Ball animation - class tutorial with Ram

Weeks before finishing the rigs, Ram showed us the basics of animation using both keyframes and the graph editor. 

Bibliography

Bibliography 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6f6P5Ceuc4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMtlLpYcCAQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihEpzjIxd3g

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LeErz1pI_mc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrTwZTXwvlQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_rZHNkC6Lr4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqBcBsmMQVA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rc9sQYIZhAQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mXzH7nATps

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrqOAwCPowg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=af8TbPE5lg4

Evaluation - Student 50106356

The final outcome of my character animation is in the highest quality it could be given the time frame. If I were to improve my animation over all, I would like to have had more time to add a simple landscape and flooring, as well as lighting which suggests sunny weather. Sound effects would have also been created for my animation, such as Baby crying out, Baby running and the rat squeaking when bitten. I feel I could have experimented more during the first stages of my animation, rather than creating an altogether final decision of how each model I have created will look on the first try. Considering this module has been accomplishable since the beginning of the year, I feel my time management skills has proven to be poor for Character animation thus far. Only taking the first steps of the animation process a couple of months prior to hand in, where time from earlier could have been used learning the software and creating the above desirable improvements to the outcome.

However the strengths within this module over all include how I have handled issues and how problem solving has taken place, the script has been rewritten a total of three times due to working around technical issues and keeping up the quality of my animation. Models alone have also been fixed from each problem that has been a part of the rigging process, this including painting weights for each character, converting each character from sculptris to Maya (as well as each characters textures) and even adding more suitable eyes for the main character, rather than giving him inanimate eyes for the final outcome. Lagging issues were also fixed, lowering polygon count and even quadrangulation on other accounts.

Another strength within the animation could be the visual aesthetics and the anatomical strength within each rig. Having a thorough understanding of the canine body and skeletal system has been of great help, the rig can run smoothly and leap. The models themselves also show strength in similarities to original concepts (See sketchbook) to the 3D outcome. I feel that I found my own way of how to create models which best suited my abilities, rather than staying within Mayas realm and proving the process difficult for myself.

Lack of background within my animation is a weakness, however due to it not being a part of this modules marking, I feel I can have Baby dragon in a background that I wish to create and see for the second half of the module. some walk cycles and run cycles also show lack of fluency, one limb not hitting the ground as it should as others accomplish hitting the ground, however this is due to the IK handle issue. (see previous posts)  Some areas of Baby dragon could also not be fixed, where he stretches his neck and looks up, just one polygon moves out of place from his chest and follows, through several attempts this could not be gotten rid of - as the polygon hadn't identified itself through painting weights, though the area around it had. If I were to improve, I feel that I would quadrangulate Baby dragon within Zbrush, repaint a new texture and import it into Maya. (Due to not beginning earlier I hadn't the time for this to be done) This way out of place polygons will reveal themselves easily and the surface will be more clean to work with. if I had the time to gain the knowledge, I would also have added colour to Baby dragon eyelids. Previous attempts to doing so had not worked - as the sphere is animatable and therefore could not be exported and given a fully workable UV texture map. I'd have also fixed the broken rigs if I had given myself the time to do so, The tortoise being the most physically textured model to begin with, followed by the Forest guardian - and finally the mother dragon. I would also have liked to have given the baby rat an operable jaw, so it could move like Baby dragons does.

Conclusively, the first half of the module has taught me the basics of the animation process, as well as how to problem solve and learn timing in animation for the first time. Using my fast learning skills has also allowed me to create a standard which I have for both animating and model creating. I feel I have successfully created mood into my animation, as well as the light heartedness that I wanted to go with it. Areas which I would like improvement in are not major and are not required for fixing to the point it's an issue that needs fixing. (For example, lack of sound effects, lack of background...) The timing and frame rate is very smoother, being a total of 4444 frames - and the target time being three minutes in total.

The animation completed

By student 50106356, by clicking on the 'YouTube' icon within this embedded video player, the video can be viewed within YouTube at its full size and highest quality. The link may also be clicked below for navigation to its original source;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XELW2tLajYc

Adding lights

Creating lights for Maya helps create a mood for your scene, as well as allowing the models within your rendered scene be viewable through light source.

To begin, inserting the first light is required. This is under the 'Create' menu within the 'Rendering' menu set up.

