Advanced Animation // Exercises
29.08.23 - 16.10.23 (Week 1 - Week 8)
Emelyne How Sok Hing (0352938)
Bachelor of Design (Hons) Creative Media
Advanced Animation // Exercises
Lectures
Week 1:
We received a brief overview of our module booklet, outlining the topics and objectives for the semester's learning.
Week 2:
We began by revisiting the fundamental principles of animation from last semester to jog our memories. Following that, we applied our knowledge by working with Blender to animate a pre-prepared ball provided by our lecturer.
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| Figure 1.0 Basic intro to animation in Blender, 5th September 2023 |
This is a short recap of what I've learned in this class:
First, pick the location using the button I and set the number of frames. Then, tweak the graph, especially on the Z-axis. Keep the X-axis curve straight to make the path smooth. If you want to rotate the ball, use a negative number for the Y-axis.
First, pick the location using the button I and set the number of frames. Then, tweak the graph, especially on the Z-axis. Keep the X-axis curve straight to make the path smooth. If you want to rotate the ball, use a negative number for the Y-axis.
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| Figure 1.2 Result of the class demonstration and practice, 5th September 2023 |
Week 3:
Elasticity & Flexibility in Animation
Some principles and techniques that we learned
Elasticity : Squash and Stretch
Flexibility: Drag, Follow through and Overlapping
Animation Methods: Pose to Pose & Straight Ahead
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| Figure 1.3 Squash and stretch, 12th September 2023 |
Week 4:
We learned how to animate a pendulum in our recent class, and we also practiced this skill for our upcoming assignment. It can be a somewhat tedious process because it requires adding numerous keyframes and being meticulous to ensure that each swing doesn't appear too goofy or overly exaggerated.
Week 5:
Animation Clarity
For this week we learned again about clarity but this time it would be applied for the expression of a 3D character. We learned how to use the basic controls for the 3D character so that we would be able to pose it.
Instructions
Exercises
Week 2:
Exercise 1: Bouncing ball
Our first exercise is to animate different balls that our lecturer gave us via a Blender file. Our goal is to animate them while taking into account their unique weight and movement characteristics. These include a soccer ball, ping pong ball, bowling ball, beach ball, and also applying squash and stretch to one of the balls. We're also studying how each ball's weight influences the timing and height differences in their animations.
We also need to add those information in our compilation video:
COVER PAGE
GCD61604 - Advanced Animation
Exercise 2
You Name
Matric No.
Additionally, we are to put a label in the end on each animation video respectively:
Soccer Ball
Ping Pong Ball
Bowling Ball
Beach Ball
Squash and Stretch Ball
Process
I started off with the soccer ball and watched the video reference that our lecturer shared with us. I found the video very helpful as it was quite detailed. Personally, I thought that the soccer ball would be a good practice for me to start with for this exercise as it applied the basic of what was shown to us and it would be a way for me to also be more familiar with the new tools that we learned in Blender.
I started with the standard number of frames typically used, which is 24 frames, and then gradually decreased them. I chose to decrease them using even numbers to make it easier for me to find the middle point and ensure a smoother arc. I kept the arc on the X-axis linear while making adjustments on the Z-axis. After a while, I found it quite easy to use and got the hang of it. I also added some spinning effect by editing the Y-axis.
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| Figure 1.3 Process of animation for the soccer ball, 7th September 2023 |
After completing the animation and feeling satisfied with my work, I decided to enhance it by adding backgrounds, scenery, and lighting to make the rendering look more presentable.
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| Figure 1.4 Process of animation for the soccer ball, 9th September 2023 |
Next, I worked on animating the ping pong ball. I watched the reference given to us and attempted to animate the ball using fewer frames, as per the instructions. I noticed that the ping pong ball tends to bounce on itself towards the end of its trajectory, so I made an effort to replicate that effect as well. I didn't feel the need to include some spinning since it bounces very fast.
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| Figure 1.5 Process of animation for the ping pong ball, 9th September 2023 |
This is the arc for the bowling ball. It was relatively straightforward as it didn't involve many bounces. To create the illusion of weight, I added more frames than usual. I also decreased the frames with a lower number so that it could enhance this feeling of heaviness.
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| Figure 1.7 Process of animation for the beach ball, 9th September 2023 |
Week 3:
I resolved the rendering issues and completed the assignment, which included the final task of implementing squash and stretch. Initially, I found the rotation and squash-and-stretch process a bit confusing, but I clarified my issues by reviewing our lecturer's tutorial. I used the same file as the soccer ball, as it was allowed, and only replaced the ball.
