MOVEMENT AND MOTION
In this exercise, my group and i are to follow the principle of animations to video the actions that are introduced in there.
Anticipation
The anticipation movement prepares the audience for a major action the character is about to perform, such as, starting to run, jump or change expression. This video shows that the person is ready to throw the ball. A backwards motion occurs before the forward action is executed. The backward motion of the person throwing the ball is the anticipation.
Creating holds
This video shows that the person is picking up the ball, while collecting the ball, the person needs to bend down and then collect the ball from the floor and before putting it the object to another spot.
Follow through
Follow through is when the main body of the character stops all other parts and continue to catch up to the main mass of the character, such as arms, long hair, clothing, coat tails or a dress, floppy ears or even a long tail. No animation would stop the actions all at once. Hence, this video shows a person jumping and her scarf moves along with her. Her scarf is considered the follow through.
Squash and stretch
This action gives the illusion of weight and volume to a character as it moves. Squash and stretch is useful in animating facial expression, ball bouncing or even jumps. This video shows that the person is jumping up when the person is squatting. The squat is the squash and the jumping up is the stretch.
Strong line of actions
This action adds to and enriches the main action. This action allow the action made by the character to add more dimension to the animation, supplementing or re-enforcing the main action. Example: a character is walking angrily towards another character. The walk must be forceful, aggressive and forward leaning. Hence, in this video, it shows that the person is angry and making her to throw the ball harder. The backward motion and forward motion is critical in order to create the mood which is angry.
Through this lab, i've learned that all these principles are important in creating a more realistic animation. We need to apply these principles in order to get a more smoothing animation, these make the character in the animation to have a more convincing and a natural movements to convey what they want to tell the audience.
MECHANIC ARM
During this lab, i've learned alot of things that are related in animating this mechanic arm. Before this lab, i've been taught that i can animate the primitives shapes frame by frame. However, through this lab, we've learn how to make a parent constrain as well as how to connect the primitives shape together and control it to make an animation. By making a parent constrain to another, we can control it together without keep selecting on the individual. Besides, this make it an easier job for the animator as it is not tedious as what the frame by frame animation can do.
When or How do you use parent constrain?
We can use parent constrain to control an object when we have a character interacting with an object like pushing, pulling or lifting. It is an advantage to use parenting as a way of locking the character to the object. Parenting can work well if the character is in constant contact with the object. However, it can fail if the object is shared between two characters or even if the character were to walk away from the object because parenting is permanent. It cannot be animated on and off. However, in Maya, there is a tool that allow us to animate the parenting on and off and even animate the switching of parents, if we want to.
I've also done a research on how to create a parenting object
LINK: http://download.novedge.com/Brands/Alias/Helps/Maya6.5/en_US/CharSetup/createaparentconstraint.html
Exercise 4:
1) Apart from their different sizes, it is
obvious from Luxo Jr. that the big lamp is “older” and that the small lamp is
“younger”.
How is this communicated by the animation? Give at least THREE examples.
As from the video, i can recognize the big lamp is the older and the small lamp is younger because:
First, the animator make the bigger lamp's standing position firmly and not bending it exaggeratedly like the small lamp does. Besides, the movement of the older lamp is slowed down, while the smaller lamp's movement is more energetic. The animator also make the younger lamp's jump higher and more exaggerated and the older lamp's didn't jump at all.
Secondly, when the ball rolled towards the older lamp, the lamp doesn't have much reaction to it. It just simply rolled it back with his head and remained relax and gave a "i don't care" reaction to it. Besides, the older lamp didn't pay much attention to the ball. However, the younger lamp came in jumping excitedly to play with the ball. The younger lamp was really energetic and it seems to be very excited to play with the ball.
Thirdly, the small lamp is the younger lamp as it jumps on the ball and when the ball is flatten by the smaller lamp, it when to flip the ball over and over curiously. This shows that the smaller lamp is the younger one as many young kids show their curiosity by this kind of actions.
All of these points above convinced me that the smaller lamp is the younger lamp while the bigger lamp is the older lamp.
2) Give an example from Luxo Jr of how timing is used for comic effect. Explain how the timing decisions contribute to the humour.
The timing is a crucial part in making the animation that creates the comic effects. To create comic effects, we need to have the exact timing. To find out the exact timing, we need to use the trial and error method. Besides, the movement of the big lamp is slow and with calm reaction, since the movement is slow and firm, i can conclude that more scenes is needed in order to make this effect. While the smaller lamp has faster reactions, the scenes are lesser. The timing also help in the acting of a character to establish mood, emotion and reaction to another character or to a situation.
Secondly, when the ball rolled towards the older lamp, the lamp doesn't have much reaction to it. It just simply rolled it back with his head and remained relax and gave a "i don't care" reaction to it. Besides, the older lamp didn't pay much attention to the ball. However, the younger lamp came in jumping excitedly to play with the ball. The younger lamp was really energetic and it seems to be very excited to play with the ball.
Thirdly, the small lamp is the younger lamp as it jumps on the ball and when the ball is flatten by the smaller lamp, it when to flip the ball over and over curiously. This shows that the smaller lamp is the younger one as many young kids show their curiosity by this kind of actions.
All of these points above convinced me that the smaller lamp is the younger lamp while the bigger lamp is the older lamp.
2) Give an example from Luxo Jr of how timing is used for comic effect. Explain how the timing decisions contribute to the humour.
The timing is a crucial part in making the animation that creates the comic effects. To create comic effects, we need to have the exact timing. To find out the exact timing, we need to use the trial and error method. Besides, the movement of the big lamp is slow and with calm reaction, since the movement is slow and firm, i can conclude that more scenes is needed in order to make this effect. While the smaller lamp has faster reactions, the scenes are lesser. The timing also help in the acting of a character to establish mood, emotion and reaction to another character or to a situation.
3) When you create a joint chain, these form a
hierarchy, with the first joint at the top and the last joint at the bottom.
Explain why this is necessary for the joints to work properly.
The joint must be connected properly in order to make the animation smoothly, and also to make the animation a more realistic one. Besides, the connection must be there to make the object to move naturally.
TENNIS BALL
This is the video of my tennis ball.
This is the video of my tennis ball.
Through this lab, i've learned how to make 3D animation using maya. It's interesting since i've never done it before, not even using flash. The lecturer guide us slowly steps by steps, telling us how similar maya animation is comparing to flash.
Doing 3D animation is easy and simple as we can just click on the different objects, we can come up with different animation, besides, by inserting textures to these objects, it look more realistic. We can also use the graph editor of the object to edit the movement of our bouncing ball. The graph make the movement of the bouncing ball smoother and it is really easy to edit the graph. From this lesson, i've learned that it is really interesting by making a 3D animation by myself as well as i know that graphs aid on the movement of the bouncing ball really well.
BEACH BALL
Scenario 2:
BEACH BALL
This is the video of my beach ball. In this lesson, I've learned to create an animation with one of the principle of animation which is the squash and stretch.
WHAT IS SQUASH AND STRETCH??
Squash and Stretch was described in The Illusion of Life as being "by far the most important" discovery that the Disney animators made in their pursuit of excellence in animation.
Only lifeless stiff objects remain inert while in motion.
Any living object will tend to change shape, though retaining overall
volume. One example is a flexed bicep, another is a human face - while
talking or chewing it will tend to extend and compress.
cr: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Squash_and_stretch
From the above animation, i've learned that we can do the squash and stretched effect by adjusting the number of the "Factor"; however, by adjusting the "factor" of the squash effect, the number must be within 0 to 1. Numbers beyond this range, the animation made will be exaggerated.
Before having to create a squash and stretch effect, i wasn't sure on how to do it. Hence, i searched some tutorial on it to find out how to do it.
Here's the link to it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RIxbouDiA2M
And besides the above video, i've also found some tutorial online teaching us how to create squashed and stretched effect not only on balls but on other stuff. Below is the link for the site:
>>>> http://www.pdipierro.com/tutorials/Stretch.html
RESEARCH // REFLECTIONS
1. Why is squash and stretch so useful in animation?
The effects of the squash and stretch makes the animation more realistic to the real thing. Usually animation without any effects is like a dead thing, however, this effects make the animations more realistic. Besides, the squash and stretch is applied because it occur in real life too. And the squash and stretch is really important because without squash and stretch, the audience of the animation wouldn't think that the animation is real. And besides, we have no real sense of weight, mass or velocity in animated objects, and their animations would look unrealistic. Squash and stretch effects are there to convey differences between the mass of objects. As well as the action is useful when it comes to animating facial expressions.
source: http://animation.about.com/od/faqs/f/Why-Is-Squash-And-Stretch-Important-To-Animation.htm
2. Think of a situation in which extreme squash and stretch could be applied to a character
We can use squash and stretch on a heavy object jumping from a high angle. For example, a hippopotamus jumping down to a river from a tree branch.
1st scenario:
A hippo is on a weak tree branch that keep swaying, and the hippo jumped down into a river from the tree. An exaggerating squash can be implemented when the hippo is jumping down.
Scenario 2:
The hippo stepped on springs accidentally and began to bounce along the way.
An exaggerating squash can be implemented when the hippo reach the ground with the springs and an exaggerating stretch when it began to bounce.
sources of images: i edited the picture myself in photoshop
3. Think of an animation example where squash and stretch would not be appropriate
When a car is driving, it is not appropriate to implement the squash and stretch effect as it would look weird and since it does not occur in real life.
4. If squash and stretch doesn't really happen to obviously in real life, why do you think is it so effective in animation?
