In this class, I had a one-on-one meeting with the teacher to discuss my topic for the final assignment, which I had been considering since last week. I explained that I chose this topic because I wanted to make use of my advantage as someone from Japan and explore the differences between Japanese and overseas anime to make the project more engaging.
However, the teacher pointed out that my topic was too broad. Indeed, in terms of investigating the popularity of Japanese anime, my topic was too large in scope. In other words, I needed to narrow it down a bit. The teacher advised that if I am going to research Japanese anime, it would be better to focus on why Japanese anime has gained global popularity. This would narrow the topic and connect directly to what I really want to learn.
Based on this advice, I decided to focus on this theme for my work.
When creating a walk cycle, it is very important to pay attention to the center of gravity (COG). The center of gravity is one of the most important elements for showing that a human is standing on the ground and affected by gravity. In addition, the model used in this project only has legs and the torso around the hips. Because of this, I needed to focus especially on the movement of the hips. Since the walk cycle moves forward, the position and translation of the body are also important. On top of that, the way the feet touch the ground and leave the ground, as well as how the knees bend, plays a key role in making the motion look natural.
For the workflow, it is important to first collect reference materials, observe them carefully, and understand the movement before starting the animation. This approach helps avoid relying only on feeling sense and allows the movement to be understood as knowledge. As a result, it becomes earlier to move to the next step confidently.
Through this task, I also realized the importance of the Graph Editor in Maya. When I first created the walk cycle, the body movement looked stiff and choppy. However, by smoothing the curves in the Graph Editor, this problem was improved. From this experience, I learned that using the Graph Editor, not just keyframes, is an effective way to improve animation skills.
During this week, I focused mainly on creating character animation, especially a simple walking cycle motion. Since I had already learned the basic knowledge and techniques in another class, I was able to work on this animation relatively a bit of smoothly.
I also borrowed The Animator’s Survival Kit from the UAL LCC library and checked practical tips and key points to keep in mind when creating a walk cycle.
However, I faced several problems during this process. First, I was unable to transfer the rigged character in Blender to Maya. This was because I used Blender-specific add-ons, which caused compatibility issues. As a result, I decided to complete all the animation work in Blender.
While working in Blender, I encountered another issue: the rig’s weight painting was incorrect, causing parts such as the arms to bend unnaturally. This problem occurred mainly because my knowledge and skills in rigging were still limited. I was not able to fix the issue completely, but I adjusted the rig as much as possible and managed to finish the walking animation.
Through this experience, I clearly realized the areas which I need to improve immediately, especially in rigging. I strongly feel that I need to study and develop these skills through self-learning in the future. This production process became a valuable experience that helped me identify my next challenges and goals.
Cut01Walking Cycle motion in blenderFrom Animation Survival kit
When creating walking animations, I realized that weight shift is very important. In particular, the up-and-down movement plays a key role in making a character’s walk look natural and alive.
From my observations, I understood that when a foot moves forward, the other foot lifts off the ground and the body rises slightly. On the other hand, when both feet are on the ground, the knees bend and the whole body moves slightly downward. I found it helpful to imagine this up-and-down movement as a wave, which makes it easier to understand and apply.
I also noticed that the body naturally sways slightly from side to side while walking. Paying attention to this side-to-side motion makes the walk feel more natural and lively.
Through this process, I learned that it’s important to observe carefully, understand the movements, and reflect them in the keyframes. This approach helps give the character’s walk a sense of depth and realism.
From Ting’s Presentation document
Walk Cycle References
From Animation Survival kit
On the foot movement, it is important that the heel touches the ground first, while the toes remain on the ground until the end. In addition, the bending of the knees gradually becomes stronger and then slowly releases. This results in a more natural and realistic walking behavior.
Not only for foot movement, but also for all types of motion, I realized that space and tempo are extremely important. These elements strongly affect the speed, smoothness, and sense of weight in an animation. Therefore, I want to carefully judge and adjust space and tempo according to each movement.
