Character Animation
Fundamentals
Developing Skills for 2D and 3D
Character Animation
Steve Roberts
AMSTERDAM
BOSTON
HEIDELBERG LONDON NEW YORK
OXFORD
PARIS
SAN DIEGO SAN FRANCISCO
SINGAPORE
SYDNEY
TOKYO
ELSEVIER Focal Press is an imprint of Elsevier
Acknowledgements xv
Preface xvii
Foreword xix
Chapter 1 Introduction to Animation
Working Practice 1
How Animation Works 1
The Basics..... 1
Frames per Second 2
What You Need for Your Studio 2
Animation Paper 3
Peg Bars 3
Light Boxes ,
4
X-sheets 5
Sound 6
Action 7
Frame Numbers 7
Levels 8
Camera 9
Line Testers 11
Pencils 12
Let's Get Animating 12
Key-to-Key Animation 12
Animating Straight Ahead 14
Flipping, Flicking and Rolling 14
Flipping ..15
Flicking.... 16
Rolling ..21
How to Use a Line Tester to Help Your Animation 22
Exercises 23
A Bouncing Ball in 2D 23
How to Relate Your 2D Animation to Your 3D Animation 27
The 13 Things You Need to Know About Maya 28
1 Maya Screen Basics 28
2 Maya Keyboard Shortcuts 28
Views Shortcuts 28
Animation/Manipulation Shortcuts 28
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Playback Shortcuts 29
3 Setting Up Animation Preferences in Maya 29
4 Creating Basic Objects in Maya 29
5 Moving Objects in Maya 30
6 Setting Keys in Maya 30
7 Using Graph Editor in
Maya 30
8 Creating a Preview in Maya 30
9 Hierarchies in Maya 31
10 Creating Objects and Putting Bones in them in Maya 31
11 Giving Your Characters Color in Maya 31
12 Importing Sound into Maya 31
13 Rendering a Scene in Maya 31
The 13 Things You Need to Know About 3D Studio Max 32
1 3D Studio Max Screen Basics 32
2 3D Studio Max Keyboard Shortcuts 32
Views Shortcuts 32
Animation/Manipulation Shortcuts 33
Playback Shortcuts... 33
3 Setting Up Animation Preferences in 3D Studio Max 33
4 Creating Basic Objects in 3D Studio Max 34
5 Moving Objects in 3D Studio Max 34
6 Setting Keys in 3D Studio Max 34
7 Using Track View in 3D Studio Max 35
8 Creating a Preview in 3D Studio Max 35
9 Hierarchies in 3D Studio Max 35
10 Creating Objects and Putting Bones in them in 3D Studio Max 35
11 Giving Your Characters Color in 3D Studio Max 36
12
Importing Sound into 3D Studio Max 36
Rendering Your Work in 3D Studio Max
13 37
Overview of the 'Ball Drop' Exercise in 3D 38
How to Animate a Basic Bouncy Ball in Maya 42
How to Create Your Ball 42
How to Animate Your Ball 43
Adjusting the In-Betweens 45
How to Animate a Basic Bouncy Ball in 3D Studio Max 49
How to Create Your Ball 49
How to Animate Your Ball 50
Adjusting the In-Betweens 52
Drawing 55
The 12 Principles of Animation 58
59
Squash and Stretch
Anticipation 59
Staging 59
Action and Pose-to-Pose 59
Straight-Ahead
Follow-Through and Overlapping Action ,
60
vi
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Slow In and Slow Out 60
Arcs 60
Secondary Action 60
Timing 61
Exaggeration 61
Solid Drawing 61
Appeal 61
Chapter 2 Matter and the Animation of
Inanimate Objects 63
Inanimate Objects 63
Weight 64
Environment 64
Solidity 65
Force 65
Construction ~
66
How to Animate Inanimate Objects 66
The Animation of Solids 66
A Bowling Ball 66
A Soccer Ball 69
A Balloon 70
A Water-Filled Balloon 71
The Animation of Liquids 74
A Drip 74
A Splash 75
An Object Falling into Water 76
2D Exercises 77
The Background Level 77
Animating a 2D Bowling Bail 78
Animating a 2D Soccer Ball 85
Animating a 2D Beach Ball 88
Animating a 2D Ping-Pong Ball 89
Animating a 2D Water-Filled Balloon 89
3D Exercises 90
Chapter 3 The Construction of a Simple
Character, its Articulation and Balance 95
Basic Human Anatomy 95
The Spine - ; 96
The Rib Cage 97
The Pelvic Girdle 97
vii
TABLE OF CONTENTS