The squash and stretch action is effective because it gives the illusion of weight and volume to a character as it moves. It allow people to imagine what the character is like through this squash and stretch actions. It can be used in all forms of character animation from a bouncing ball to the body weight of a person walking. It can be used in many different ways, the extreme of the squash and stretch is depend on the scenes.
source: http://minyos.its.rmit.edu.au/aim/a_notes/anim_principles.html
RESEARCH // REFLECTIONS
1. Do you need to be able to draw well to create good 2D animation? Explain your view.//
2. Do you need to be able to draw well to create good 3D animation? Explain your view.
For an appropriate 2D animation, you do not have to draw really well, just look-able. However, if you want to compared it to a really well 2D animation, the person doing the animation have to draw really well in order to present his story to the audience even without the showing the storyboards. However, comparing to 3D animation, 3D animation, the person doing the animation does not need to draw very well as doing a 3D animation is simple. We can just create an animation through primitive shapes and wire frames. Hence, we do need to draw well in order to create a good 2D animation but not for 3D animation.
3. What do you think would separate a piece of poor animation from a piece of good animation? In other words, how would you go about deciding if a piece of animation is good or bad?
A good animation is able to convey the message that the animator wants to say, and it must include some of the principles of animation in their animation. Besides, a good animation must have a motion that looks smooth and the secondary movements (ie. hair and floppy clothing) to be more natural as well as the primary movements that fit in with the general feel of the character and context. The colour must not be too vibrant and it must looks nice at the animation. A bad animation's storyboard will not allow people to understand their storyline and besides, the motion of the animation does not flow smoothly. The quality of the animation will be very poor.
4.
In 2D animation, you need to be very aware of timing at a frame by frame level,
using timing charts and other techniques - but for 3D animation, this is
handled by using the graph editor, which is more concerned with manipulating rates
of change over time.
Does
this affect how you approach your animation work? Explain.
Yes, the animation exaggeration changes due to the graph editor. For example, musicians, finesse means that its moving from one note to another in an appropriate manner, which can mean abrupt movement or seamless movement. This applies for motion graphics, except and animator's finesse means moving with appropriate control from key frame to key frame rather from note to note. Hence, this affect the movements of our animation by editing the graph.
5)
Give a brief critique of Maya as an animation tool. Don't just say Maya makes
animation difficult, or easy, or that you need to learn a lot of stuff to use
Maya - explain what Maya does well and not so well in terms of creating
animation.
MAYA helps the animator to cut down on the complexity of making an animation. Besides, it have many tools from creating primitives shapes to playblast the animation and save it into a folder. MAYA is like a tool to everything needed for animation - 2D or 3D animation. MAYA is straightforward in terms of creating the object from a primitives shapes as well as to animate it since it have a timeline which is similar to the other programs.
Through this exercise, the lecturer guide us slowly to make a ticket booth using an UV texture editor tool. With the UV texture editor tool, we can easily add textures to the polygons that are created easily.
Here is a picture on how the texture can be added easily to the polygons just by inserting the texture pictures into 3 rectangular shapes. Here is the textures that i've chosen for my ticket booth.
After applying the table above to my ticket booth base, this is how my base look like. With different textures at the different surfaces of the base.
This is how it look like when i'm creating a pole for my ticket booth. I just simply use the "pipe" polygon tool and duplicate it to make it look like two poles supporting my ticket booth roof. The roof is simply made of a cuboid. After creating the simple primitive shapes for ticket booth, i joined them together making it a simple ticket booth. Next, i insert the textures accordingly to the primitive shapes.
This is how my final ticket booth look like:
Front view
Top view
i've also read up about making more complicated textures using the UV texture editor tool.
THREE [UV Texture Editor]
**To view the extra web, click on one, two or three**
This is my final photo of my toy room
Top view
Front view
Through this exercise of creating the toyroom, i've learned that maya actually allow its users to import scenes and combining the things in the scenes into one. This helps to save people time as it does not require much time on importing.
And i've research on how we can actually import the scenes altogether from the web.
credits: http://autodesk-maya.wonderhowto.com/how-to/import-object-from-one-scene-another-maya-7-379378/
I've also researched about importing and exporting with crosswalk for MAYA, the site describe on the steps we need to do in order to import and export with crosswalk.
You can read more about the importation and exportation with crosswalk for MAYA here.
Bucket
This is the picture of my bucket after assigning lambert to it.
In this exercise, i've learned new tools like that revolving tool and the CV curve tool. The bucket look quite challenging at first, however, after the lecturer guidance and we tried it on our own, it was quite relaxing. We just need to insert the bucket template and use the CV curve tool to trace over it. After tracing it, we can use the revolving tool and as a result, the rounded shape of the bucket appeared.
Racing track
RACE TRACK
BEFORE ASSIGNING NEW MATERIAL.
AFTER ASSIGNING NEW MATERIAL
RESEARCH · REFLECTIONS
My objective is to create a race track, one curved and one straight. Through this exercise, i have learned how to make race tracks by using a simple tool. Extrude tool is used during this exercise, hence, it made it easier and saved all the tedious work.