Animating Quadrupeds

So I typed up a post for this topic the other day. However, when I was editing a previous post, it deleted the content of this post. Not sure what happened but I'm not too happy about typing this over again (I will probably start typing this information in a word document and coping it over so I don't have this problem again). With much ado, I present to you my blog on animating quadrupeds!

In the past I've animated bipeds figures in 3Ds and Poser, so I'm relatively comfortable with these figures. This week I attempted to try something a bit more trickier: animating quadrupeds. These figures have two extra appendages that you have to consider. I decided to animate a horse quadruped model  (who I have named Bob) for this mini project. For starters, I added Bob to the scene. Bob started off in a regular zero position. Zero pose means that he is in a default position at the center of the scene for those of you who don't know.

Instead of animating Bob in a static position, I decided to create a run cycle. Technically, he's still in a static position when I moved his appendages; his front and hind legs are just moved in a different position. Once the animation is complete, then Bob can be exported as a transparent image sequence and then manipulated in another program such as AfterEffects (you simply can't talk about video editing without AE!). Bob was a lot of fun to work with and he really didn't take that much time to complete. It wasn't as frustrating as I assumed it would be. I was also lucky that Poser didn't crash on me this time.

To help assist me in the animation process, I used preset BIPs. A BIP is a preset animation or pose that helps the animator. Basically, you apply the BIPs to the figure and most of your animation is done.  You may be thinking well why don't all animators use BIPs then if they're so easy to use? Well my friend, the BIPs don't always go with the figure you're working with. Overall, the animator should also take some time to make further corrections or tweaks to the animation. If you're still confused as to what a BIP is, click here for an example.

Below is the final product of Bob. Keep in mind, I slowed the frames down so you can better see the placement of Bob's appendages. It's not the best run cycle, but it's a start:

Posing in Poser

This week I will take a closer look at 3D. Not too long ago, I took a 3D workshop. In this class, I was introduced to Poser, a program that can manipulate 3D models. More specifically, Poser allows users to animate and render 3D polymesh humans and animal models. Poser also allows users to load figures, props, scenes, lighting, and cameras into a designated scene.

Moreover, I have used this program before for simple animation procedures. For the most part, I used the preset models and clothing to achieve my goals. Although I don’t know how to create my own models in the program, I decided to manipulate other elements of the model in the program.

My project this week focused on creating dynamic hair. Dynamic hair refers to hair that is realistically affected by the figure as well as gravity. In other words, if the character is animated using a walk cycle, the hair follicles will move with the figure. Notably, this hair is also looks more realistic when rendered.

Rationale
The reason that I decided to examine creating dynamic hair is because I want to be able to manipulate the 3D models to my liking. Knowing how to effectively manipulate elements can help me develop unique characters. Due to my inexperience with the program, I am starting on something that is not overly convoluted or complex. After I learn the basics of manipulation, I can then use my characters in other  projects.


Materials Used
I solely used Poser 10 to build my project. I started by importing a preset 3D model into the scene. Notably, the model started off without any hair. Afterwards, I went to the Hair tab to begin editing my model’s hair. I started by clicking on the New Growth Group to create a layer where the hair should be added. Using the selection tool, I selected several polygons on the model’s head for the growth group. Finally, I then manipulated the hair length and number of hair strands on the character.

Below are two images that were taken to illustrate the polygon selection process. The image on the left was the original hairstyle that I gave to my character. Obviously, her hair would look a bit odd if I left the strands sticking out like that. I manipulated the strands and the end result was the hairstyle located on the right.

Technical Difficulty

This project was a lot harder than I initially thought it would be. I am accustomed to doing 2D animation procedures, so I jumped on the opportunity to manipulate 3D objects. Getting the character’s hair in the right place was a daunting task. I had to add and delete layers to make everything work properly.

Closing Thoughts
I think this project taught me the importance of being patient. A few times, the program crashed and I lost my work. Although this project took me a little longer than I anticipated, it was a lot of fun. My character looks a lot more pleasant with a full set of hair. Admittedly, 3D is a very challenging and time consuming process, but the end result is worth it.

Tips and Other Comments
One website that inspired me to learn how to do 3D is CG Society. This site offers users with tutorials, workshops, and a place for professional digital artists to post their work. I like to look at this site every now again to see this amazing artwork. This is one of my favorite 3D works.

Final Product

In Space No Once Can Hear...Your Name?

This week, I decided to further examine the capabilities of After Effects. As I mentioned in my previous post, AE has a lot of useful filters and plugins that developers can take advantage of. One filter effect that I've always tried to create was a particle system effect. This effect can be used in many situations to create snow, rain, hair, flowing water, clouds, fire, and fog to name a few. I also was interested in testing out the animation presets that the program has to offer. I decided to develop a short video project that incorporates these elements to display my name in a unique fashion. The tone of the video has a somewhat eerie undertone that draws the audience in to the unexpected. The video actually takes place in space where a mysterious blue light simmers, inviting you to take a closer look. My name slowly fades into the scene in a seemingly cryptic language. At the end of the video, the text then is dispersed across the screen to bring the back into their reality.

Rationale
I was also inspired by viewing a commercial by Video Copilot that was posted on Youtube. In this commercial we see a lot of 2.5 animation procedures, including text animations. I did not attempt to achieve the same text animation styles that were shown in this video; however, I did try fiddling with the other animations that were listed in the Effects & Presets panel. 

Materials Used
I mainly used AfterEffects to develop this project. I started by creating a new composition for the project. I then moved on to creating a solid background so I could apply my particle system effect. I accomplished this by using the Particle Playground option. This part took me the longest because I had to adjust the settings so that the particles looked like they were moving at a slower speed.

Technical Difficulty
I think this project would have been more difficult if I used another video editing program, such as Premiere. I could have created these animations using an animation software program and import them into the the project; however, this would have defeated the purpose and take too long to achieve.

Closing Thoughts
This was a fun project, but it also took took me a lot longer than I had intended. I remember not knowing what I would do for this week's blog. I started by opening the program and I played with the settings. I developed some really interesting videos--I also created some that were not as mentionable. Up until now, I don't fully grasp the capabilities that this program has to offer. There are so many things that I can do in this program; I just don't always know where to look.


Final Product