Week 3 - 7th Oct 19 (P.a.C.):
Reflective Evaluation
We were asked to animate three different types of walks which included a limp. But I still must do a Rejected Lover and Joyful kid. When I started the character walks, I started with the Keith Rig and tried to produce the animations, however, this proved very difficult for me even though it had simple controls and despite trying to familiarise myself with the controls I gave up on this and decided to use the Buckid Rig which I had used last year and felt more familiarised with as opposed to the Keith Rig which I had never encountered before.
At the time of making the animation I was uncomfortable in
my chair which made me feel stressed and unable to concentrate. I also found
trying to familiarise myself with the Keith Rig I felt quite frustrated due to
being unable to master this. To help me
calm down and feel less stressed with this task I looked at some work that a
previous student had produced to visualise these types of walks in action. This made me feel more confident that I could
produce these animations myself. (Kharn141, 2016 [Limp])
The first point to note on evaluation is that I need to ensure that I have a good mental picture of what I want to animate, such as, my character limping as this mental clarity would help direct how I work on the process of producing the animation and what parts of the software are needed.
On reflecting on the animation, I produced, the character appeared to be limping with their foot to the side, rather than in front, which was not as natural as I would have liked. Therefore, analysing this, the angle should have been around 35 degrees rather than the 90 degree I used. Additionally, the rhythm of the character limp was not accurate enough in that it did not accurately show the difference of rhythm when a person who limps, which is caused by report limping, an “asymmetric abnormality of their gait” (Easton, 2018).
Also, the facial expression of the character did not show enough pain, which highlights the need to consider this for future animations.
When evaluating this piece of work, it has also become apparent that in animation it is vital to be competent in using a wide variety of software such as Maya, Stop-motion or 2D. When using Maya for this project I became increasingly aware that my knowledge and skills were somewhat limited and that I was learning as I went along, rather than having already mastered this software.
I am also more aware of the wide-ranging software which animators now have on hand to draw upon, therefore knowledge and practical use of the software will enable me to develop my animation skills and would help me feel more confident in producing different types of animations and produce effects within the animation. This was reflected in the animations which I produced and within the limp character, on evaluation and analysis, I recognise that had I been more proficient in the use of the software I may have produced a more life-like limping character with more fluidity and more exaggeration in its motion. Furthermore, I also realise that by developing my IT skills I will become more confident in using a range of software for animation as well as becoming more employable. The National Careers Service (2019) highlight that being competent in using the main software packages is essential to meeting the criteria for an Animator’s job role.
On reflecting on the animation, I produced, the character appeared to be limping with their foot to the side, rather than in front, which was not as natural as I would have liked. Therefore, analysing this, the angle should have been around 35 degrees rather than the 90 degree I used. Additionally, the rhythm of the character limp was not accurate enough in that it did not accurately show the difference of rhythm when a person who limps, which is caused by report limping, an “asymmetric abnormality of their gait” (Easton, 2018).
Also, the facial expression of the character did not show enough pain, which highlights the need to consider this for future animations.
When evaluating this piece of work, it has also become apparent that in animation it is vital to be competent in using a wide variety of software such as Maya, Stop-motion or 2D. When using Maya for this project I became increasingly aware that my knowledge and skills were somewhat limited and that I was learning as I went along, rather than having already mastered this software.
I am also more aware of the wide-ranging software which animators now have on hand to draw upon, therefore knowledge and practical use of the software will enable me to develop my animation skills and would help me feel more confident in producing different types of animations and produce effects within the animation. This was reflected in the animations which I produced and within the limp character, on evaluation and analysis, I recognise that had I been more proficient in the use of the software I may have produced a more life-like limping character with more fluidity and more exaggeration in its motion. Furthermore, I also realise that by developing my IT skills I will become more confident in using a range of software for animation as well as becoming more employable. The National Careers Service (2019) highlight that being competent in using the main software packages is essential to meeting the criteria for an Animator’s job role.
The feedback I got from my classmates in today's Formative Feedback day was very constructive.
Nicky: The bottom part looks really good... (The bottom part of the character, from waist to feet, she likes) ...and it just needs the upper top part needs to be a little more exaggerated because it feels like the top is kind of at a constant and there's no real effort going on that poorly foot that's being pulled across, it feels very light.
Johny: What I've noticed on the bad leg, when the weight is transferred it, it's momentarily transferred to the bad leg. It doesn't appear to be taking any weight, it just appears to be rigid and looking at the bend in the knee there might be a little dip or something as it takes the weight. Just a thought. There might be more of a pulling, the body might lunge forward then pull the leg. These are really subtle things; you've got a good animation. I think it's a case of tidying it up with some asymmetric timings.
Joe: Just remember hips and shoulders.
In the constructive feedback session Cameron told me in his words "Like the way you move the stopmug shortstis, that you can't use it properly"
I didn't really know what that meant and know what he really liked about the animation so speaking loudly and clearly would help quite a lot better.
What are the words "stopmug shortstis" support to mean anyway.
Additionally, I need to familiarise myself more with a
variety of animation software so that I feel more confident in using these
applications to produce more natural characterisations (natural limping).
References
Easton, J. (2018, 17 May). Why do so many older people limp?. At
the Forefront UChicagoMedicine. Retrieved from https://www.uchicagomedicine.org/forefront/orthopaedics-articles/2018/may/why-do-so-many-older-people-limp
Helpful DIY, (2016, 2 Apr). How To Fake A Limp-Pretending To
Have A Leg Injury [Video file]. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/W-e2_He_u6Y
Kharn141,
(2016, 16 May). Second year animation - Limp Walk [Video file].
Retrieved from https://youtu.be/nZCA_-daRGc
National
Careers Service. (2019). How to become an animator. Retrieved from https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/job-profiles/animator
Williams, R. (2001). The Animator's Survival Kit: A Manual of
Methods, Principles and Formulas for Classical, Computer, Games, Stop Motion
and Internet Animators (pp. 346). Retrieved from http://index-of.co.uk/Animation/The%20_Animator%27s_Survival_Kit.pdf
Yeghoyan, A. (2015, 10 Oct). Limp walk animation reference
[Video file]. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/H3YPc44OdJk