The Skull 98
The Shoulders 99
Joints 100
Plane Joints 100
Pivot Joints 101
Hinge Joints 101
Ball and Socket Joints 101
Saddle Joints 102
Condyloid Joints 102
Movement in Arcs . 102
Line of Action 104
Designing a Basic Human Character 104
How to Design a 3D Character 106
Complexity 109
The Graphic Nature of the Character 109
Strong Silhouettes 110
Weight and Balance 111
Gravity 111
Balance 111
Overview of How to Build and Rig a Simple 3D Character 114
Skin and Bones 114
Child of the Joint 115
Planning a Scene 116
Animating Your Characters (Using the Left and Right Sides of the Brain) 117
Exercises 118
The Lift Exercise in 2D 119
Working Out the
Key Positions 119
In-Betweening the Key Positions 124
The Lift Exercise in 3D 129
The Lift Exercise in Maya 132
Setting the Keys in Maya 136
Setting the Breakdowns in Maya 145
The Lift Exercise in 3D Studio Max 148
Setting the Key Positions in 3D Studio Max 150
Setting the Breakdowns in 3D Studio Max 153
Chapter Timing, Anticipation, Overshoot,
4
Follow-Through and Overlapping Action with
an Animated Character 159
Timing 159
Anticipation 161
viii
TABLE OF CONTENTS
How Much Anticipation? 164
Force 164
167
Acting and Anticipation
Double Takes 167
Speed and Surprise 168
Anticipation During a Movement 169
Varying the Amount of Anticipation 171
Other Ways of Using Anticipation 172
Follow-Through 173
Follow-Through of Inanimate Objects 174
Follow-Through of Animate (Living) Objects 177
Overlapping Action, or Overshoot 183
Vibration 185
Exercises 186
The Stick and String Exercise in 2D _
186
The Stick and String Exercise in 3D _
190
The Stick and String Exercise in
Maya 191
Building the Stick and String in Maya 191
Animating the Stick and String in Maya 193
The Stick and String Exercise in 3D Studio Max 194
Building the Stick and String in 3D Studio Max ....194
Animating the Stick and String in 3D Studio Max 195
The Dive Exercise in 2D
...198
The Dive Exercise in 3D 206
The Dive Exercise in 213
Maya
Buildingthe Background in Maya 213
Animating the Dive in Maya 215
The Dive Exercise in 3D Studio Max 216
BuildingtheBackground in 3D Studio Max 217
Animating the Dive in 3D Studio Max 219
Chapter 5 Animation of Human Walks
and Runs 223
Walk Cycles 223
Pace 224
Walking Mechanics 226
The Stride Positions 226
The Crossover Positions 228
Shoulder Movement 230
Arm Movement 232
Movement of the Body 234
Up-and-Down ;
ix
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Walk Cycles Displaying Different Moods 234
External Influences 236
Two People Walking Together 237
Running 238
Exercises 240
The Walk or Run Cycle Exercise in 2D 240
The Walk or Run Cycle Exercise in 3D 241
Changing the Pace and Mood in a Walk Exercise in 2D 242
Changing the Pace and Mood in a Walk Exercise in 3D 243
Chapter 6 Animation of Animal Walks
and Runs 245
The FourTypes of Animal Locomotion 245
Construction of an Animal 245
Pantomime Horse Construction 247
Cartoon Four-Legged Construction 249
Correct Four-Legged Construction 251
Animal Leg and Foot Construction .252
Animals with Paws 252
A Dog Walk 254
A Cat Walk 259
Animals with Cloven Feet ; 259
Animals with Hooves 260
Flat Feet 261
Animal Runs 262
Trotting 262
Cantering 263
Galloping 263
Transverse or Rotary Gallops and Canters 264
Exercises 264
The Dog Walk Cycle in 2D..... .264
The Dog Walk Cycle in 3D 267
The 3D Dog Walk or Run Cycle 269
Chapter 7 Animation of Acting -
Body Language 275
Acting 275
Method Acting 275
Theatrical Acting 276
x
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Consequence 276
Emotions _ 277
Introduction to Laban Movement Theory 277
Kinesphere ; 278