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| Figure 1.8 Process of squash and stretch, 16th September 2023 |
Final Exercise 1: Bouncing ball (Before feedbacks)
I created a compilation video that includes renderings of each ball. I used straightforward backgrounds as per the guidelines. Towards the end, I inserted extra frames to give viewers a brief pause for better understanding. Afterward, I edited the video using After Effects and included the required information.
Link to YouTube video: https://youtu.be/XYrM2vsbVVg
Link to Google Drive for individual videos:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/15UWYxUknZC2B8znNAtwXv_A5kN_ZbMjs?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/15UWYxUknZC2B8znNAtwXv_A5kN_ZbMjs?usp=sharing
Figure 1.9 Compilation of bouncing balls, 16th September 2023
Week 4:
Final Exercise 1: Bouncing ball (After feedbacks)
I did the changes that were required. Here's the final submission.
Link to YouTube video: https://youtu.be/Q_EL7EsdkHk
Link to Google Drive for individual videos:
Figure 2.0 New Compilation of bouncing balls, 21st September 2023
Exercise 2: Pendulum Swing Animation
Our latest assignment involves animating a pendulum while incorporating the principles of drag, follow-through, and overlapping. The task requires us to stick to the same specifications as those provided for the bouncing ball exercise.
Process
I began the process by following our lecturer's instructions. I had to make adjustments and experiment with the rotation of the breaking points. It became a bit confusing when determining the appropriate number of frames to insert in between, as I was uncertain about the precise quantity. Despite this, I believe I managed to create something decent, although there might have been room for exaggerating certain movements.
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Figure 2.1 Process of animating the pendulum, 23rd September 2023 |
Final Exercise 2: Pendulum Swing Animation (Before feedbacks)
Here's the final rendering for the pendulum. I put a simple plain background and added a sun for the source of light.
Link of YouTube video: https://youtu.be/jyoqeHaVZUM
Link to Google drive video:
Figure 2.2 Final Pendulum Swing Animation (Before feedbacks), 23rd September 2023
Week 5:
Final Exercise 2: Pendulum Swing Animation (After feedbacks)
I shortened the initial frames with my lecturer's assistance and adjusted the remaining frames to match the slow in of my animation, as I couldn't do it on my own.
Link of YouTube video: https://youtu.be/u5I2P8v3Ckc
Link to Google drive video: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1b0VZc_-hkSpePXomiZNZZQEHnuVsDosi/view?usp=sharing
Figure 2.3 Final Pendulum Swing Animation (After feedbacks), 26th September 2023
Exercise 3: Emotion Pose
Our lecturer gave us the choice to download either a male or female character, and I opted for Snow because our lecturer said that he's easier to animate. Our task is to find references for various emotions like happiness, sadness, anger, and fear, and then pose the character's body and facial expressions to convey these emotions. But before posing them, we need to observe the reference. Spot the key or storytelling pose and its dynamic. For the submission part, we need to include each pose on separate presentation slides with our sketches on the same pages.
Visual references
I searched online for pose references and selected some that are not too symmetrical or overly complex. This choice was due to my limited experience with Blender's animation tools.
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| Figure 2.4 Happy pose reference, 1st October 2023 |
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| Figure 2.5 Sad pose reference, 1st October 2023 |
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| Figure 2.6 Scared pose reference, 1st October 2023 |
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| Figure 2.7 Angry pose reference, 1st October 2023 |
Pose Study
Afterwards, I hopped onto Photoshop to draw out the silhouette and structure of each pose as required.
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| Figure 2.8 Happy pose sketch, 1st October 2023 |
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| Figure 2.9 Sad pose sketch, 1st October 2023 |
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| Figure 3.0 Scared pose sketch, 1st October 2023 |
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| Figure 3.1 Angry pose sketch, 1st October 2023 |
Week 6:
Process
Next step was to start posing the character. Honestly, I had to do quite a lot of trials and errors to really understand what each tool was made for. I made use of IK and FK controllers and also used their secondary tools as well. I also used just a little of bit stretch for the waist and torso part because otherwise it would look weird since I can't move it like I want using IK or FK only.
Happy Pose
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| Figure 3.2 Process, 2nd October 2023 |
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| Figure 3.3 Happy pose 1, 2nd October 2023 |
Sad Pose
I had some issues with adjusting the arm and it looked quite awkward in the end. So, after asking my lecturer on what I should do, I managed to figure it out and try again.
