Animating is easy.

[Mourngrim 18]

Is it just me, or do other people agonise for minutes at a time over the exact placement of a foot, or the turn of a leg?

Some of you guys (and others not on here) make it seem so effortless, with polished, fluid movements, and appear to be able to turn out a decent 3 minute animation in half an hour, complete with lighting and sound effects. (OK, slight exaggeration, maybe 24 hours).

I need to hear from you guys, that you do indeed spend ages looking at the exact same foot movement between two frames and trying to get it just right.  I want to know if I am the only one who can spend all morning and have only a couple of seconds of decent animation, after changing every thing several times to try and get the right feel.

Or am I doing it all wrong?

[DigitalEvorian 2.5k]

i spend weeks and even months.

[Emaniplex 6.3k]

I take even longer. Much longer, and I'm proud of that.

 EDIT: But, you should know that not many people have this quality. You're a bit of a perfectionist, like I am, so you can't just leave an animated scene the way it is until it looks just the way you want it. This takes meticulous patience, and lots of "animators" don't have that.

Good for you, and keep spending your time.   

Edited September 23, 2015 by Emanatronic

[SKIBBZ 9.1k]

It weird but I usually like to look at how I move IRL sometimes during school, home etc. Like when I'm walking, turning, looking up, facial expressions, hand movements, bending etc. I'll look at how the movements of me work then try to implement that into my work, like sometimes I'll exaggerate it  IRL and in animation but as long as it looks smooth, I'm fine with it. Try looking at some MoCap movements and tests on YouTube and see if you can try to replicate some of that. It would probably be best if you used the Linear Transition when doing the movements or whatever looks the best then go with either an ease in/ ease out transition for the end of the animation set. 

[Emaniplex 6.3k]

It weird but I usually like to look at how I move IRL sometimes during school, home etc. Like when I'm walking, turning, looking up, facial expressions, hand movements, bending etc. I'll look at how the movements of me work then try to implement that into my work, like sometimes I'll exaggerate it  IRL and in animation but as long as it looks smooth, I'm fine with it. Try looking at some MoCap movements and tests on YouTube and see if you can try to replicate some of that. It would probably be best if you used the Linear Transition when doing the movements or whatever looks the best then go with either an ease in/ ease out transition for the end of the animation set. 

I agree with that up until the whole "replication" stuff. I'll notice the natural animation of the real world and draw inspiration from that, but I never used nor liked stuff like this:

   "Just make it look like that"

I've never liked replicating anything meant for animation. Everything I do is from my understanding of physics, since I play a few sports.   

EDIT: My picture isn't wasn't loading...

Edited September 23, 2015 by Emanatronic

[vash0110 369]

I usually get the movement right first try so...i really don't have any problems.buts that's probably from years of experience.But i do remember back in the day i would sit there messing with some things to get them right.One thing i do do is watch my animations over and over again for a good minute or two to see if there are any problems with some movement.

[SKIBBZ 9.1k]

I agree with that up until the whole "replication" stuff. I'll notice the natural animation of the real world and draw inspiration from that, but I never used nor liked stuff like this:

Hidden Content

I've never liked replicating anything meant for animation. Everything I do is from my understanding of physics, since I play a few sports.   

EDIT: My picture isn't loading...

If you don't try to create a realistic movement by looking at an example, you probably won't get it right first time. I wouldn't call it "replication", I would call it more as to learning how to make that movement because you don't need to exactly copy the movement, just  a way of learning on how to simply make that motion. 

Edited September 23, 2015 by SKIBBZ
Cuz.

[vash0110 369]

If you don't try to create a realistic movement by looking at an example, you probably won't get it right first time. I wouldn't call it "replication", I would call it more as to learning how to make that movement because you don't need to exactly copy the movement, just  a way of learning on how to simply make that motion. 

