Project 2 : Mani Walk Cycle

Walk Cycle Part 01

 

This is a walk cycle that was been go through and taught in class. Through this project,the walk cycle is carried out on the spot and the legs are moving back and fore. I had learnt that the different able function in Maya. This had allow me to know how to cycle an animation without needing to repeat the function over and over again. I had learn that just by playing with the graph editor, it will be done automatically. I also think that through this animation, I had done will in animating the legs and arms of the character. However, I think that it can be better if the hips and shoulders can be animated a bit better. This will help the whole animation too look better and more realistic. Having a good sense of weight in a animation is important as it will make the whole animation more life looking and also it will let the viewer to have better idea of what the animation is expressing.  

Walk Cycle Part 02

 

Through the second part of the animation, it had allow me to understand that the importance of distance will make the animation if the character look more natural. moving the animation step by step and moving the body proportionately is essential . The step that the character make needs to put in the weight of the character. I think that in this animation, I had put in a lot of effort in moving the body and it's limbs so that it coordinate and also look natural. However, I think that it is a pity for the last part in jumping. I tried to edit the graph to make the curve of each jump rounded and looks better in the jumping and dropping. I find that it is not as easy as I thought, it needs a good understanding of the graph and clear of what is it like to jump of the steps. Questions like:"What are the muscles and parts of the body are moving when a person jumps?" was ask when I was doing this animation. This is to help me in animating the character more realistic.

Topic 2:Animation - Shift Weight Ex 2

Big Dog Animation

From this animation exercise,I had learnt that the exercise show me how to make a balance animation. Through this exercise, I think that I had put in my effort in doing this animation. Knowing how to animate the legs and making the body looks like it is falling and bringing back to its balance is not a very easy task. Firstly, the big dog starts to cross its leg which is the main reason it lost it's balance. Therefore, the front leg will cross over and then the back of the leg is trying to keep the balance. Next, the hind legs will then move together and come back to its balance 

Topic 2:Animation - Shift Weight Ex 1

This week we are taught how to animate a 3D model. I animated the model 48 frames (2 seconds)The exercise was named as the shift weight exercise. Through this exercise, I had learnt that by animating a model is not that easy. It must not just be moving the parts of the model from a place to another hot to make it realistic. Animating the model is just like we human being moving our joints. It consist of many parts of rotation and movement. In order to position the model into its initial position, I have to shift its weight to one of its leg. To do this, the spine root is being shift towards the right. This is to shift the center of gravity of the model to the right. Next, by rotating the hip will help to enhance the imaging of the posture. The model will show that it is putting its weight on one leg and the other will be bend.

After adjusting the hips and legs, the arms and head could not be too stiff as well. Therefore, in order to balance the weight, the arms have to be opposite side of leg. Since the weight is on its right leg so the left hand will be slightly forward.  This is shown in the picture below.

Frame 1 (Front view & Back view)

The picture below shows the position of the model at frame 24. Frame 24 is the part whereby the model is at its middle point of changing its position. In this frame, the model's hands and legs are in the middle of changing it weight to the other side.

Frame 24 (Front view and Back view)

Lastly, at frame 48 the weight is totally shifted to the left. For this to happen, the hip and the spine root of  the model will be modified. The left leg will be straightened instead.

Frame 48 (Front View and Back View)

Final Video 

Project 1 - Posing Spidey

Pose 1: Hanging

Front view

Left view

Right view

The hanging pose is a pose that all student need to do and my lecturer uses it as a demonstration to teach the basic ways of adjusting the limbs of the model. Through the process, I had learnt the differences between Forward Kinetics(FK) and Inverse Kinetics (IK). FK is making use of the joints and than to calculate the amount of degree and angle that is needed to move the parts of the model. Whereas, IK is making use of the constraint that is given in the model and move it to the desire position. Maya will do the calculation and allows it to the suitable position. From experiencing the positioning of the first pose, I had learnt that it is not easy as the other parts of the head does matter to how realistic the model will look like. 

Pose 2: Laying backwards on platform

Front View

Left View

Right View

This second position is inspired from the movie when spider man was on the building at a high level and ready to swing and bounce off to another building. In this position, I had first rotated the shoulder backwards and I used FK for the arm as I think it is easier for me to control. As for the feet, since it will lend on its feet, I adjust the foot roll and the ball roll so that the feet can be seen as though it is pointed. I turned the knee PV on and adjusted the angle of the knee. I rotated the hip and brought the spine down so that it will gives a squatting position. This will show that the spider man is ready to spring off any moment. 

Pose 3: On the floor

Front View

Back View

Top View

The last position is inspired from the movie when spider man has landed on the floor and keeping his balancing himself. This position had gave me a chance to try rotating the whole of the upper body and slightly shift the hip to the right as the center of gravity of the position is on the right. I had also adjusted the left feet is landed half bend. I had turn the head as well so that it look like the model is on a lookout and is ready to strive again.