Digitalpickle.

The first section of the book introduces you to the Animation Principles. Yesterday I started working through Squash and Stretch, Anticipation and Overlapping Action. I downloaded the project files to learn these specific techniques. However, I found that I need to know some more about the graph editor in Maya to be able to work through these techniques easily. Although I understood the basics of the graph editor yesterday I am still a bit hasty and would prefer to learn more before moving on.

The graph editor is a great way to manipulate a characters thought. It also shows how timing and spacing can make a significant difference to your animations.

Therefore for the rest of today and tonight I will be working through the Graph Editor section of the book to grasp a better understanding. My main focus is to be able to understand everything in the book before I head back to Uni so I can use them clearly without thinking 'what the **** does this do?' or 'why is he/she/it doing this!?' - along with going insane!

Below is what I tackled yesterday....

How to cheat in Maya 2012 from Alyssa Brookes on Vimeo.

So, recently I haven't been able to animate due to being in hospital but I now have a month to learn as much Maya as possible and to help do this is a wonderful book called 'How to cheat in Maya 2012' by Eric Luhta and Kenny Roy. The word 'cheat' is not as fooling and miss leading as you might think. The book basically teaches you all the ins and outs for animating fast and effectively.

On the website: www.howtocheatinmaya.com there are project files from each of the sections throughout the book to download and work with along side the book.

Today I will work through the book from the beginning where I will hopefully master one section every two days. Therefore I will blog what I have learnt every two days.

When I reach the end I will then produce my own animation using all the techniques I have learnt. I will blog about this nearer the time - maybe a 11second club entry.

Due to the accident that I was involved in I can't draw very well at all, so until my hand is better I won't be posting any drawings/storyboards online. I will keep my drawings to myself for the time being, apologises.

Anyway, time to get started!

I'm currently working on July's 11 second club using Maya and the free morpheus rig. The audio for this months competition is:

Voice One: "You're gonna lose. You stink. You're gonna lose. You're...."

Voice Two: "Ba ha ha! Got 'im!"

My idea involves a young girl and a teenager sat on a sofa. The girl is poking and annoying the teenager while he plays a games console. As he says 'Ba ha ha! Got 'im' he tosses the controller in the air and it knocks out the young girl sat next to him on the sofa. He then looks at the girl with a 'OH S**T' facial expression.

I'd like the scene to look as though the teenager is baby sitting the young girl but I'm not sure yet how I will get this across to the audience because it's a short animation. Maybe a poster with baby sitting rules in the background? Hmmmm, I'm not sure yet.

When animating on this months competition I am mainly focusing on my timing. To help I am studying the Timing Animation book by Harold Whitaker and John Halas, The Animators Survival Kit by Richard Williams and researching online.

Also I feel really inspired by the 2012 Animation Mentor Showcase. I would do anything to enrol one day! Check out the Student Showcase.....

http://www.animationmentor.com/campaign/showcase-2012/?mkt_tok=3RkMMJWWfF9wsRokuqTAZKXonjHpfsX96uwqXaCg38431UFwdcjKPmjr1YsJRNQhcOuuEwcWGog8wQJRF%2BGBdY9O9/BTH06g

Hello! I am now back to blogging, blogging and more blogging, especially everything I do over summer. I haven't blogged much lately because my Dad checks my blog and I made a surprise Fathers Day animation for him, so obviously I didn't want him to see. This is my first time character animating using Maya, where I used the Morpheus Rig to do so.

Below are some screenshots developing the animation.....