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| Figure 3.4 Process, 4th October 2023 |
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| Figure 3.5 Sad pose, 4th October 2023 |
Scared Pose
The scared pose was fairly straightforward in terms of the pose itself, but I had to adjust the rotation a bit because the reference pose had a significant twist in the spine and waist.
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| Figure 3.6 Scared pose process, 7th October 2023 |
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| Figure 3.7 Scared pose, 7th October 2023 |
Angry Pose
I completed the task using an angry pose, although I faced some challenges with the arm gestures and positioning of the feet. In the end, I opted for a simpler approach because I was starting to feel a bit tired of this exercise.
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| Figure 3.8 Angry pose, 7th October 2023 |
Exercise 3: Emotion Pose (Before feedbacks)
As required I compiled everything into a presentation slide. I used Figma to compile everything.
Link to slide:
Figure 3.9 Compilation PDF 1, 8th October 2023
Week 8:
Exercise 3: Emotion Pose (After feedbacks)
I made the amendments required and changed the final compilation.
Figure 4.0 Compilation PDF 2, 16th October 2023
Week 11:
Final Exercise 3: Emotion Pose (After feedbacks)
After getting some further feedbacks again, I made the amendments to the scared and angry pose.
Figure 4.1 Final Compilation PDF, 9th November 2023
Feedbacks
Week 3:
- Faster drop for the ping pong ball and bowling ball
- Beach ball is fine
Week 4:
1. Soccer ball - slight sliding in the rotation. Camera can be shifted to make the whole start and end look balance.
2. Ping pong ball - if can change to orange color would be great to make it stand out
3. Bowling ball - the end spinning can be eliminated. it can't spin at the same spot since it creates sliding
4. Beach ball - fix the rotation just like the soccer ball
5. Squash and Stretch - for better impact on the bounce, no need transition from squash to stretch. you can jump straight to stretch pose.
Week 5:
- Just make the start a bit more faster.
Week 6:
- The happy pose looks feminine but it's okay. Just put the shadow more under rather than to the side.
Week 7:
- For the happy pose, for the lower hand try to rotate it a bit less so that it doesn't look stressed.
- For the sad pose, make the hand similar to the reference. Make the feet at the back more natural and bring up the knee.
- For the scared pose, make him lean more and bend his knee more as you make him lean. Maybe for the hand you can put his finger more up but don't cover the face.
- For the angry pose, rotate the hand more to the side. Make him lean more and bend more as well. Follow the reference for the legs and hips.
Week 11:
- Happy pose and sad pose are good.
Scared pose
- Make the fingers open like the reference
- Bring his left arm to the level of his shoulder
- Make his eyeball face to the corner looking at the side
- The rest is fine
Angry pose
- Adjust the legs and use IK for it.
- Bend the line of actions and don't be scared to exaggerate them.
Reflections
Week 1:
After knowing what was waiting for me for this semester, I don't know how to feel. I don't know if I should be enthusiastic or scared honestly. It did look fun to see what our seniors did for this course but doing it yourself is another thing. My primary hope is to make it through this semester with my mental health intact. Jokes aside, I'm determined to apply what I've learned previously and not overlook the 12 principles of animation like a novice.
Week 2:
Animating the balls turned out to be easier than I initially thought once I got the hang of it. The key things to watch out for were primarily the gradual decrease in the number of frames and adjusting the spacing for each new arc. Aside from that, the process was relatively straightforward. My main challenge arose during the rendering phase due to some camera issues. Overall, this exercise was a valuable opportunity for me to become more familiar with Blender's animation tools.
Week 3:
I'm glad I managed to solve the issue of my rendering. Afterwards, doing the squash and stretch was a bit confusing at first. I wasn't sure on how much to stretch or sometimes I wouldn't be sure of the rotation. But after a while I managed to figure them out so I'm glad that this exercise helped me in getting used to the tools in Blender for animation. With the acquired knowledge I can definitely apply them for the future works.
Week 4:
Animating the pendulum wasn't overly difficult, but it did require a bit of time because I needed to work out the movements and rotations for each swing. I found myself going back and forth and even starting from scratch at times because I wasn't satisfied with my initial attempts. It's not too challenging, but it does demand careful consideration, patience, and focus.
Week 5:
Posing the 3D character turned out to be much more challenging than I initially thought. It was often tricky because figuring out the right angles and ensuring that the body parts looked natural was difficult. This task took me longer than I expected and was quite frustrating. However, I did learn a lot about using Blender's tools, like FK and IK, as well as how to rotate body parts individually. Overall, it was a helpful learning experience for a beginner like me.
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