Task 3 and Task 4

Really need to start posting here more often :-S

Since my last post we've also been given Tasks 4 and 5. As Task 4 is my current work in progress for this weeks feedback session I'll cover that in this post.

Task 4: Character Personality Walk

Using the rig of your choice animate your character in a personality walk. The character must be walking while carrying, pushing or pulling an object and a stop and start must be included within the animation. Adding additional animation is encouraged to keep in personality with your character.

I've got my idea sorted for this, some bits need fine tuning. I also think I may need to tone down my initial idea or the animation will probably go over 10 seconds and I'll also probably be giving myself a bit too much of an ambitious task for this exercise.  Probably better to simplify it and do it well.

I've managed to block out my initial base walk as a cycle (i've only ever done cycles in the past), now just need to transfer that so my guy actually covers ground. I've also established a rough scene. I've decided to use the biped in 3Ds Max for this exercise.Going to get some reference footage tomorrow now and roughly block out the whole animation.I'll probably draw out some of my key poses, film myself acting it and then go from there.

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Last Weeks feedback session was on Task 3 - Ball with a tail. I based mine on a spotty puppy.

'Spot' the ball with a tail

Had a few problems with it that needed correcting so, touched it up the day after the feedback and re-rendered. It could possibly need more work before hand in. Will post the video to vimeo and link.

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In other news I've watched quite a few good shorts recently. An interesting one I discovered the other night called 'Lightheaded'. I thought the concept behind it was pretty cool.

Another good one I saw a while back which I recently re-watched, is called 'Alma' directed by Rodrigo Blaas of Pixar. It's recently been announced that this is going to be made into a film :-) which I think will be really cool because the short it AWESOME!

Alma from Rodrigo Blaas on Vimeo.

Ball and Pendulum Videos

These are videos of my initial attempts of Tasks 1 and 2.

Task 1: Bouncy Ball from Lauren Orrells on Vimeo.

Task 1: Happy Ball from Lauren Orrells on Vimeo.

Task 2: Pendulum from Lauren Orrells on Vimeo.

I need to make corrections to the Bouncy Ball and the Pendulum after getting feedback in last weeks weekly session, and then re-render out the improved versions. May also make some improvements to the scenes in general. Will see how the time pans out.

Pendulum

Watched some videos of Keith Lango's Animation Channel on YouTube over the weekend, thanks to a recommendation by someone in the class. Really helped in explaining stuff about overlapping action and breakdown positions for the Pendulum movement. I also made my own video footage.

I've also been reading 'The Animators Survival Kit' by Richard Williams, great book!

Pendulum Set-up & Trajectory Paths

Still not quite happy with my Pendulum movement mind... think it may be something to do with the timing and maybe the movement of the bottom link... but not really sure.  Will be good to get some feedback in this weeks sessions, same for Task 1. I've moved onto the next task for now.

They are as follows:

Task 1: Bouncy Balls

Animate two balls of different weights bouncing and colliding with an object.

Task 2: Pendulum

Animate a three link pendulum attached to a box. Experiment with different ways of moving the box and animate the resulting action onto the pendulum.

Task 3: Ball with Tail

Animate a ball with a tail jumping onto a box. The ball must have personality!

An interesting short I stumbled upon today when looking at Keith Lango's Blog. It's cute and it's about baking. What's not to like? :D

JOBS : THE BAKER / LES METIERS : LE BOULANGER from lam le thanh on Vimeo.

An Inspiration...

Check this out if you haven't seen it already:

http://www.animationmentor.com/community/showcase.html#videos

The work shown here is AWESOME! Definately something to aspire to throughout the year!

The Beginning

First post. This blog is going to contain information on my journey through my MA Character Animation course, should be good fun!

I've been working on my 'bouncing ball animations' over the last few days. I have a bouncy ball and also the 'happy' yellow stress ball. Both, luckily for me, are a good size to bounce across my desk continously to watch how they move and what happens when they hit something. My first attempts were poor but recent results have been more promising. Will post my the renders soon.

I've also put together the rig for my pendulum but the motion isn't quite right. I think I put one together and observe as I couldn't find any decent video reference on the internet, especially not for a multi-link pendulum. The best I found was on an 'Animation Mentor' students blog, where the guy has made his own and filmed himself moving it.

http://ejoanmiquel.blogspot.com/2009/11/pendulum-reference.html

Making one if probably the best idea rather than just assuming how it would move or reading about it 'in theory'.