This week we received feedback on our blocking animation of the side step, and learnt how to animate a walk cycle.
We will be using the Walker rig (a ball with legs) for the walk cycle so we can focus on the leading actions, and the follow-through effects of these on the rest of the lower body without worrying about the upper body for now.
Side Step Blocking Feedback:
Along with the animation plan, reference, and blocking, we were asked to take 3 pose sketches we’ve done this semester and pose the Bony using the sketches as reference. While doing this, we were asked to pay close attention to the weight distribution and balance. (George’s feedback shown as the sketches on top of uploaded images)
I noticed with all three poses I didn’t push the arcs enough, even when both the reference image and my sketches did so in the case of the middle image. With the left image, I think I focused too heavily on matching the pose and not enough on pushing the arcs and balancing the weight distribution, which made me completely miss how far back the dancer is on his grounded foot. For the right image, I missed how far forward the woman’s weight is in relation to her feet and, slightly so, her hips. I realised when thinking back that I was sat quite low when sketching the statue, and didn’t take this into account when studying the angles of her body. While this might have been fine for a general still life study, it might have been better for me to choose a more level eyed pose to study weight distribution from. Good to know for future studies like this!
Side step reference, plan, and blocking animation:
Feedback from George:
- At start feet should be rotated out a bit more
- Ball should lean more on the screen right leg as it raises screen left leg, otherwise it’s off balance
- Don’t shift the weight of the ball so soon into the side step
- Let the heel touch down first
- Overshoot the body a little as the screen right foot is almost done with side step
- Drag the screen left foot rather than lift it when it does the little corrective step
- Body isn’t following through at points, its moving at the same time as the feet instead of lagging slightly