As shown in the screenshot, there are all types of light for the animations scene. For this example I will be using 'Area light' 

Once the first light has been created, it can be adjusted via position, scale and rotation - like all other objects in Maya. 

To see how your scene appears with the lights which have been added into the scene, go to 'Lighting/Use selected lights' This will show how the animations render will look with your lights, in the above shot no lights are selected - showing that the model will be completely dark. 

This is a screenshot with all three lights I have created (using shift+D for duplication) for the scene. As you can see, a strong light casts a strong shadow on the left side of the model. If I were to desire a less dramatically lit scene, these lights would be sparsely placed throughout the entire area of the scene, the left and back as well as the top. 

How camera shots are added

Rather than having just one shot throughout the entire animation, filmography can also be a part of your project within Maya. This post will explain the process of creating and animating your camera, allowing camera angles and tracking to improve the look of your animation.

To begin, a camera needs to be inserted. This can be found under the 'Create' menu, within the 'Rendering' menu setup. By going under 'Create/Cameras/Camera', a normal camera can be created, ready to be animated with the animation sequence. 

A camera can be seen physically within Maya, where the camera models lens is; is where the camera will be pointing to within your animation. To be in the Cameras point of view, the user can go into Panels/Perspective/Camera1 (or what the user has chosen to name that particular camera). Once clicking this option, the user should now be in the camera's point of view.

This allows the user to also position the camera however they want, whilst having the advantage of precisely how that shot will look within the animation. It is also important to have the 'Resolution gate' icon switched, this creates a frame around the animation, showing exactly how it will appear during your animations render.

How camera's perspective with 'Resolution gate' on, Resolution gate is the small blue sphere icon with a white background. 

 Not only when in this view you can choose fluidly where you want your camera to go, but you cameras animation is also accessible. Because the camera is selected whilst in this view, you are able to click and drag wherever you wish in between frames to create your cameras movement with the animation. Hitting the 'S' key manually is advised for animating with the camera, to avoid confusion of creating camera shots.

Frame 11

To begin the animation for the camera; the 'S' key should be hit at frame 1 - you may adjust the camera wherever you want it to be for the starting position of the camera. If I wanted to pan in whilst the model lifted its arm, I would go over to the frame where the final move has been created, zoom in on the view I want - and manually hit 'S'. The animation with both the character and the camera are now created.

frame 18

frame 25, Camera continues to zoom in

How animation is created

Within Mayas software there is a timeline which allows you to animate your model, I will be briefly explaining the process which takes place, as well as explaining how cameras and lights are added into the scene once the model is animated. 

To begin, a scene with a fully rigged & binded model is necessary, if you will be moving a character. Below this screenshot, Maya's timeline is visible. 

The next step is choosing which area of the model you wish to begin animating, for this example; I will be animating Baby dragons left arm. By clicking onto the IK handle and pressing 'S', the entire handle/limb is now ready to track any future movements given, and ready to be placed into the timeline. To ensure the IK is ready to be keyframed, you can see the transform attributes figures have been highlighted red. 

Most importantly, a visible red line should have appeared in the timeline below, this has inserted the first keyframe, and the limbs position for that keyframe. Movement is now ready to be added in. Depending on how long you would like the movement to be, clicking over to a number in the timeline will be the end of the movement for that segment. If I were to lift up the left arm after dragging the timeline to number '25', you will see that the frames in between 1 and 25 will fill with the movement you had just created in your model.

the movements end mark is created where the following red line is marked, this screenshot being the number 25.

by clicking and dragging into the timeline, you will be able to view which movements have been tracked, where the number 13 is highlighted in white is the area I am in right now, this is showing the frames between the keyframe; which is how movement is being created. As you can see the arm is beginning to lift. 

the icon for ''auto key toggle' switched on, notice it is highlighted red. When turned off and you want to add the keyframes manually, the icon will be grey.

It is the users choice whether they physically insert that keyframe by pressing the 'S' ley, or if they would like Maya to automatically make that move for you. This is accomplished by turning the 'Auto keyframe toggle' on. the icon should be highlighted red. This way you can choose an area within a timeline and make the movement, and the keyframe will be added in automatically - allowing you to be in a consistent flow of animating the model; Maya always recording the next step.

