Before doing homework, I found an animation video about human walking that I can use it to reference.
Let’s go!
First, under the [File] column, select [Import] and import the character model and prop model into the file. Because I want to parent the prop and character models, so I decided to put the prop model in the right place first. For this project, the prop model I chose is the crown.
Now it’s clearly observed that the prop model is over-scaled and the prop model is not a whole. So I select all the model faces of the crown, and then in the interface [Shift+right mouse button], select [Combine]. This action will turn the scattered model faces into a whole.
After moving the crown to the right position, select the crown model, then select [Freeze Transformations] and choose [Modify]. Then [Alt+Shift+D] to delete the model’s history. (This is one of my habits. After determining the model’s location, reset the model’s values and history to 0. This will make it easier to calculate the value of the model movement in the subsequent production process.)
The crown and character models will now be made at the [parent].
There is a brief to the concept of the parent level. A parent relationship is a subordinate relationship, and selecting a parent object also means selecting both the subordinate and the related child of that object. Bones created in Maya are also linked together in a parent relationship.
Note: An object can have multiple “child”, but a “child” can only have one parent.
Parent creation method：
First select “child object”, then hold down [Shift] and select “parent object”. Then press [ P], so that the relationship between the parent and child model was successfully established.
The position in the menu bar is under the [Edit] select [Parent]. The operation to unparent the parent relationship is [Edit] and select [Unparent].
The next step is to create the character model’s walking.
I decided to create the animation of the person’s legs first and then make an animation of the person’s upper body.
I learned some experiences from my last assignment by making ball walks. Make sure when the figure walks, the feet cannot move position with the ground as a support point. Only lift or drop the model’s feet with the toe or heel as the axis.
This time still uses three keyframes as intervals. The keyframes 0,3,6,9,12,15,18,21,24 will be created first. With twelve frames as the axis of symmetry, the 0 and 24 keyframes move in the same way, and so on. Ensure that character can move around naturally. I determined the value of the movement after several keyframes were made. The waist moves forward 2.78 on the z-axis every three keyframes, and the character walks 23.14 every step so that I can calculate the movement of the character more easily when I make the keyframes.
I wanted my character to walk like a model, so I made the character’s feet walk in a straight line.
As I moved, I noticed that the knee would shake unnaturally. This problem because the time manually adjusts the knee controller for each frame to match the regular movement pattern of the knee. It also helps to adjust the position between the two legs so that the leg models will not overlap during the walk.
The figure’s waist also rotates when it walks. I found a reference image to help it easier to observe.
As the character walks, when the waist on the side lifts, and then the leg will also be raised. At the same time, the position of the waist needs to be moved during walking to ensure person’s point of gravity will also moving with the model. Person’s point of gravity is shifted to the side where the foot hits the ground as a point of support. So foot hits the ground the point of gravity, it also shifted to the side and down a bit. When a person lifts the body and steps forward, the point of gravity will rise and return to the middle.
Playblast:
I also noticed that when the character moves, the upper body needs to be reoriented. For example, when the figure takes a left leg step, the figure’s upper body needs to rotate to the left. When the figure lifts the leg, this figure is facing straight ahead. So the figure needs to continue to adjust the direction of the waist based on the figure’s movement.
Playblast:
Next, let’s start creating the upper body of the character. Let’s look at the reference picture first. As a human walk, we can see the shoulders form an angle with the waist. For example, if the figure’s right hip rises up, the figure’s right shoulder will slope down.
Putting each controller of the upper half body requires making keyframes in sequential order.
Four controllers for the upper body:
Playblast:
The arm’s move is similar to the tail principle in the swinging process. In order to match the model’s steps, I adjusted the figure’s arms to be more feminine as well. During the production process, I made the keyframes for the right arm first and then adjusted the left arm. In this way, it’s more easy to observe the movement of each arm during the production process. It also easier to modify the movement curves.
Playblast:
Let’s start making the model’s hand movement. For the hand movement, I chose to refer to the picture below. When the hand is at the front or back, the hand is relaxed and will take on a slightly stretched shape. When the hand is hanging down, it will naturally curl up a bit.
Now I will modify arms controllers’ animation motion curves. I will make sure that every arm has one keyframe distance. This picture is the animation curve of all the controllers after making.
Playblast:
Final Rendering Video：