This week I adjusted the curve effect and completed the final polish.

Based on the references I shot last week, I did some Blocking this week. First, I chose a camera angle, which is very important, otherwise there will be deviations when adjusting certain actions accordingly.

Reference

I found a reference from Youtube

Planning

Planning from The Animator’s Survival Kit

I drew this Planning based on my understanding. Planning was made based on the reference of the walking cycle

Processing

The key to a walking cycle is the loop from one contact pose to the next. In the contact pose, the character’s legs are almost straight, and the center of gravity is in a balanced position. In the subsequent transitions, the most critical intermediary actions are Up and Down, where the character’s center of gravity reaches its highest and lowest points, respectively. At the lowest point, the front foot is fully grounded and bearing the weight, while the back foot has just lifted off the ground, with bent knees adding a sense of weight to the character. At the highest point, the front foot pushes the body forward, and the back foot swings to its highest position, giving the movement a light and fluid feel.

Final

Reference

In this part, I filmed myself as a reference for my animation. I set up my phone to capture a full-body shot and practiced taking a step to the left, just like I want my character to do. I focused on how I shift my weight before lifting my foot and how my foot moves in the air and lands. Watching it back, I slowed it down to catch all the details. This quick reference helps a lot and gives me a real movement to follow for my blocking.

Some additional tutorials are also necessary. I got some inspiring guidance from the tutorial below

Planning

Based on the references I shot, I drew the Planning.

Processing

In this part, I’m working on blocking a simple step to the left for the ball walker. First, I set the starting pose with both feet on the ground, standing straight. Then, I shift the weight over to the right leg, getting ready for the left leg to lift. This weight shift is key; without it, the character would look like it’s floating instead of grounded. Next, I lift the left leg and stretch it out to the side for the step, rotating the hips a bit to follow the movement. The right leg bends to support the body as the left foot reaches out. Once the left foot touches down, I adjust the hips slightly towards it, as if the weight is about to shift. Finally, I set the character in a resting pose with the weight now fully on the left leg, and the right leg relaxed. This is just the blocking stage, so it’s rough, but it captures the main poses and weight shifts. Later, I’ll add in-betweens to make it smooth, but for now, this gives me a clear picture of the step. Blocking like this helps me see if the main action looks good before adding details.

Final

Planning

To complete the animation, I’ll add a forward jump for the ball along with the tail movement. First, I’ll set a jump path, usually a curved arc, and add keyframes along this arc so the ball follows it smoothly. I’ll place keyframes at key points, like the start of the jump, the highest point, and the landing. As the ball jumps, I’ll make the tail swing naturally to match. When the ball takes off, the tail will swing back a bit, then hang down at the top of the jump, and swing forward upon landing due to the impact. I’ll also add a slight delay to the tail movement to make it look more natural, so the tail lags a little as the ball moves. Finally, I’ll play the animation to check for smoothness and adjust any keyframes or timing as needed to make sure the jump and tail swing feel natural together.

In addition to principles like squash and stretch, anticipation, and overlapping action, another key point to consider is using the ball’s trajectory during its airtime as a reference for positioning the tail. When the ball is in the air, the arc of its movement can guide how the tail should follow along, creating a more natural flow. This helps ensure that the tail’s motion complements the main movement, enhancing the sense of weight and momentum. As the ball rises and reaches the peak, the tail should follow the arc subtly, trailing slightly behind. This approach not only grounds the tail’s movement in the physics of the jump but also adds cohesion to the overall animation.

Final

Reference

In this video I can observe the motion of squirrel’s tail.

Planning

Processing

To animate the tail, start by imagining how it should move, usually with a smooth, wave-like swing. Set keyframes on the timeline for key positions, like the starting point, up position, and the opposite side. Adjust the timing between these points for a quick, natural rhythm. At each keyframe, adjust the tail’s position to create the swinging motion, beginning with the tail down, moving it up, and then to the other side. Add a slight delay between each part of the tail to make it look more wave-like. Finally, play the animation and make small adjustments to the keyframes and timing until the tail swings smoothly and naturally.

Final