Scene 1. Taking a glass from table.

[Genete]

Here are first steps of scene number one of my new short.

http://media.putfile.com/Cogiendo-el-colacao

Thanks.

----------------------------

UPDATED WORK IN PROGRESS

Just added pick up the glass and drink the content.

http://media.putfile.com/Taking-glass

Regards

[Genete]

Please critics and comment will improve my work.

Thanks

http://media.putfile.com/Taking-glass

[CartoonM!ke]

I like the design of the character. The things that bother me is that the perspective seems to be off, or the character is really a lot shorter than the table. The character's feet seem to be slipping a bit, he looks like he's skating a bit.

One thing to correct the perspective is to have the table and the character share the same floor plane. I would suggest a filled in rectangle that's darker than the background color. That can be the floor.

As far as the walk goes, is it on a walk cycle (action) or did you animate every step? If you are using a cycling action, then I would suggest subtracting frames from the begining of animation to when he's at the table. It seems that there's more distance than steps for him to travel. If you did each step separately, then I would use onionskinning to see the frames in the past and future (from the current frame). Turn on the grids and use them to locate where the feet are and then frame-by-frame look out for slippage. In the tutorials (Chapter 3? It's the second tutorial in that section) there's mention of using "lock bones" to avoid the feet from slipping. Is that on?

Hope this was of some help.

[jahnocli]

Taking a glass from table.

Well, the obvious criticism is that the glass is not taken from the table...The easiest way to set this up is to have two arms in a switch layer, one with a glass and one without, and switch them (and the visibility of the glass) at the critical moment.

[Genete]

I like the design of the character. The things that bother me is that the perspective seems to be off, or the character is really a lot shorter than the table. The character's feet seem to be slipping a bit, he looks like he's skating a bit.

One thing to correct the perspective is to have the table and the character share the same floor plane. I would suggest a filled in rectangle that's darker than the background color. That can be the floor.

As far as the walk goes, is it on a walk cycle (action) or did you animate every step? If you are using a cycling action, then I would suggest subtracting frames from the begining of animation to when he's at the table. It seems that there's more distance than steps for him to travel. If you did each step separately, then I would use onionskinning to see the frames in the past and future (from the current frame). Turn on the grids and use them to locate where the feet are and then frame-by-frame look out for slippage. In the tutorials (Chapter 3? It's the second tutorial in that section) there's mention of using "lock bones" to avoid the feet from slipping. Is that on?

Hope this was of some help.

Thanks for your comments. Really the perspective is right because the character is small. You have to take account that this is a translation to AS of a tale written (and drawn) by a 7 years old child. So I wanted to respect the size and sapes of the figures. The table is out of perspective also, but it is like it was originally drawn. (tonight I will post the original drawing)

Regarding to walk cycle you are right. There is some slipping on both legs. I know it. I have two problems. The way of rigging the character dos not allow me to use lock bone for feets. The bone that gives movement to the whole character (up and down and across the screen) called "spine" belongs to a root bone layer. So child bone layers are moved like solid rigid. Althought I locked the bone of the edge on the foot, it only is locked locally so movement of the "spine" moves also the locked bone as a solid rigid. So I have to perform walk cycle "by eye". (I'm considering to reorder the character again using less child layers)
I used an action to make the arms and legs movement and up and down movement of the body and after a manual movement for horizontal translation.
The second issue is that this is a 3/4 character walking as a side character. If I try to make the horizontal traslation to have every foot glued to the floor in every right moment, the character seems to walk been pushed and stoped, pushed and stoped... I did'n like it.
So finally I assigned this kind of walk clycle.

Thank you very much for your comments. The final animation customer will be a 7 years ols child so I think those faults can be assumed.

Really I'm learning a lot with this testing. Character setup is a VERY important issue to think about BEFORE any further development. It can affect to rest of animation...

Well, the obvious criticism is that the glass is not taken from the table...The easiest way to set this up is to have two arms in a switch layer, one with a glass and one without, and switch them (and the visibility of the glass) at the critical moment.

I did the animation using the described technique. Also there are two tables one in an independent layer and other within the character. Visivility is used a lot in this short. I have 5 right arms in a switch layer (with/without glass, with/without hat, and a single one for front position).
So forgive me, but I don't understand your comment. Perhaps you refered to first link. There is a second that shows complete action. Anyway thanks for your comments.

Regards, Genete.

[jahnocli]

Okay, take it easy -- I was referring to the first link...I either hadn't seen your edited post, or it wasn't there.