Critique walk cycle & ideas for body mechanics exercise.
Walk Cyckle Spline critique
The main objective of a walk cycle is to ensure that the body moves forward naturally. This means the body must lean forward during the consecutive stages of each step. Below are the key adjustments and considerations for refining the walk cycle:
1. Translation Z (Forward Movement)
- Ensure that Translation Z is represented by linear interpolation to maintain a constant speed as the character moves forward.
- Delete any unnecessary in-between frames. Move the graph (up or down) to approximate the correct forward movement. Add new keys where necessary to refine the body’s shifting forward.
- After readjusting (e.g., by adding new keys at poses where the forward lean should be exaggerated), select all the keys and apply linear interpolation to maintain a smooth and consistent speed between frames.
2. Translation X (Side-to-Side Movement of the Body)
- For Translation X, aim for a sine wave-like pattern in the graph editor to simulate the natural side-to-side motion of the body.
- Adjust the amplitude of the sine wave to exaggerate the figure-eight motion of the body.
- Use the motion trail as a reference to ensure smooth and accurate movement.
3. Adjusting Leg Pivoting
- Focus on the leg that is pivoting off the ground.
- Apply foot roll to the other foot as it makes contact with the ground after the step.
- In the graph editor, check the foot roll curve to ensure there is continuous motion without flat lines. Flat lines indicate unnatural pauses in the foot’s roll motion.
4. Refining Knee Movement and Body Translation
- Adjust the knee in coordination with:
- Foot roll
- Translation Y (up-and-down movement of the body)
- Rotation Y (rotation of the body for balance)
5. Pivoting the Foot Between Poses
- The pivoting of the foot from the ground should occur between the down pose and the passing pose.
- Allocate additional frames if needed to ensure the pivoting is smooth and realistic. This will enhance the overall quality of the walk cycle.
Body mechanics
Planning
Planning is essential not only for the upcoming assessment next week but also for work in the industry. It is important to present the general idea in a way that others can easily grasp what you are doing, including references, storyboarding, notes, and other planning materials.
Overview
Body mechanics focuses on the functionality of body movement, such as body weight shifts, foot placement, and overall physicality. Only after the functional part is well executed can acting and emotional expression be effectively added to the animation.
Shooting your own reference
- Maintain the same angle you’re animating to. Record at eye level for consistency.
- If using a single camera, record in a 3/4 perspective view. Alternatively, use multiple cameras to capture movement from several orthographic views.
- Lock the camera to prevent unintended movement.
- Use mirror reflections if working with a single camera setup.
- Test movements in 2D first, using drawn blocking before animating.
Planning Details
- Animation duration: 5 seconds.
- Include references, sketches, planning materials, and video footage.
- Use the bony rig, focusing on body movement and avoiding hand details at this stage.
List of Activities:
Easiest:
- Jumping on the spot.
- Getting up from a chair to standing.
Advanced:
- Going downstairs.
- Walking upstairs.
- Jumping down from a ledge.
Getting Up from a Chair to a Standing Position
When sitting, the center of gravity (COG) is distributed across the spine and buttocks, with the body weight resting on the chair. To stand up, the body weight must shift forward and upward.
- Initial Movement:
- The pelvis rotates on the X-axis, allowing the upper body to move forward.
- The chest also rotates on the X-axis, bending the character forward into position.
- This movement is pelvis-driven, although the head moves first due to the shift initiated by the pelvis. Avoid misunderstanding this as head-driven movement.
- Weight Transition:
- The body weight shifts forward onto the legs before moving upward.
- The movement transitions from a “C” shape (sitting) to an inverted C shape (standing), with an intermediate S shape to ensure smooth, natural movement.
- Spine Action:
- The spine stretches and then compresses slightly as the character stands, creating a dynamic squash-and-stretch effect.
Approach:
- Use a pose-to-pose animation method, beginning with key poses and refining them with in-betweens.
- Blocking should focus on capturing major transitions first, then addressing smaller details.
Timing and Spacing:
- Allocate sufficient time to the initial sitting position so the audience clearly understands the character’s action.
- Ensure smooth and believable transitions between key poses with appropriate spacing.