Category: Maya

This is a sketch plan for Juice box animation. Especially, I wrote two graphs here like Full of Juice box and Empty Juice box. In terms of this sketch plan, I focused on the timing and space to express each material and weigh. Also, through this plan, I realised that heavy version is more smaller space each frame than light version. Furthermore, movement is also different between heavy one and light one. For example, heavy one is just bounce small only once. On the other hand, light one is three times bounce and movement is also big.

Juice Box Animation

In this project, I created the juice box acting in the following the plan and storyboard.
This image is a plan for figure out the time and space each movement of juice box. Also, I focused on the story, which is fascinated with viewer.
But looking back the submitted the animation, it was boring and not well to convey my story to viewers. After the class, I asked the teacher “why the animation is not funny so much”. And then, during the conversation, I realised that the reaction and variations in tempo have a strong relationship to express the emotion and attract with viewers into my animation. So next time, I will be eager to explore the reaction and tempo more carefully, also, I would like to create the more fascinated one. 

<Submitted the first version as a juice box acting animation>

Kiwi Animation – Brief Description and Impressions

The kiwi animation features a small, cute bird as the main character. The animation focuses on the bird’s simple movements, such as walking, pecking the ground, and fluttering its tiny wings. The motions are exaggerated just enough to make the character look lively and expressive, while still keeping a natural and believable feel.

Watching this animation, I was impressed by how much personality the animators were able to give to such a simple character. I learned how small details, like the timing of a step or a slight tilt of the head, can make a big difference in making an animated character feel alive and charming. It also reminded me that even simple creatures can tell a story effectively through careful observation and timing.

This week, I worked on creating a pendulum animation. In this motion, the pendulum speeds up as it reaches both ends, and overlapping action also occurs. It is difficult to reproduce this correctly without fully understanding the movement, so I studied it carefully using The Animation Survival Kit.

Additionally, through feedback from my teacher, I learned that adjusting the small movement just before the pendulum stops makes the animation look more realistic and natural.

This is a Pendulum motion before I receive the feedback from teacher. I focused on the gravity and speed in this project.

For a Pendulum motion, I realised that ease out and ease in is significant important to make realistic motion like pendulum. And ease out and in means both ends are the slowest on the other hand, in the middle is the fastest in pendulum motion.

Squash and Stretch

• Shows the flexibility, weight, and volume of objects or characters.

Timing and Motion

• Controls the speed and spacing of movements to show weight, emotion, or energy.

Anticipation

• A small action before a main action that helps the audience understand what will happen.

Staging

• Arranging the scene and actions so the focus is clear and easy to read.

Follow-Through and Overlapping Action

• Extra movements after the main action, or parts moving at different times, to make it more natural.

Straight Ahead and Pose-to-Pose Action

• Two animation methods: draw frame by frame (straight ahead) or create key poses first (pose-to-pose).

Slow In and Slow Out

• Start and end movements slowly for a natural feeling and to show weight.

Arcs

• Most movements follow curved paths to look smooth and realistic.

Exaggeration

• Make movements or expressions stronger or bigger to make them clear and interesting.

Secondary Action

• Small supporting actions that add personality or emphasize the main action.

Solid Drawing

• Draw with correct structure, volume, and proportion to make the animation believable.

Appeal

• Give characters or actions charm and personality to engage the audience.

This is my plan in advance for creating Bouncing Ball by using Maya. Based on this drawing, I supposed that the ball’s shape and speed change at each stage. For example, during the first bounce, the gravity is stronger and the speed is higher, therefore, the stretch is the most strongest. On the second bounce, both elements are slightly weaker, so the stretch is also less pronounced.

This is a reference for different ball type. And The video shows the Physics of bouncing ball/Science Project.

This is a animated bouncing ball by using Maya.

1. Changing Timing

Making it faster

• The movement feels light, quick, and energetic.
• Example: A character running in a hurry, or reacting in surprise.

Making it slower

• The movement feels heavy, calm, and with more presence.
• Example: Carrying a heavy object, walking slowly, or moving carefully.

Making the intervals uneven

• You can show momentum, rhythm, or the force of an action.
• Example: Preparing a punch slowly, then striking quickly.

2. Changing Space

Increasing the distance of movement

• Movements feel big, powerful, and open.
• Example: Jumping, swinging arms, or large steps when running.

Decreasing the distance of movement

• Movements feel small, subtle, calm, or cautious.
• Example: Gently picking up an object, or small facial expressions.

Changing the path (straight, curved, up/down, left/right)

• You can express natural movement and personality.
• Example: A smooth curved jump feels graceful, a straight jump feels strong.

These are practice for golden pose. Especially, I made four poses such as, Hero Pose, Standing Pose, Happy Pose, My favorite Pose. I realised that I need to focus on the Center of Gravity and exaggeration to express the reality and attractive.

This is a 360 angle video.