#01. Animating a walk cycle
I have a deep passion for crafting animations through the frame-by-frame technique.
This method unlocks a boundless array of possibilities that never fail to inspire and excite me!
When I first started animating, "The Animator's Survival Kit" by Richard Williams was my go-to book.
Thanks to it, I learned how cel animation works and practised how to create original animated walk cycles.
Step 1: Sketches on paper
Drawing on paper has a unique charm that AI tools cannot replace.
For this project, I aimed to develop a collection of memorable characters and animate their walk cycle.
I conducted several trials with different shapes and forms until I settled on this final draft, which perfectly captured what I was striving for.
Step 2: Drawing in Procreate
At this stage, I use the drawings as a guide to perfect the shapes and form the character.
I utilize Procreate to sketch various poses and develop its personality - a pear-shaped volumetric flask features little houses instead of shoes.
Step 3: Animating in TVPaint
After completing the character, I began creating the initial keyframes in TVPaint.
I sketched out the contact and passing poses using loose lines and rough timing.
My main goal was to gain a basic understanding of what the animation would look like.
The next step is to create the in-between poses and refine the rough lines.
During this stage, it's crucial to maintain consistent stroke size and character structure to ensure a natural flow.
Once the cleanup is ready, I enjoy using different colours to distinguish them for later editing and compositing.
After finishing the colouring, I proceed to import the file into After Effects, where the real fun begins!
Step 4: Compositing in After Effects
I like to experiment with different features and plugins in After Effects.
At this stage, I tried using Displacer Pro, a free plugin (available here), to create these cool holographic-looking effects.
To achieve different colour tones on the outline throughout the loop, I used the Colorama - one of the best but also complicated effects in all of After Effects.
And...that's it!
I hope you enjoyed watching my process of creating this short looping animation.
To discover more of my work, simply click on this link.
Thank you for reading,
Andreas