Space,Time, Weight and Flow Continuums 278
Eight Basic Efforts 279
Pressing 279
Flicking 279
Wringing 279
Dabbing 279
Slashing 279
Gliding 279
Thrusting 280
Floating 280
General Body Language 280
Basic Body Postures 281
Open Body Postures 282
Closed Body Postures 282
Forwards Body Postures 283
Backwards Body Postures 283
Basic Modes 284
Responsive 284
Reflective 286
Fugitive 287
Combative 289
Palm, Hand, Arm and Leg Gestures 291
Palm Gestures 291
Hand Gestures 292
Arm Crossing 295
Leg Crossing 296
Using Rhythm in Animation 298
Acting Out a Scene in Animation 298
Using Video Footage to Help Your Animation 303
Using Rotoscoping and Motion Capture in Animation 305
Rotoscoping 305
Motion Capture (Mocap) 306
Optical Systems 306
Non-Optical Systems 306
How to Import Motion Capture into Maya 307
How to Import Motion Capture into 3D Studio Max 307
The Seven Questions of Character 308
The Different Types of Animation Acting 308
Animated Radio _ ; 308
xi
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Pose-to-Pose Animation Acting .309
Full Animation Acting 309
Mime 310
Analysis of a Character 310
Exercises 311
Animating Acting in 2D 311
Animating Acting in 3D 316
Building a More Sophisticated Character 318
Chapter 8 Animation of Acting -
Facial
Expressions 329
Emotions 329
The Eyes 332
Facial Expressions 337
Happiness 337
Smiles 337
Sadness 339
Surprise 341
Fear 342
Anger .343
Disgust and Contempt 344
Interest : ....345
Pain and Distress 347
Combination of Facial Expressions .348
Head Angle 351
Hand-to-Face Gestures 352
Evaluation 353
Deceit 353
Stress 355
Extreme Close-Ups .355
How to Animate a Piece of Facial Acting 356
Exercises 362
The Facial Expression Exercise in 2D 362
The Facial Expression Exercise in 3D 364
Adding a Simple Mouth and Eyebrows to Your Basic 3D Character .....366
TheEyebrows 366
Making Mouths 367
Creating Mouths with Blend Shapes in Maya 367
Creating Mouths with the Morpher in 3D Studio Max 367
Creating Facial Expressions with Your More Sophisticated Character 368
Animating Mouths with Blend Shapes in Maya 368
Animating Mouths with the Morpher in 3D Studio Max 369
xii
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter 9 Animation of Acting -
Two
or More Characters.... 371
Two Characters on Screen Together 371
Personal Space 372
Mirroring 375
How Characters Look at Each Other 377
Two Characters Acting with Each Other While Talking 379
Two Characters: Alternating from One Shot to Another 381
A Large Group of Characters on Screen at the Same Time 383
Exercises 385
The Double Acting Exercise in 2D 385
Animating It 385
The Double Acting Exercise in 3D 390
Loading Two Identical Characters into the Same Scene in Maya 390
Loading Two Identical Characters into the Same Scene in 3D Studio Max 390
Animating It 390
Chapter 10 Lip-Sync 391
Recording and Breaking Down a Dialog Track 392
How We Speak 394
Acting with Dialog 395
Quick from Pose-to-Pose 396
Slow from Pose-to-Pose 397
EracticallyFrom Pose-to-Pose 397
Mouth Shapes 397
Mouth-Shut Consonants 398
'M' 398
'B' 399
'P' 399
T 400
'V 400
Vowels 400
'Ooo' 401
'O' 401
'AR' 402
'A' 402
'EH' 403
'EEE' 403
The Quieter Vowels and Consonants 404
Teeth . 405
Animating the Mouth Shapes Early 405
xiii
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Exercises 405
The 405
Lip-Sync Exercise in 2D
The Lip-Sync Exercise in 3D 408
Importing Sound into Maya 408
Max 408
Importing Sound into 3D Studio
Animating the Mouth 408
Mouth-Shut Consonants
410
The Vowels 410
The Quieter Vowels and Consonants 413
Animating the Mouth 413
Animation Equipment Suppliers 415
Index 419
xiv
