know that correcting a problem can lead to other problems (this is my 3rd time doing excersice 6), but i would like to know how to correct a problem so that i can avvoid these problems in the future.

 

thanks

alex