An Introduction to Mudbox

Mudbox is a 3D sculpting programme that I've been learning about. Yesterday, I was messing around on it and came up with this:

Also, gave him some colour because he seemed bland :D

GIF animating in Photoshop

Did some animating with Photoshop on Monday (the ball one we were taught to do, the bird was when I had time, even though it's still a bit stiff)

Principles of animation

I am looking into the 12 Principles of animation and for each one I will find things good and bad about them:

1. Squash and Stretch

Squash and Stretch gives a feeling of weight and flexibility to an object or character (A shows movement without dynamics while B is "squashed" and "stretched").

GOOD:
BAD:

2. Anticipation

Anticipation prepares the audience for an action and makes it as realistic as possible.

GOOD:
BAD:



3. Staging

Staging directs the audience's attention to what is important at the current point in time.

GOOD:
BAD:







4. Straight ahead action and Pose to pose

Pose to Pose: Drawing out a pose or action every few key frames and filling in the rest later.

GOOD: Dramatic or emotional scenes favour this style of animation when the surroundings are of higher importance
BAD:


Straight Ahead: Animating each frame from start to finish.

GOOD: More dynamic and easy flowing movement.
BAD: Hard to maintain proportions of character or object being animated.









5. Follow through and overlapping action

When one action is complete and parts of the body are still moving in motion such as in this image.

GOOD:
BAD:




6. Slow in and Slow out

Acceleration or deceleration of a character or object.

GOOD:
BAD:





7. Arcs

Movement of anything and/or anyone follows an arc of movement, such as an arm joint. The only exception to this rule is machinery which moves in straight lines.

GOOD:
BAD:




8. Secondary Action

Secondary actions support the primary animation to give the scene more life (eg. Squirrel running is the Primary action, the Secondary action is the movement in the tail)

GOOD:
BAD:

9. Timing

The number of drawings/frames for a given action, then giving the speed of the action in the animation.

GOOD:
BAD:




10. Exaggeration

Used in animation especially, it is used to stay true to reality while showing it in a more wilder form.

GOOD:
BAD:





11. Solid Drawing

Working in a three dimensional space to give a character or object volume and weight.

GOOD:
BAD: Required an amazingly skilled artist which took life drawing sessions and sketches from life.











12. Appeal

Giving a character a personality that makes them feel real to the audience, whether it's by making the face simpler and more likeable or even with the way they move and act.

GOOD:
BAD: