Character Animation - CI7880- Kaliappa- - K2216283

I got very fond of computer Animation Program, I have learned lots of things from character modeling to Animating the characters by usinbg maya. In this module I have learned the 12 princples of Animation that  I have Implemented this steps in the Assigments which I have done for this module.

PART A

The first is to complete the walk cycle Animation in that I have might used not all the 12 principles may be few which I have implemented to get the walk cycle. Other than that I have watched some videos regarding the walk cycle to get the idea about how can i use it .  

This is how I tried to use the 12 principles,

1. Squash and Stretch: When animating a bouncing ball, I focused on exaggerating its shape, compressing it upon impact with the ground, and stretching it as it reached the highest point of the bounce. This gave the animation a sense of weight and made it more visually engaging.

2. Anticipation: Before animating a character throwing a punch, I first added a brief moment where the character pulled their arm back slightly. This created anticipation and conveyed the impending action to the viewer, making the movement more impactful.

3. Staging: I carefully arranged the elements in my scene, considering the composition and ensuring that the main action was clear and easily understandable. I used various visual cues, such as lighting and camera angles, to guide the viewer's attention to the focal point of the animation.

4. Straight Ahead and Pose to Pose: Depending on the scene, I employed both straight ahead and pose to pose techniques. For complex actions, like a character performing a dance routine, I planned out the key poses beforehand and then filled in the in-between frames. However, for more spontaneous or dynamic movements, like a character reacting to a surprise, I animated frame by frame from start to finish.

5. Follow Through and Overlapping Action: When animating a character running, I ensured that their hair, clothing, and other appendages continued to move even after the character had stopped or changed direction. This added a sense of realism and fluidity to the motion, as these secondary elements exhibited delayed reactions.

6. Slow In and Slow Out: To make a character's movement more natural, I added gradual acceleration and deceleration at the beginning and end of each action. For instance, when animating a character lifting an object, I made sure the motion started slowly, picked up speed in the middle, and then gradually slowed down as the object reached its destination.

7. Arcs: I paid attention to the trajectory of the character's movements, ensuring that they followed smooth arcs rather than rigid straight lines. This principle applied to both simple actions, such as a swinging arm, and complex motions like a character jumping or flying.

8. Secondary Action: I incorporated secondary actions to add depth and realism to my animations. For example, when animating a character speaking, I made sure to include subtle facial expressions and hand gestures that supported the main action of speaking.

9. Timing: I carefully determined the timing of each movement, considering factors such as the weight of objects, the speed of actions, and the desired mood of the scene. This principle helped create a sense of rhythm and pacing in my animations.

10. Exaggeration: I used controlled exaggeration to emphasize certain actions or expressions, making them more visually appealing and expressive. This technique allowed me to convey emotions or ideas more effectively.

11. Solid Drawing: I focused on maintaining the illusion of three-dimensionality in my animations by ensuring that the characters and objects had a sense of volume and weight. This required careful attention to perspective, proportion, and anatomy.

12. Appeal: Throughout my animations, I strived to create characters and scenes that were visually appealing to the audience. This involved considering design elements, such as color schemes, shapes, and aesthetics, to make the animation engaging and memorable.

By incorporating these principles into my animation assignments, I aimed to create visually compelling and believable animations that effectively conveyed the intended messages and emotions to the viewers.

I used this approach of 12 principles of animation for all the three parts. For Part B, I wanted a good attack combo, and I decided to use a good camera angle to export the videos.

The attack combo is little complicated as I need to create a better interacting points. I got messed at few points, but in the final week I polished the work to get a good going attack video.

For Part C, I was thinking on to use different characters to work on different animations. Idle was easy, it wasn't something that strike me. But the walk cycle and run cycle was a bit tricky. I had to complete it as soon as I can.

I worked on the jump as a stable pose, and it came out good. Now my main focus is polishing other animations to something more perfect. So I started to work on polishing every frame that I could. I can say, even a small mistake can mess with animation. It did happen with me, I messed the animation at a place or two. But i fixed it finally.

Now, I am just left with exporting.

When exporting videos from Maya using play blast, I've encountered a few challenges along the way. One major hurdle is dealing with file format compatibility. It's crucial to select a format that is compatible with the software or applications I plan to use for further editing or sharing the video. I've learned to research and understand the supported formats of different software beforehand to avoid any compatibility issues.

Managing the file size of the exported video has been another challenge I've faced. Play blasts can result in high-resolution videos, which often lead to large file sizes. To tackle this, I've found it helpful to experiment with different compression settings and codecs to strike a balance between file size and video quality. Sometimes, adjusting the resolution or frame rate can also help reduce the file size without compromising the overall visual appeal.

Furthermore, I've learned the importance of considering the intended platform or destination for the video. Different platforms or devices may have specific requirements or limitations, such as maximum file size or supported codecs. By researching these specifications in advance, I can ensure that the exported video meets the necessary criteria and avoids any playback issues.

In summary, to overcome challenges when exporting videos from Maya using play blast, I focus on understanding file format compatibility, managing file sizes through compression techniques, and considering the specific requirements of the intended platform or destination. This practical approach helps me navigate these hurdles and deliver high-quality videos that meet the necessary specifications.