My first animation

Artwork Animations
1

Hello, after all I bit the bullet and decided to try animation. It took me 3 weeks, I am hoping that someone can give me some critique, I had a lot of problems with the dogs walk cycles. I tried to use Freestyle but I am not happy at all with the results. Used toon shader and it looks so so, however I think its all due to my lack of skill. Nevertheless I now understand why freestyle is not that popular for this kind of animation. I was trying to mimic traditional 2d animation.
I already corrected a problem with the noise seed, I put #Frame in the sampling seed. I used cycles and as already mentioned freestlye.

Thanks a lot for you input!

[video]https://youtu.be/Bvhm9-1jtB0[/video]

2

Hello. I’m new to animation myself, so I don’t know how well my critique will be. But one thing I noticed is that your dogs don’t seem to have a lot of weight. They seem to be just floating as they walk, especially the blue dog. But other than that I liked what I see. Good job.

3

Good start, eliutb. All this in 3 weeks is pretty commendable. Congrats on finishing a film. Regarding the film and animation, i would work on the compositions and think about how it can enhance the point of the one shot that you are doing and how that effects the story overall. For instance, the top angle shot would have been justified had the animation told us more about the character of the dog. Currently, it only tells us about character going from one location to another. So, that’s the first area i would recommend to think about in the future films you make.
Regarding quadruped animation, i see you are using a walk cycle for all the shots, in the last few shots when the dogs take a step and come to a stop it would have been easier to animate a few steps and coming to a stop. You wouldn’t have gotten the sliding of the paws either.
Lastly if you are looking for a critique on the walk cycle of the dogs, posting a front, side (or 3/4th) and top angle open gl render of the animation would help in seeing the problem. Currently, about the opening shot of the blue dog, the body and the legs can feel more like a unit if you add more bounce to the body. Do you have a controller for the shoulders? The tail also would be equally excitedly wagging.

The idea of the film looks fun. And it gets across alright. Congrats on finishing a film.
Cheers.

4

I too will suggest that you need to fix on the sliding of the blue dog’s walk cycle.

5

Ultimately, this being your first, critique is worthless. It is an above average first start, now put it down, and start on another. Experience will be your greatest teacher, critiques will go way over your head

6

totally agree.
when people announce “Their very first animation” i tend to expect something a bit lame at best (mine was somewhat worse than lame!) but this is definately an above average first.
there is a lot to learn though and i hope that you take the effort. my one peice of advice is work with references and learn timing.
good luck on your next project. Bueno

7

Can’t really offer any advice, new to all this stuff myself, but the video looks good. What I like most are the different camera angles you use, especially the one from the dog’s eye view, the different angles help to hold the viewers interest and in the story telling. Nice work.

8

Thankyou guys! I am flattered that you consider this an above averagefirst start. I am not new to blender but this is the first time thatI try to do an animation (or something complete), also first timedoing a walk cycle rigging the weight paint thing was crazy. At firstI tried to find a dog rig that I could use but I found none thereforeI did my own, it was like pulling my own teeth out. This is not whatI do for a living I´m an engineer but I have always wanted to doan animation (I am currently unemployed so it was a dont kill myselfactivity). Nevertheless I did like the process and I learned a lot.

Iam going to improve it, although its a hobby I fee like its what Ishould do instead of refineries…

@BlenderArien
Forinstance, the top angle shot would have been justified had theanimation told us more about the character of the dog. Currently, itonly tells us about character going from one location to another.

Iagree, at first I thought about that and got rid of the top view, butsomehow I felt it was a stretch of imagination to expect the viewer to suddenly see the character near the house, also for some reason Ithought it was important to show the angry dog walking cautiously incontra position to the blue dog running happily to its doom…

Regardingquadruped animation, i see you are using a walk cycle for all theshots, in the last few shots when the dogs take a step and come to astop it would have been easier to animate a few steps and coming to astop. You wouldn’t have gotten the sliding of the paws either.

Idid use the same walk cycle, I never expected to devote more time toit . Overall it haves a lot sliding, also since I used Freestyle itsmore obvious how the paws cross the ground. Nevertheless I will fixthat part.

Lastlyif you are looking for a critique on the walk cycle of the dogs,posting a front, side (or 3/4th) and top angle open gl render of theanimation would help in seeing the problem. Currently, about theopening shot of the blue dog, the body and the legs can feel morelike a unit if you add more bounce to the body. Do you have acontroller for the shoulders? The tail also would be equallyexcitedly wagging.

Letme tell you that half way through I thought “WTF I am doing! thisis very difficult!”. I somehow understand the idea behind “weight”I am guessing that I have to animate the spine (or tailbone? Thewhole spine?) up and down. I am using IK and that is why every bonefeels like its hanging in the air, to be honest I dont know how to doFK… shame… Regarding the tail that was the worst part, it neverfelt right, (fortunately angry dog only shows its face) overall theblue dog was very challenging.

Thanks a lot for your input!
Cheers!
Eliut

9

I will do that Sir, thank you!

10

I see. Well, consider this done and start a new one.
Gd luck!