Animation Fundamentals ✦ PROJECT 2 ✦

18.11.2024 -9.12.2024 (Week9-Week12)

liuziyu/0367533/Bachelor of Design (Honors) in Creative Media

Animation Fundamentals

Task: PROJECT 2

INSTRUCTIONS 

Week 9

Lecture：

Movement continuity refers to whether the connection between a series of movements is natural and smooth. Just like in dance or movies, one movement smoothly transitions to the next. If the movement is not continuous, the audience will feel abrupt or unnatural, affecting the viewing experience.

There should be a smooth transition between movements, such as a smooth landing after a jump. The movement should have an appropriate speed. Too fast or too slow may affect the sense of continuity. The audience's reaction to the movement should be consistent with the change of the movement.

Movement continuity is the key to making the movement look natural and smooth, which affects the audience's feelings and understanding.

Week 10

Lecture：

This week Mr. Kamal introduces us to key poses, extreme poses, breakdown poses, and in-between poses

In animation, these four poses are essential to building fluid and expressive movements. Here’s what each pose means and how they work together:

1. Key pose

What it is: The main point that defines the movement and tells the story.

Why it’s important: They form the structure of the animation, showing where the movement begins, changes, and ends.

For example: In a jump, key poses include the crouch before the jump, the highest point of the jump, and the landing.

2. Extreme pose

What it is: The most stretched or compressed moment in the movement.

Why it’s important: Adds energy and exaggeration, making the movement more dynamic and expressive.

For example: At the highest point of the jump, the body is fully extended; when landing, the body is contracted.

3. Breakdown pose

What it is: The poses between key moments that explain how the movement happens.

Why it’s important: Leads the movement, showing arcs, overlaps, or secondary movements, such as flowing hair or swinging arms.

For example: During a jump, the arms swing up and the legs begin to close in mid-air.

4. In-between poses

What it is: Smaller poses between all other poses that make the movement more fluid.

Why it’s important: Makes the movement feel natural and continuous by optimizing timing and spacing.

For example: The gradual drop between the top of a jump and the landing.

PROJECT 2

Walk Cycle Animation，

 

                  

                                     Jump Animation

Assignment Requirements：

Create a project in Adobe Animate. Set the settings to 24fps, 16:9 aspect ratio, and 1280 x 720 (HD720p) resolution.

Export the rough animation as a video, using any of the following formats, *.mp4 format or quicktime *.mov.

Create a bandeau drawing with sharper strokes.

Creative process：

I started by studying real-life references and analyzing how people walk, focusing on the movement of the body, weight transfer, and arm movement. To visualize the animation, I sketched thumbnails of key poses, including the character's cape and costume details. These sketches helped me plan the sequence and overall timing.

Key poses are essential to defining the structure of the walk cycle. These poses include:

One foot touches the ground and the other foot lifts up.

The midpoint where the legs cross and the body shifts weight.

The moments of moving up and down add bounce and realism.

Next, I added in-between frames to ensure smooth transitions between key poses. These frames help achieve fluid motion, especially the swing of the cape and the character's forward momentum. Refining the timing is essential to making the steps feel balanced and realistic.

To convey the character's qualities, I included details such as a slight forward lean and a thoughtful step to give a confident, determined feel. The flowing cape adds movement and depth, enhancing the overall appeal of the animation.

Finally, I cleaned up the drawings and adjusted the proportions to ensure consistency between frames. This process taught me how to effectively balance technical accuracy and creative expression to make animations feel lifelike and engaging.

Final Design：

REFLECTION

This project focused on animating basic movements like jumping and walking, which are essential for creating lifelike characters. I worked on timing, weight, and smooth transitions to make the movements feel natural.

One strength was capturing realistic timing and spacing, which gave the jump and walk a good flow. I also added character personality through unique poses and movements. However, I faced challenges with weight distribution during the jump and ensuring smooth transitions in the walk cycle.

I learned the importance of studying real-life movements to improve accuracy, using anticipation and follow-through to enhance realism, and maintaining consistency in the character’s proportions and actions.

Moving forward, I aim to explore more complex movements like running and skipping, building on the foundational skills I developed in this project. It was a rewarding experience that helped me improve my animation techniques.