Trace Life footage

[RASH]

I've read somewhere in the LM forum that tracing life footage is a good tool to learn how to animate. I had some life footage of a local running race, so I used that.

Before I use this (or anything else from life footage) I want to know if I used the correct tracing method? See the movie (44 Kb, 15 fps, 15 frames). The project files are in the zipped archive (210 Kb).

[rylleman]

Before I use this (or anything else from life footage) I want to know if I used the correct tracing method?

I think breaking down the movement into a clear skeleton is great if you want to study motion.
Keep track of the hips, they are the most important thing in a walk/run, his left hip (orange leg) goes up in the middle of the first step (instead of down as you have done it), then the weight shift comes in the contact position and then his right hip goes up.
The hips and the Torso also rotates slightly from side to side, opposing each other, this might be confusing when youre doing a stick figure but try to have that in mind.
Figure out where his balance is in each frame, this will also help you interpret each position correctly.

[RASH]

Thanks for the insightful answer.

I guess analyzing motion is just the beginning. You have to translate it into a cartoon character animation somehow.

Am I correct in assuming that you should emphasize some of the characteristics (e.g. in this runner: he is clearly skinny, his slightly bent posture is a bit that of an elderly man, and he keeps his arm relatively long in one position, and then moves it abruptly -- instead of a continuous arm motion).

It could be funny to analyze a somewhat younger, but considerably more obese runner and let them run as two cartoon characters next to eachother while they are running towards and past the finish line. I guess the fun starts when the fat guy tries to get a breather, while the skinny one is running circles around him, not being tired at all

[Nolan Scott]

Please, have a look at this:

http://www.biomotionlab.ca/Demos/BMLwalker.html

Cheers
Nolan

[rylleman]

I guess analyzing motion is just the beginning. You have to translate it into a cartoon character animation somehow.

Rather than just translate the motion into a your cartoon character use what you learn studying live motion when you animate your character. A straight translation, rotoscoping, seldom looks good.

Am I correct in assuming that you should emphasize some of the characteristics (e.g. in this runner: he is clearly skinny, his slightly bent posture is a bit that of an elderly man, and he keeps his arm relatively long in one position, and then moves it abruptly -- instead of a continuous arm motion).

Yes, find the important thing in a movement and emphasize that.
The arm-movement in the run is used as thrust, notice how he swings forth the arms in the weight shift, a rather large movement which needs the help from the arms, they also is used for balance. Try to run without the use of your arms, difficult, ain't it?
You take notice of the small characteristics, great, try to analyze other movements, why do the character act the way he/she does?, how do the movement relate to the physics of the character, fat/skinny etc.? does the characters mood affect his actions? etc.

[nobudget]

Here is a classic example of rotoscoping in combination with cartoon animation: http://www.archive.org/movies/details-d ... ravels1939
Ralph Bakshi uses the same technique in some of his movies, including his "Lord of the Rings" adaptation.

Reindert.
www.nobudgetvideo.com

[RASH]

Please, have a look at this:

http://www.biomotionlab.ca/Demos/BMLwalker.html

So, all I need to focus on when tracing life footage are:
- hip region (deep triangle, pointed upwards)
- knees
- heels
- shoulder region (shallow triangle, pointed downwards)
- elbows
- wrists

Then I'll have to figure out how this relates to my animated character (how the same points relate to the ones in the footage) and make a caricature of a real life person by stressing certain particularities. Then I'll have to do further work to "cartonize" the movement (squash & stretch, secundary motion, facial expression etc.), so it fits the personality of my chartoon character. Pfew, what a lot of steps to take!

Applying mocap to a cartoon character is a much more difficult than I imagined.