My Dude Strutt'n His Stuff - WIP

[mtbuck24]

Hey guys, working on a couple of different walk cycles here is one I came up with for a strut! Constructive criticism wanted - I had no reference for this so I would love to know what can be improved!

[slowtiger]

It's too strong for a strut - this is a person who desparately needs a toilet...

A strut should be cocky, so you need to put the hips much more forward, and put the shoulders back. Also the head doesn't bob that much, in a strut it's posing, so chin up and grin. Open the eyes, it's about beeing seen.

Try to have both soles on the ground at the same time, and make the passing step much faster.

A good reference would be Foghorn Leghorn.

[mtbuck24]

Thanks Slowtiger! Looks like I mastered the 'poopy pants' walk cycle.

I appreciate the constructive criticism sir and will take another stab at it!

Best regards,
McCoy

[slowtiger]

I regularly do walk cycles just for fun (but in TVPaint), and it's always a surprise how they turn out - definitely never the way I intend them to be. It's easy to critisize other's work, but to create a walk with the exact emotion I want to - oh, that's nearly impossible.

This morning it dawned to me what this walk reminded me of: there's a guy in another part of town who's got some distortion in his cerebellum (I suppose), so all his movements are very broad and a bit shaky. He's a big guy, seeing him walk is fascinating: basically he throws his limbs away from his body, then pulls them back, while maintaining a steady, quite fast gait. I'd like to video him, but that would be disrespectful.

[neeters_guy]

I regularly do walk cycles just for fun (but in TVPaint), and it's always a surprise how they turn out - definitely never the way I intend them to be. It's easy to critisize other's work, but to create a walk with the exact emotion I want to - oh, that's nearly impossible.

I'm amazed that you can deconstruct a walk with all it's nuance like that. Makes me realize I need to watch and observe more.

[mtbuck24]

couple more - still don't know what to call the middle one if he's not strutt'n - any advice on foreshortening the arms?

[mtbuck24]

Constructive criticism wanted. I do not like the way this turned out and I worked on it for..ever

[slowtiger]

I like the head - something so subtle like this head turn can carry a great deal of emotion.

Maybe you should experiment a bit with the overall line of action of his body. (That's why I have my root bone point of origin always between the feet on the ground, it makes it easy to tilt the character without loosing contact, and it's easy to adjust the feet later.) He's totally straight now, and while his head says "I'm sleepy), his legs say "we're self-confident ". Just the overall tilt of a body does a lot for posture and emotion.

(You have a little jiggle in the knees which breaks the smoothness of motion, but that's a minor detail.)

I think this walk can do with a bit more "schlepping": you already have it in the shape of the feet, dragging toes on the ground, but in any other respect it works like a normal walk. Think of a zombie: he only lifts a foot after the other one is placed firmly on the ground - in contrast to a normal walk where placing and ligting take place simultaneously. So try to have at least 1 frame where both soles are clearly placed on the ground.

neeters_guy: I had a very good teacher, and then there's books: Richard Williams of course, and Nancy Beiman's Animated Performance. And I was teaching animation myself, criticizing student's work in depth is second nature to me.

[chucky]

Hey McCoy, does the back leg look short, maybe?
With the strut, I think his head might look a bit heavy which emphasise the size a bit.

[DK]

Yes...Too much forward movement on the head.
Cheers
D.K

[chucky]

The sad one, here's what seems weird to me.
His hands are clenched, which is more high energy and doesn't match the legs.
His head is facing camera enough to give the impression that he is acting 'to' it.

Maybe act this emotion out yourself, what exactly is he feeling?
How is he breathing?
Is all the breath flat and completely deflated or is he inhaling with a super sad sob?

I think these walk cycles aren't like a technical exercise but an emotional one.
After all, walks are just ambulation, what's really happening are feelings.

Have a look at all of them.
The confident one where the arms break, to me looks like a walk I've seen other places.
I don't know if that's what you want to achieve, this simulation of animation.
I think animation works much better when the motion is expression rather than impression.
Animation techniques should enable you not control you.

Let's see more of you McCoy.
Go for it.

[mtbuck24]

Thanks Slowtiger, Chucky, and DK I will keep at it! I have completed the rig so it's not limited as far as it's movements - it can now look straight on towards the camera and rotate 90 degrees to a profile - which really helps for the sad walk. Still working out the hands.

I haven't quite nailed down how to show and express animation. I do want to work on the feeling and focusing on that solely but I still don't know enough of the principles to make that my focus. I definitely will keep at it. Thanks!

[DK]

I really like your animation mt and to be honest I love the slow walk version as it is.
Just my opinion

Cheers
D.K

[mtbuck24]

I really like your animation mt and to be honest I love the slow walk version as it is.
Just my opinion

Cheers
D.K

Thanks DK - I will be sure to upload my progress as I learn this stuff. The criticism has been extremely helpful so far!

[mtbuck24]

Hey guys, here is an update to the original strut - now using references and using your constructive criticism and creating a better rig for the walk. I like this one a lot more! Thank you for the feedback and...keep it coming!