The model is now animated, continuation of this method will get the model from the beginning of your characters movement to the end of your characters movement for the scene a user wishes to create. 

Sound for the animation

Once the animation was clipped together and ready for editing, sound has been implemented to help enhance the mood of each situation. The soundtrack includes a total of three songs, and two sound effects. Below are the sources of the music which was used in the animation.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6f6P5Ceuc4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMtlLpYcCAQ

(19:21 & 40:41 within the link above)

Sticky IK handle issue/ Deleted scene

During the animation for my project, I had noticed an issue which occurs within Baby dragon. This has created an animation clip to cease within my animation. Within the IK handles of my animation, I should be able to have the option to 'turn Stick off' or keep 'Sticky' on. However, during my first scene of animation, I had attempted to begin the Baby dragons first run cycle. Where I created a walk cycle and moved the model forward between frames with the walking scene, Baby dragon was able to walk successfully, with his hands remaining on the floor. However trying a different method with the running cycle has created an issue which doesn't allow me to move Baby dragon forward the speed he should. Where I attempt to drag Baby dragon forward, the models legs stick to the floor - stretching all limbs abnormally and interrupting the leg movement from the running cycle. There has been no way to remedy this scene, turning Sticky off of the IK handles remained non responsive.

The future fix for this issue was to unparent the Sticky IK handles from the root movement handle, this has turned sticky off the IK's, but has proven difficult to keep Babies feet on the ground during movement in the animation. This has created sliding of the feet, however when in full motion the models unused limbs have been tweaked to drag back whilst others propel forwards, giving the impression that they are still on the ground (as best I could).

The final scene of Baby and rat also have the first paragraphs issue, which is the reason being the Rats movement is very poorly timed. attempting to propel him forwards whilst creating a walk cycle makes changes in the previous limb movements made, making timing of the feet hitting the ground off. This could not be fixed and redone due to time running out. The final scenes flaws have remained in the final edit of the animation, and camera shots have been used to try and distract from the poor movement.

Another issue which has been found during the very last minute is Baby dragons eyes. Though not a vital issue which needs fixing, only once the model is fully rendered into an avi, a grey line appears int he middle of the Baby dragons eyes. I feel this may have something to do with the closing eyelid mark which has been placed within Baby dragons eye rig. This is more of a aesthetic issue than a technical issue which causes problems. Due to time this issue has also needed to remain in the animation, only becoming apparent one day before hand in. (Baby dragons first walk cycle does not include this issue, therefore has gone unrecognized up until longer scenes have been rendered)



Below is a video of the scene which could not be used due to Sticky IK handle not being able to turn off;

Script changes

After the first script change (See sketchbook) I have realized through animating that the story is too long, though it is only 2 pages. This has required me to once more redraft and create a new script, for the changes please see the sketchbook. I have decided to make the script shorter after a decision through discussion, during the discussion it was decided that it would be in my best interest to take out and alter areas within the script and storyboard, in order to keep the animation short - thus keeping the animation a higher quality than it would be if I were to keep the longer script.

Baby dragon running and jumping references

As listed for similar reasons in the previous videos, this collection shows a different movement which both the Baby dragon and rat will be doing in the animation. These references were used to understand the pattern which takes place pre-leap and post-leap. This also helped me understand the body movement which takes place during the leap, for example the small hint of rotation which takes place as the canine lands from leaping into the air.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihEpzjIxd3g

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LeErz1pI_mc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrTwZTXwvlQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_rZHNkC6Lr4

Baby dragon movement references

Before beginning the animation process, I felt it was necessary to analyze the movement process and timing included within various dogs walk cycles. This will help me understand the pattern of an animals walk and run, allowing me to implement it into my own project. Below are a series of secondary sources which I have found through YouTube's search engine, each individual video has made a decent reference to help me learn basic movements of canines in locomotion. (See sketchbook for outcome of understanding)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqBcBsmMQVA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rc9sQYIZhAQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mXzH7nATps

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrqOAwCPowg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=af8TbPE5lg4

Primary visual research on a puppies behaviour, taken in summer of last year;
Through watching this video I gained the aspect of making Baby dragon's hips and tail 'swish' left and right as he waddles, as well as how confrontation between another animal and a puppy is introduced. Where the cat stands and stares waiting for an attack, the puppy is calm and just wants to play. As soon as the cat fel confronted, the first thing which occurs is running away.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6spyQ5t3cA

Guardian rig

Though painting weights cannot be added to the model, this model is still animatable. Before my decision took place in excluding the Guardian, I attempted to create a walk cycle to see if he can be added with minimal movement. I have decided this cannot be the case after my experimentation.

