Overlapping action pt.1

Fifth day I spent a lot of time on an old project and watching tutorials on the overlapping action topic. In the evening I just made an ∞ shape path. Btw, it was harder than I thought. Even just to visualize the trajectory in 2 dimensions. Also I tried to figure out how to make a seamless loop when animating.

Sixth day I continued to work on overlapping action. This time I planned to make several exercises:

  • block w/ pendulum
  • block w/ pendulum with joints
  • ball w/ tail (squirrel)

This was hard as fuck. I constantly got stuck on the loop when trying to make the movement physically deterministic and correct, while forgetting that animation is an artistic activity and the thing should look believable, not correctly simulated.

Figured out a couple of things:

  1. Offset timing/frames (stiffness) - how fast motion propagates; how stiff the material is for initial speed up and inertia.
  2. Offset amplitude (damping) - how fast energy dissipates.

Pure physics, but you really need to see the motion, not just know the formula.

Found a long list of exercises, which I will try to do.

Source: https://animatorartistlife.com/resources/over-150-character-animation-exercises-to-boost-your-skills/

because I like to grind

Level 01 – Super Basic (inanimate objects)

  • Vibrating Phone
  • Falling Leaf
  • Car Speeding Off
  • Falling Block
  • Swinging Pendulum
  • One Hard Ball Knocks Another
  • Floating Balloon
  • Spinning Top
  • Dominoes
  • Jack in the Box
  • Arrow Hitting a Target

Level 02 – Beginner

  • Simple Ball Bounce
  • Ball Bounce Along
  • Character Eye Blink
  • Character Head Turn (With Anticipation)
  • Character Thinking
  • Flour Sack Jumping
  • Opening a Door
  • Character Nodding in Agreement
  • Head Shake – Saying No
  • Stretching Character
  • Shrugging
  • Expressive Eyebrows
  • Character Clapping Animation
  • Yawning
  • Falling Asleep
  • Waking Up

Level 03 – Intermediate (Body Mechanics)

  • Simple Weight Shift
  • Character Turn (180°)
  • Character Getting Up From a Chair
  • Slump in Chair
  • Walk Cycle With Character
  • Run Cycle With Character
  • Jump on the Spot
  • Answering the Phone
  • Walking Up or Down Stairs
  • Character Sneaking
  • Jump Over an Obstacle From Standing
  • Basic Idle Stance
  • The Ball and Socket Chain (tails, ropes, etc.)
  • Balancing on a Single Object
  • Basic Character Emotion
  • Basic Character Reaction
  • Simple Object Push
  • Character Gesture
  • The Excited Character
  • Pancake Flip
  • Bursting Through a Door
  • Walking With a Crutch
  • Tasting Something Disgusting
  • Baseball Throw
  • Baseball or Cricket Hit
  • Tennis Serve
  • Electric Shock Game
  • Laughing
  • Brushing Teeth
  • Opening a Window
  • Face Palm
  • Sneezing
  • Character on a Swing

Level 04 – Advanced (Body Mechanics + Acting)

  • Walk Cycle Variations
  • Run Cycle Variations
  • Character Getting Up From a Chair (advanced)
  • Jump With a Twist
  • Lifting a Heavy Object
  • Carrying a Heavy Weight
  • Complex Skateboarding Trick(s)
  • Pushing a Heavy Weight
  • Emotions and Expressions
  • Quadruped Walk Cycle
  • Character Leap
  • Interact With an Object
  • The Staggered Step
  • Character Driven by Music
  • The Object Transformation Morph
  • The Trip and Fall
  • Tightrope Character Balance
  • The Slow Motion Animation
  • Character in Strong Wind
  • Dancing Character
  • Dialogue Between Two Characters
  • Long Jump
  • Desperate to Pee
  • The Classic Western Duel
  • Magic Spell
  • Kung Fu
  • The Surprise Party
  • The Juggler
  • The Alien Encounter
  • The Sudden Weight
  • The Robot Dance
  • The Ghost Scare
  • The Grand Entrance
  • The Balancing Act
  • The Pantomime

Level 05 – Expert (Advanced Animation Scenes)

  • Parkour Animated Sequence
  • A Complex Animal Behaviour
  • The Emotional Monologue
  • Two Character Fight Scene
  • Physics Based Animation
  • Multiple Characters Dance Sequence
  • Crowd
  • Group of Characters Singing
  • Swimming and Diving
  • Character Acting With Multiple Props
  • The Creature Transformation
  • The Musical Instrument Performance
  • Two Characters Playing Professional Table Tennis
  • Advanced Dialogue Scene
  • Fed Up Father Pushes Child Into a Ball Pit
  • The Sitcom Scene
  • The Shakespearean Drama
  • Film Noir Scene
  • The Romantic Comedy Meet-Cute
  • The High Speed Car Chase
  • The Emotional Goodbye Scene
  • The Heist Scene
  • The Supernatural Encounter
  • The Intense Debate
  • The Horror Scene
  • The Emotional Reunion
  • The Slapstick Comedy Scene
  • The Surreal Dream Sequence
  • The Heroic Rescue Scene
  • The Dramatic Death Scene
  • A Heated Argument
  • The Daring Rescue
  • On Foot Chase Scene
  • The High-Stakes Poker Game
  • The Cooking Catastrophe
  • The Heartbreaking Goodbye
  • The Thrilling Sports Match
  • Public Speech
  • The Romantic Confession
  • The Mystical Ritual
  • The Epic Battle
  • The Underwater Exploration
  • The Wilderness Survival
  • The Grand Celebration
  • The Space Adventure
  • Time Travel
  • The Heroic Sacrifice
  • The Silent Conversation
  • The Miniature Adventure
A beautiful orange sunset over the lake
Advice that I learned from youtube: keep it simple, less is more and don't rush.

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