Well for many years, Animators have been looking at things and seeing how the move. For instants, Bambi the movie, Disney would actually grab real animals and put them in a room with the animators to study and figure out how they moved.every one does it,This is how you become a better animator.
 

Edited September 23, 2015 by vash0110

[Mourngrim 18]

Yup, watching over and over again, animating is not a spectator sport   The amount of time I spend on some details annoys me, but then I'm hoping it will lead to a better result.

 

Like Emanatronic, I try not to replicate, usually because what I am doing is what I am doing, not what someone else did.  I used to love/hate old movies that would suddenly cut to stock footage of a plane landing, or a lion chasing a deer.  Of course I'm not above copy and paste from something I have already done, although I do try and change something for most body parts, even if just a little, to avoid things looking staged or robotic.

It looks like there is light at the end of the tunnel.  Since I am really new at this, it takes time, but I will get faster and better if I keep at it, and being picky about details is not a bad thing.

Thanks for the moral support guys, it's really appreciated.

[SKIBBZ 9.1k]

Well for many years, Animators have been looking at things and seeing how the move. For instants, Bambi the movie, Disney would actually grab real animals and put them in a room with the animators to study and figure out how they moved.every one does it,This is how you become a better animator.
 

And that's where I'm trying to put out my point, by seeing how it moves or whatever you're trying to look at, you can learn the motions and then apply that to your works. It's just a series of motions on the object that you can apply to your animation here with MI. A problem I have in MI is that there isn't a custom rotation point so you're limited to trying to get that really smooth motion, unless you parent it to a ton of folders. 

[vash0110 369]

And that's where I'm trying to put out my point, by seeing how it moves or whatever you're trying to look at, you can learn the motions and then apply that to your works. It's just a series of motions on the object that you can apply to your animation here with MI. A problem I have in MI is that there isn't a custom rotation point so you're limited to trying to get that really smooth motion, unless you parent it to a ton of folders. 

Yep.

Know dat feeling (have ways around that though) 

[SKIBBZ 9.1k]

Yep.
Know dat feeling (have ways around that though) 

Likewise.

[vash0110 369]

Likewise.

huhuh

[Mourngrim 18]

Oh how I would love custom rotation points.  I lie awake at nights dreaming about them (OK, maybe not).  So many times I've considered packing it in to learn Blender, just for the increased functionality, but I don't want to leave Mine-Imator until I've mastered at least the basics.

And I see what you mean about watching things, I do that too.  I opened and closed a door a half dozen times when doing my part for the doors collab.

[Marty McFly 1k]

Oh how I would love custom rotation points.

I think Mine-Imator already has that.

[Rummy 617]

No man. its not. especially in maya.

[Mourngrim 18]

I think Mine-Imator already has that.

Only for some things.

[Project 2.2k]

2 words.

2D ANIMATION.

[Skjold 7.6k]

a decent 3 minute animation in half an hour, complete with lighting and sound effects.

That aint happening.

[Mourngrim 18]

 

2 words.

2D ANIMATION.

3 words

I can't draw. 

[Mike 3.4k]

I spent an hour on somebody picking up a cup and drinking it...

(Custom rotation points for characters? That's easy, just move the body and legs up or down.)

[GOZZE 1.3k]

It takes a lot of time to create fluid animations

It's not a "piece o' cake work"

Just keep practicing and thats how you attain perfection

[Amethyst_Dragon 266]

I spent about an hour just doing 15 seconds of animation and while it wasn't terrible it wasn't great either. I gave up because I felt like it just takes WAY to long, I do still do pixel art animations though.

[Marty McFly 1k]

I don't want to sound offensive, Mourngrim, but can we see an example of your animations? Just for eductative curiosity.

[Mourngrim 18]

I don't want to sound offensive, Mourngrim, but can we see an example of your animations? Just for eductative curiosity.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PfKHrG9nn8Q

 

That was my doors collab entry, the last "finished" piece I've done.  My very first was https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYtO2dCw8go

Enjoy.