Before adding paint weights (could not have an 'after' paint weights result)

Skeletal rig process

These videos show the process which goes into creating the rig for the models, using the joint tool; these rigs are created from scratch. guidance on the rigs are from sketches within the sketchbook, all ensured to be anatomically correct.

Once the skeletal rigging process is complete, each joint which I wish to move during animation needs to be assigned to a control. controls are added by going under 'Create/Nurbs Primitives/Circle' Once the controller is added, the control can be navigated into the centre of a joint using the middle mouse button and holding down 'V'. Using the mouse the control can slide to the correct joint.

Once this is accomplished, it is important to freeze the transformation. This is what will allow you to reset your models initial position, as the controller will set the joint back to '0' on all the translations. Pressing 'F8' Will allow you to manipulate the controllers shape and set the position you want it to be in, without changing the position of the controllers assigned joint.

Once you are full filled with the controllers appearance and position, the controller is ready to have a constraint. by clicking onto the controller and the holding shift, the joint you wish to be controlled can also be highlighted and clicked on at the same time. Once this is done, you have the freedom to go into the 'Constrain' menu. This menu has a certain amount of options.

Constrain/point - The joint will follow wherever the controller goes, this is used in the characters eyes
Constrain/Aime - The controller will only move the assigned joint.
Constrain/Orient - The controller will rotate the assigned joint.
Constrain/Scale - The controller will scale the assigned joint/surface, allowing it to grow bigger or smaller.
Constrain/Parent - The controller will both navigate and Rotate the joint, this is ideal for the characters root.

Video example of the process in adding controls to you rig. 

The process of adding eyes to Baby dragon and other characters

These videos show the process of importing a fully controlled eye over to Baby dragons model, this same process was recycled with the Forest guardian.

Step one of the process, eyeballs texture was created in Zbrush and transferred over to Maya. 

Step two of the process, eye was adjusted into Baby dragons eye socket the same as the previous eyeball was. 

Problem solving the model issue

Earlier in the project I decided to have my models from Sculptris, and added into Maya. Throughout this process my models were converted to Zbrush and all decimated in order to be fully functional within Maya's software. As well as just the model, I had learned how to add textures to my model in Maya from Zbrush. Below is a video of the process which has taken place within all of my character models.

Decimation master was a software necessary to be used in order for the models to be functional within Maya's software. Models in Zbrush can also be made into a quad model, however after discovering the aid of the painting weights tool within Maya's software, I felt making the model consist of quads rather than tri's was unnecessary.

Baby dragon walk cycle

I have began testing and animating Baby dragons rig. Though not given a smoother loop, this is Baby dragons walk cycle. After animating in Maya with my character for the first time, I have learned that I am better adjusted editing frame by frame, rather than making one move and having that move jump from frame one to frame 20. This is because my character was not making the precise movements which I had requested when using the method of jumping frames and allowing the program to fill in between. Movements were not dynamic enough and looked jumpy. Though this was created by adding the cycles movement frame by frame, I think I could space them out by 2-5 frames. The movements will still be contained, and the animation won't go by as fast. I must keep in mind that the lesser the frames, the quicker the animation. Timing in between frames and key movements within my animation must be better revised in future.

Mother dragon issues

After rigging and binding mother dragon, some issues have been found with the IK handles' controllers. After many attempts of parenting the controls to the root controller, removing the IK handles controllers and even parenting the IK controls themselves to the root joint itself; Mother dragons feet and hips stay in place whilst the rest of the rig move forward. Attempting to parent the top of the Ik handle causes joints to vanish off of the rig.

Though the rig is broken, I will still be keeping mother dragon in the animation. She will not be able to walk forward, but she still holds some features which were able to be used in the original script and will be usable in the script re-write - with her broken rig kept in mind.

skeletal rig - before controllers

Skeletal rig, before controllers.

Rig after controllers, IK handles are the cause of the main issue which cannot be fixed.



