Advanced Animation / Exercises
Derin / 0354969 / Design in Creative Media
INSTRUCTIONS
2. Flexibility animation:
Animating flexibility of shape using squash and stretch and
joint appendages using straight ahead method.
3. Good Poses Study:
EXERCISES
Exercise 1: Bouncing Ball Series
- Soccer ball - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=01cm7H1QoJg
- Ping Pong - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTsx5eW2eLU
- Bowling ball - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTz_5quG_ig
- Beach ball - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s74P1ejubEA
- Squash and Stretch ball
3. Observe the difference of each ball's physical property (soccer, ping pong and bowling) and its weight. Analyse how does it affect:
- The timing and travel distance of each bounce (Contact pose to Contact pose)
- The overall timing that determines the number of bounces.
- The height of each Up pose when it bounces.
- Root Position: Keep the root in its base position, as it marks the starting point of the object.
- Adding Keyframes: To add a keyframe, press the red ring, then press I and select Location.
- Updating Path: Always press 'Update Path' after adding a keyframe.
- Rotation: When rotating the ball, use the yellow ring instead of the red one.
- Stretch and Squash: When applying stretch and squash, always add a keyframe using the bottom green ring. However, do not adjust or stretch the ball using this ring.
In order to display the motion path, go to the Navigation Bar > Data > start by clicking 'Calculate...', each time the rig is moved or changed, click 'Update All Paths' and it will calculate the new motion path.
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| Fig 1.0 Calculating and Updating the Ball's Motion path |
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| Fig 1.1 Motion Path of the Ball |
I attempted to make a rough bouncing animation, then refined it using the Graph Editor.
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| Fig 1.2 Bouncing ball animation |
Soccer Ball - Normal weight
Fig 2.0 Final Outcome for Soccer ball
Bowling Ball - Heavy weight
Fig 2.1 Final Outcome for Bowling Ball
Ping Pong Ball – Light weight
Fig 2.2 Final Outcome for Ping Pong Ball
Beach Ball - Super Light weight
Fig 2.3 Final Outcome for Beach Ball
Squash and Stretch Ball
Fig 2.4 Final Outcome for Squash and Stretch Ball
Final Compilation
Fig 2.5 Final Compilation for Exercise 1
Exercise 2: Pendulum
We are to animate the pendulum main object moving from left to right on the screen and swing to show drags, overlapping and follow through. The believability is based on speed of the main action and how the tail is reacted through its flexibility attributes.
Animate the pendulum swing with the correct:
- Drag
- Overlapping
- Follow Through
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| Fig 3.0 Follow through for the joints |
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| Fig 3.1 Utilizing Keyframe types |
Final Outcome
Fig 3.2 Final Outcome for Exercise 2
Exercise 3: Emotion Poses
For this exercise, I focused on finding image references for action poses that express the following emotions:
- Happy
- Sad
- Angry
- Scared
To start, I searched for image references on Pinterest and studied each by tracing over its silhouette to identify the line of action for each pose. I then recreated the poses in Blender, adjusting the characters' facial expressions to match the emotions. Additionally, I made sure to take note of specific details in the reference images so I can refer back to them during the animation process.
Final Outcome
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| Fig 4.0 Angry |
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| Fig 4.1 Happy |
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| Fig 4.2 Sad |
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| Fig 4.3 Scared |
FEEDBACK
REFLECTION
Reflecting on these exercises, I've gained a deeper understanding of the basics of animating in Blender, particularly the importance of follow-through techniques and expressive poses. By studying image references and analyzing the line of action, I've been able to better translate emotions like happiness, sadness, anger, and fear into my 3D models. Tracing silhouettes and adjusting facial expressions allowed me to focus on the subtleties of character movement and emotion, enhancing the overall believability of the animations. These exercises have provided valuable insights that I will carry forward in my future projects.