From Animation Survival kit
Adding flexibility to the arms makes the movement feel more realistic. This tip is very similar to this process and the knowledge I gained from creating a pendulum animation in another class was very helpful.
However, in terms of my main character is a wooden doll, adding too much flexibility would make it look like a vivid, organic creature. For this reason, I found that it is better to keep the movement subtle and restrained.
The usage of techniques such as overlapping action and anticipation to create this flexibility is also an important point in other types of movement. Therefore, I would like to continue practicing and improving these skills in future animation work.
This week, I learned important points for choosing a topic for the final assignment. Although I have not decided yet, I am thinking of researching Japanese anime in depth. In recent years, Japanese anime has created worldwide hits, and the culture of visiting real-life locations featured in anime, known as “pilgrimages,” has become established.
I believe that studying why Japanese anime has gained global popularity will help me get closer to my goal of becoming a bridge between the Japanese and international anime industries. Next week, I will have a one-on-one meeting with the teacher, and I would like to discuss my topic during that session.
This motion transitions from an “Afraid pose” to an “Angry pose.” Personally, I found this pose-to-pose assignment extremely challenging. Until now, I’d focused on creating a complete pose, but I realized I needed a deeper understanding of body movement to naturally transition between poses. However, actually expressing this in animation wasn’t easy.
So, I decided to start by taking a reference video using my own body. As I worked, I observed the movements, paying particular attention to the shift in the body’s center of gravity and timing. After receiving numerous pieces of feedback from my teacher, I realized I struggled with creating hip movements. Hip movement is a crucial element at the heart of human movement, so I’m determined to overcome this in the future.
To achieve this, I plan to observe the work of many animators and deepen my understanding by exchanging opinions with my classmates. After polishing the video several times, I feel I was able to capture a certain degree of human-like movement. However, there’s still a bit of stiffness overall. I plan to continue researching this in future assignments and strive to express more natural body movements in animation.
Research Activity 1: Snow White (Disney Studios,1937)
Settings & Props
The scene set in a dark room that is dominated by black tones colours, it makes the vivid red poisoned apple stand out and symbolic.
Costume, Hair & Make Up
The Snow White princess wears a beautiful dress and is properly made up, while the witch wears a black robe and no makeup. Their hairstyles are also contrasting: the princess’s hair is neatly arranged, whereas the witch’s hair is unkempt and appears as if it hasn’t been washed. Thus, their outward appearances allow the audience to infer each character’s personality, situation, and condition.
Facial Expressions & Body Language
The witch is constantly laughing throughout the entire scene. In contrast, the princess appears calm and enjoys cooking with various animals at the beginning. However, after the witch appears, the princess’s eyebrows show signs of anxiety that continue until the end of the scene. From these elements, it can be interpreted that the witch feels pleased or satisfied, whereas the princess feels uncomfortable.
In terms of body language, the witch’s movements are slow and deliberate, while the princess’s body movements are fast and detailed. Based on these observations, I assume that the witch appears relaxed and confident because of the poisoned apple, whereas the princess expresses tension and anxiety due to the sudden appearance of the unknown witch.
Lighting and Colour
In this scene, the witch appears at the window as if to block the light from coming in. Meanwhile, the princess is inside a dark room. I think this helps emphasize the feeling of anxiety. Also, in the scene where she makes the solitary apple, the apple’s color and brightness are depicted very vividly, which further emphasizes it.
Positioning of characters/objects within the frame
Most of scenes are effectively composed the use of symmetrical composition allows viewers to clearly understand who is speaking to whom in each scene.
Especially, this scene is behind each character inside the apple which has poison. It can be obviously clear to understand who is giving what to whom in this scene.
What role does the shot choice (Cinematography) play in the scene.
In this scene, the apple is placed at the center of the frame, as a symmetry. The light take on the witch, while Snow White remains in the shadows, it seems to imply the how they are going the future.
Research Activity 2: Anomalisa. Charlie Kaufman 2016
Settings & Props
This scene is shot by Camera angle from the ceiling. This makes it easier to understand the overall atmosphere and situation of the room. Furthermore, the two people are placed at the center of the frame, and there is a large amount of negative space, so the viewer’s attention naturally focuses on them.
Costume, Hair & Make Up
In this scene, the two people are lying down while still wearing their jackets. In addition, there is only one slipper on the left of the bed, and the suitcase is not open. From this, it can be seen that it is not much time has passed since they arrived in the room.
Facial Expressions & Body Language
The facial expressions are stiff. In particularly, the eyebrows and the mouth is down, from these elements, it is possible to convey tension or fatigue rather than calmness. Additionally, both have their hands placed in front of their bodies, it can naturally be seen as a protecting themselves, it can be implied a lack of composure.
Lighting and Colour
The colors are arranged with red tones in the background, and the contrast between the white bed and the characters’ clothing naturally allows the viewer’s eye to the center.
This character is a wooden doll made of wood. The wooden doll so-called Mokkun. I focused on creating a cute and charming design. For example, the character has very simple eyes and a tiny body. These design choices emphasize a sense of cuteness, simplicity, and warmth.
I also tried rigging the character using Blender. However, I realized that the weight painting was not working properly after rigging, which caused some unnatural deformations. Despite this difficulty, I adjusted the animation as much as possible and did my best to move the character naturally.
Above all, I aimed to design a character that feels lovable to everyone, with a cute appearance and a slightly clumsy personality.
This week, I learned about animation in documentaries and manga based on real events.
In class, we watched several videos. One of them was The Sinking of the Lusitania by Winsor McCay. Even though it was in black and white, it showed a strong sense of scale. The sound in the video was also very interesting and made the work memorable.
From the examples we saw today, I noticed some similarities. Animation is often used as entertainment or as a way to give information to viewers. I felt that animations are made to explain things clearly and so that everyone can understand them easily.
However, like all media, we should be careful about how reliable the information is. With AI becoming more common, it is even more important to think carefully about this.
When it comes to weight shifts, it’s extremely important to be conscious of how the body’s weight is shifting. In particular, carefully considering the center of gravity when creating movements is a key point in creating natural and convincing animation.
At first glance, the movements may seem simple, but in reality there are many things to pay attention to. For example, the timing of when the hips move, how much the knees bend, and how long the movement takes can greatly change the impression of the character’s weight and personality.
Furthermore, being aware of the relationship between the foot on which the weight is placed and the foot on which it is released will increase the sense of footwork on the ground and the convincing balance. By carefully combining these elements, you can express realistic and lively movements rather than just simple movements.
This story is an adventure about a wooden doll who is the main character, set in a forest and a cave.
At the beginning of the story, the main character is walking through the forest. The forest is quiet and surrounded by a dark, sadness atmosphere. The character feels lonely, uneasy, and slightly afraid. This environment amplifies his negative emotions.
Then, he notices a strange torii gate. The gate stands in an unusual position in front of the cave, and it catches the character’s attention. Beyond the gate, the cave highlight with a mysterious blue light, and it creates a magical and otherworldly atmosphere. Although he feels fear, the character tries to enter the cave and go steps forward with brave.
Eventually, the character reaches the deepest part of the cave. Inside, a large and huge tree stands at the center, and its overwhelming presence takes his breath away. At the base of the tree stands a Japanese shrine, the same one he saw outside the cave. Overwhelmed by the beauty of the tree and the cave, the character naturally walks toward the shrine.
In this story, the character’s main movements are walking or standing still, but the beautiful and grand backgrounds give the story a sense of depth and space.
If I possible I would like to add this element into my animation by using UE5. This red thread comes from the Japanese conventional narrative story which is red thread led us to connect with the good future, fate, and people.