Video of the issue

Exclusion of Tortoise

As well as Guardian, Tortoise is also facing some issues. Though this character had similar issues to rat, only rat could be fixed. Due to the complex geometry and detail within the Tortoise, Maya becomes too laggy once the rig has been bind to the mesh. With attempts to reduce the mesh, (Mesh/Reduce) Maya denies the mesh of being reduced and requests the geometry requires a cleanup. After attempting to Clean up the Tortoises mesh several times (Mesh/Cleanup) Maya still couldn't reduce the mesh of the Tortoise. Even after attempts of 'Quadrangulate' within the software. 

Tortoises full rig, before controls

Tortoise with controls, Ik handles are on each leg and the neck. 

Tortoises completed rig with ghost mode on.

After the exclusion of these two characters which play a part in the story for the animation, I have considered to go forward with the script rewrite. Having spent three days trying to fix Guardian (see previous post) and Tortoise, as well as Mother dragon; there has been a lack of success and the module is near its deadline. Once the script has been rewritten, I will create the storyboard. The animation will be ready for production. My production will still equal a total of 3 minutes. Altogether this makes my animation 4320+ frames, each minute making up to 1440 frames. Once the storyboard is complete I have confidence that the animation can be completed, tweaked, and given a sound input all together.

Forest guardian issues & walk cycle animation

after rigging the forest guardian, upon the attempts of weight painting the model crashes maya. This occurs after Maya attempts an auto save. Given the consideration my script has not yet been rewritten, (and therefore no storyboard has been produced) I may have to exclude the Forest guardian to play a part within the production. As time towards the deadline is coming near and I haven't the solution to the issue, this may be the better solution to getting the animation completed. Baby dragon may face all his trials by himself, though I feel this will dampen the storyline and animation; it is a realistic approach to the problem. As the module is based upon being marked through one character's movement and not being marked on the quality of the script, this sacrifice is a justifiable one and I have ease in knowing a character rig which has been unsuccessful can be subtracted from the outcome if maya's performance does not improve on stronger machinery.

Character rigged, hips are rotatable; eyes are movable and blinkable. Arms and legs can rotate also. 

Maya's crash which occurs every time the system attempts and auto save, crash has occurred over three times; triggered by weight painting the model. If solution is not found by friday 14th, this character will unfortunately be excluded from the animation.

baby Dragon rigged

for a successful rig which will be easy to animate; baby dragons rig has been created using three steps. Firstly, the skeleton was added; each join named specific to its area. Second, Baby dragons controllers were created. This including the tail, neck, lower jaw and limbs; eyes and eyelids. Each joint has been parented, and finally a direction controller was created; allowing the dragon to be dragged back and forth as a whole. Finally, Baby dragon was given a smooth bind, However upon the binding, much needed fixing. Baby dragons joints were assigned to multiple areas at once; rather than just the one joint. Eg; lower jaw was not assigned to the lower jaw joints area; but instead spread around the head. This causes the head to move with the joint; as it's chosen to assign itself with it and follow the control. To fix this, the final step consisted of 8 hours weight painting. This was a method chosen to assign each rig area to its joint, black removing all movement for each joint; white assigning the rigs movement to the joint. the weight painting took 8 hours alone, rigging the fastest process being under ten minutes; and step two taking a shared amount of 8 hours as the weight painting had taken.

Rigging took up to three attempts, as the first time no controllers were assigned to the joints. The second attempt the controllers hadn't constrained properly after the save, causing the rig to break. Too many controllers were also assigned to each joint, IK handles being assigned to all four legs with separate joint controllers. Every joint had a controller, and as the root joint was constrained incorrectly the joint disconnected itself from the others. This created problems with parenting joints and controllers to one another, as well as the rig not being able to be selected and moved as a whole. The lower jaw joint was also broken, so the rig itself was broken. Though multiple saves allowed me to go back until I found a save which was not broken, I felt it was necessary to keep a clean rig and start from the beginning once more.

The rig before paint weights were added

Adding paint weights to Baby dragon

The rig after paint weights had been added

First rig; messy controller setup; too many controllers and controllers became unconstrained after save.

Final successful rig, less controllers; all controllers remained constrained.

Root joint remained connected. Eyes with eyelid controls also added, though so far have been left uncoloured.

Mother dragon

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPMBvFVSx-g&feature=youtu.be

Tortoise

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-InSvhSkalY&feature=youtu.be