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4 Legged Animals (Horse)
Posted: Fri Aug 19, 2011 12:46 am
by newmatic
Hey everyone.
I am attempting to make a horse in anime studios 8 debut and I am having trouble with the back legs in a side profile shot.
Does anyone have any suggestions on how I can draw it so that when the horse walks the back legs look realistic? The only why I have thought of is to draw the back legs on a separate vector layer and put them into a separate bone layer than the rest of the body. I don't like this method, however, because you cannot link the bones in the back legs to the spine bone.
I appreciate your help!
Thanks.
Posted: Fri Aug 19, 2011 12:57 am
by funksmaname
i dont think your actual problem is clear... there's no reason why you have to separate it into different layers and bone arrangements? can you post some example?
Posted: Fri Aug 19, 2011 2:01 am
by GCharb
As funksmaname said, no need to put in separate bone layers, put everything in one bone layer.
You do just like the basic rigging tutorial, you place the bones when the legs are apart then use the offset bone tool to bring them together on frame one.
As for animating a horse, a good starting point is to make both front and back leg walk as a human, then you just inverse the extremes.
This is not a perfect way, but it will give you a basic horse walk with ups and downs.
Posted: Fri Aug 19, 2011 3:57 am
by Víctor Paredes
An important point is front and back legs hasn't their contacts at the same time. If front legs start the cycle with the contact, back legs will start with the down or pass position. If you manage well that difference and have the four legs moving at the same velocity, the horse will look natural.
Posted: Fri Aug 19, 2011 6:05 am
by Wiseling
Posted: Fri Aug 19, 2011 2:26 pm
by GCharb
Hey, those are from the Animator Survival Kit Animated, good references.
Posted: Fri Aug 19, 2011 6:53 pm
by newmatic
Thanks for all your help. You helped me realize that I need to make each part of the body on a separate vector and then link the bone to it. I was trying to make the entire horse on the same vector.
Posted: Fri Aug 19, 2011 8:21 pm
by GCharb
You could make the horse on the same vector, then you need to point bind the control points to the bone, I often work that way!
Posted: Fri Aug 19, 2011 9:18 pm
by newmatic
I think I will have to play around with both. I am really new to it and just know what I know from the few youtube videos I have watched. I just have a goal to get a video done by Christmas for a family thing.

Posted: Fri Aug 19, 2011 10:08 pm
by GCharb
I like to have as little layers as possible, then I use the magnet to move things around!
I am working on this scene right now, and though it is fairly complex, it has only 6 layers.

Posted: Fri Aug 19, 2011 11:08 pm
by SvenFoster
wow Gilles, that is some pretty looking character...very Disney
Posted: Fri Aug 19, 2011 11:21 pm
by Víctor Paredes
SvenFoster wrote:wow Gilles, that is some pretty looking character...very Disney
http://images4.fanpop.com/image/polls/5 ... 5_full.jpg
It's actually Tiana, from disney's The princess and the frog. Gilles, are you experimenting with its? I'm pretty sure you can get very
disney's results with AS, I would love to see it animated
PD: Sorry for the offtopic.
Posted: Sat Aug 20, 2011 12:12 am
by GCharb
Yes this is Tiana!
After 244233256 post I decided to make a workflow based on his and some tricks of mine, so I decided to try and make a Disney quality scene.
I am animating it at the moment, and I must say that it looks real good so far.
Will try to have the workflow and animation done before the end of the week-end.
Posted: Sat Aug 20, 2011 8:11 am
by SvenFoster
Ha ha at least I can spot Disney. No sure if that's because of the animations I've watched or the kids programs with subliminal messages in.
Animating something as fluid as that will be worth watching
Posted: Sat Aug 20, 2011 9:33 am
by capricorn33
GCharb wrote:
After 244233256 post I decided to make a workflow based on his and some tricks of mine, so I decided to try and make a Disney quality scene. /.../ Will try to have the workflow and animation done before the end of the week-end.
Can't wait can't wait can't wait can't wait can't wait can't wait can't wait!!!
