Many a gag is built on creating an expectation of what is to come, and then turning that expectation on its head. To allow an audience to understand and engage fully with an animation, we need to give them a certain amount of information to be able to anticipate what is to come. The ball stretches as it comes down, squashes as it hits the ground, and then stretches again as it bounces off Step 02: Anticipation Squash and stretch is a perfect illustration of the necessity of grounding CG in real-world examples. The same rules also apply to material forms, and a bouncing ball demonstrates this very clearly: it stretches as it descends, squashes on impact, and then gradually returns to its original shape as it ascends. When applied to an animation, these changes in shape through the use of squash and stretch will lend characters fluidity, elasticity, and vitality, and therefore believability. Consider facial expressions: a smile will stretch the lips and squash the cheeks while a look of surprise will widen the eyes but squash the forehead. Consider the human form jumping: in preparation for the movement, the body squashes down into a crouch before stretching into the leap. This principle of animation is based on the fact that all matter in motion retains its volume but does not retain its shape. It is important to understand different kinds of movement before you begin animating Step 01: Squash and stretch These principles are worthy of your very close attention, as they provide a beautifully simple set of guidelines that can stand you in no better stead when beginning to animate. The principles of animation were observed in the 1930s onwards by Disney's leading animators, and were first expounded in The Illusion of Life by Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston in 1981. To ready ourselves for animating a walk cycle, it is important to examine a key area of theory to guide us on our way. Understand the basics of movement and motion in this free chapter of Beginner's Guide to Character Creation in Maya!
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |