THURSDAY
Worldbuilding in Unreal Engine
In this class, we delved into the basics of Unreal Engine. She guided us through creating game levels and building landscapes. Serra stressed the importance of organisation, urging us to keep our files tidy and use clear naming conventions. This helps when sharing work with tutors and peers.
As we explored Unreal, the lesson became evident: staying organised is key to efficient work on this platform. This foundational session sets the stage not just for learning the technical aspects of Unreal, but also for developing good habits in managing our creative projects.
FRIDAY
Recommended Reading – Animator’s Survival Kit – Pages – 84 – 91
Pages 84 to 91 of “The Animator’s Survival Kit” by Richard Williams, the focus converges on the intricacies of timing, weight, and anticipation in animation—vital elements that breathe life into characters and scenes.
Key Insights:
1. Timing and Spacing Refinement
Williams underscores the significance of refining timing and spacing in animation. These pages delve into the meticulous adjustments required to achieve smooth and natural movements. Minute changes in timing impact the animation’s fluidity and believability, emphasizing the essence of well-calibrated pacing.
2. Emphasizing Weight and Impact
The segment delves into the art of depicting weight in animation. Williams explores how manipulating timing and spacing during an impact moment—such as a character’s foot hitting the ground—conveys a sense of weight and solidity. Understanding these nuances is pivotal for animators aiming to imbue their creations with realism.
3. Anticipation and Lead-Up
Anticipation, a fundamental principle, takes centre stage in these pages. Williams emphasizes the importance of incorporating anticipation before a character’s movement, detailing how a subtle lead-up enhances the impact of subsequent actions. This technique serves as a catalyst, engaging the audience and preparing them for what’s to come.
4. Mastery Through Observation
Williams encourages animators to keenly observe real-life movements. By analyzing and internalizing how objects and living beings move in the physical world, animators can infuse their creations with authenticity and naturalness.
Significance and Takeaways:
- Refinement of Animation Principles: Pages 84 to 91 delve into the finer aspects of animation, focusing on the intricacies of timing, weight, anticipation, and observational learning.
- Realism and Impact: Mastering these principles elevates the quality of animations, adding realism and impact to character movements and actions.
- Foundation for Animation Mastery: These pages serve as a foundation for animators, guiding them to fine-tune their skills and understanding of essential animation principles.
Understanding the Graph Editor –
Understanding the Graph Editor in Maya has significantly shaped my animation journey from a technical perspective. This indispensable tool serves as a linchpin for refining animations, providing a detailed view of animation curves and offering precise control over motion dynamics. It allows me to fine-tune elements such as easing in and out, adjusting keyframe tangents, and perfecting timing and spacing for seamless and realistic motion.
Its graphical representation of curves and keyframes enables meticulous manipulation, ensuring smooth transitions between animation sequences. By exploring tangents, curves, and interpolation, I’ve gained the ability to craft nuanced animations that breathe life into characters and scenes.
While initially challenging, delving into the intricacies of the Graph Editor has been rewarding, enhancing my understanding of animation principles and bolstering the technical finesse behind my creative endeavours in Maya.
Bouncing Ball
For my first attempt at animating a bouncing ball, I used a provided rig from the resources folder. I managed to animate its movement but faced difficulty adding squash and stretch. The rig only had a controller on top of the ball for this feature, making it tricky due to existing rotational elements.
The feedback I received –
- Animate the transform and rotation then add 100 keyframes individually on all frames.
- 1-100 (Press S for keyframe) then manually go in and animate the squash and stretch
- Get rid of 2 arches, and use a sphere without a rig to animate the ball bounce.
- Fix arches, and redo for next week.
I decided to redo the animation, opting for a sphere without a rig this time like George suggested. It was a smoother process without any constraints, working with a straightforward mesh. I’m happy with how it turned out this time.