how to start an animation from scratch in Animate2?

Drekkan

[how to start an animation from scratch in Animate2?] I ask this because every tutorial I come across deals with pre-set aniblocks rather than just starting from scratch simple ways to animate whilst moving and messing around with motions and the options on the timeline but as every single tutorial always has a pre-done animation motion aniblocks it really is frustrating when all I actually want to do is know basic stuff how to start from scratch wih a figure standing in their default pose and work it on there so I can get a simple understanding of how it all works doing a basic process of trying to get her to look like she's cheering or something.

I get aniblocks are very useful but I'd rather learn some of the more basics first. Can anyone perhaps point me in the direction of a tutorial like this if there is one? (I certainly can't find one without people pre-loading aniblocks) or if someone has time they could lay out the basic principles with an example of how to do a simple animation and perhaps save it as an aniblock also. This would help me a LOT! thx.

Sempie

I used to be a professional traditional animator (pencil on paper)

The very basics of animation are software-independend: the 12 principles of animation. (It's basically about how and why things move)

The same rules apply for cartoony and realistic animation, only in realistic animation, everything is much more subtle.

 

Some knowledge of this is always useful.

Here's a link to a 3D-based tutorial:

 

 

 

Harry Dresden

You are probably referring to keyframe animation which is rather easy to do. Put your timeline on frame 0, create a keyframe and setup a pose. Now move the timeline forward a few frames, create a new keyframe and setup a different pose. Continue in this fashion for as long as you need. What this does is fill the frames between keyframes with the computer's best guesses on how to switch from one pose to the next. You can then go in frame by frame and add keyframes where needed to fix glaring problems with the computer's guessing. The number of frames you will need to make the pose changes flow naturally will depend on how different the poses are but you'll get a feel for it pretty fast. That's really all there is to it. The biggest challenge is making your poses feel natural and that is something of an art rather than a technique.

benniewoodell

Harry laid it out spot on, the only thing I'd like to add to it is a tip I saw on one of the Incredibles 2 special features. Brad Bird said to always start the timeline at frame 1000 this way it gives you leeway if you have to go further back, that's saved me numerous times now. Sempie, thanks for posting that, I look forward to looking at it later after work!

Drekkan

Harry Dresden said:

You are probably referring to keyframe animation which is rather easy to do. Put your timeline on frame 0, create a keyframe and setup a pose. Now move the timeline forward a few frames, create a new keyframe and setup a different pose. Continue in this fashion for as long as you need. What this does is fill the frames between keyframes with the computer's best guesses on how to switch from one pose to the next. You can then go in frame by frame and add keyframes where needed to fix glaring problems with the computer's guessing. The number of frames you will need to make the pose changes flow naturally will depend on how different the poses are but you'll get a feel for it pretty fast. That's really all there is to it. The biggest challenge is making your poses feel natural and that is something of an art rather than a technique.

Thankyou harry for giving this simple explanation which I was so craving for. Can you tell me what the basic option is that determines the speed between two keyframes? thanks.

juve_satriani

Drekkan said:

[how to start an animation from scratch in Animate2?] I ask this because every tutorial I come across deals with pre-set aniblocks rather than just starting from scratch simple ways to animate whilst moving and messing around with motions and the options on the timeline but as every single tutorial always has a pre-done animation motion aniblocks it really is frustrating when all I actually want to do is know basic stuff how to start from scratch wih a figure standing in their default pose and work it on there so I can get a simple understanding of how it all works doing a basic process of trying to get her to look like she's cheering or something.

I get aniblocks are very useful but I'd rather learn some of the more basics first. Can anyone perhaps point me in the direction of a tutorial like this if there is one? (I certainly can't find one without people pre-loading aniblocks) or if someone has time they could lay out the basic principles with an example of how to do a simple animation and perhaps save it as an aniblock also. This would help me a LOT! thx.

I agree with you and other comments .

Aniblock really help to speed workflow when animating in DAZ Studio . But basic keyframing for character animation still great to grasp .

I would suggesting you to maximize several tools like Puppeter ( for store several pose and test motion flow)  - Bone tool (Pinning and direct translation) and Multi Direct Bone Manipulation ( Left screen Ball which shown everytime you choose a bone )  and try monitoring / Download several animation script from mjCasual ( check every freebie from mjCasual)

And one tips > Commit camera view before start animating . You dont need motion look good in every view except you want to sale those motions 

Sempie

Harry Dresden said:

You are probably referring to keyframe animation which is rather easy to do. Put your timeline on frame 0, create a keyframe and setup a pose. Now move the timeline forward a few frames, create a new keyframe and setup a different pose. Continue in this fashion for as long as you need. What this does is fill the frames between keyframes with the computer's best guesses on how to switch from one pose to the next. You can then go in frame by frame and add keyframes where needed to fix glaring problems with the computer's guessing. The number of frames you will need to make the pose changes flow naturally will depend on how different the poses are but you'll get a feel for it pretty fast. That's really all there is to it. The biggest challenge is making your poses feel natural and that is something of an art rather than a technique.

Don't forget about the breakdowns. The keys are your extreme poses. But you schould not go from one pose into another in a linear way. Breakdowns are the most important 'inbetweens'. They determine your motion arcs, and differentiate the speed at which individual parts of the body move - eg the chest and head lead, the arms drag and start moving slower, etc. In walks, it is the hip that leads, the upper legs come later, the lower legs even later than that, etc.

laststand6522732

Sempie said:

I used to be a professional traditional animator (pencil on paper)

The very basics of animation are software-independend: the 12 principles of animation. (It's basically about how and why things move)

The same rules apply for cartoony and realistic animation, only in realistic animation, everything is much more subtle.

Some knowledge of this is always useful.

Here's a link to a 3D-based tutorial:

You have a basis of comparison that is rare today.

When CAD first replaced the drafting board, a couple of generations ago, there was a controversy regarding whether it WAS or WAS NOT beneficial to study traditional drafting tools and methods first before studying CAD. At the time it seemed self-evident to me that learning the actual goal was essential in learning to use the tool itself. This turned out to be an unpopular point of view, and soon the tool was more important than the task.

Today this issue pales compared to the abandonment of the written word and the decline of literacy, not to mention the traditional classroom. I credit you for at least making an effort to help.

Drekkan

Thx guys but can you tell me what the basic option is that determines the speed between two keyframes?

mavante

Drekkan said:

Thx guys but can you tell me what the basic option is that determines the speed between two keyframes?

You set the number of frames you want per second (frame rate) in the timeline window. The most common I've found for 3d animation is 30 frames per second. Some people like 24 frames per second, but 30 makes for easier time calculations.

Your frame rate then will be a guide for you concerning how many frames apart to make certain keyframes. For instance, a blink would only take maybe five or six frames.

This video tutorial will give you some of the basics: Daz 101 Animating in the Timeline