From the Self Help Books For Kids challenge. See all 290 entries (closed)

( printmeister http://scraundler.blogspot.com/, Wed 18 Apr 2007, 19:18, archived)

Woo!
Not really worth it's own thread but I need to learn to animate, this looks shit. Anyone got any tips?


( Lazlo Woodbine Fancy being an internet DJ? Gaz me for details., Wed 18 Apr 2007, 19:22, archived)

That's strangely hypnotic
looks like it just needs some timing adjustment to it,
what sort of thing would you like to do with it?
( The Great Architect, Wed 18 Apr 2007, 19:26, archived)

I don't know really,
I thought maybe have it walking down a road or something but I'm having trouble with backgrounds.
( Lazlo Woodbine Fancy being an internet DJ? Gaz me for details., Wed 18 Apr 2007, 19:27, archived)

hmmm scrolling backgrounds got me at first, but I used the tutorials here:
www.maidenart.co.uk/tutorials.php

and got reasonable effects with them, worth a shot anyway
( The Great Architect, Wed 18 Apr 2007, 19:29, archived)

Thanks for that,
I'll have a squizz and see what I can do.

And thanks to all you guys below, I'd thank you all individually but would quickly run out of kind words for you all.
( Lazlo Woodbine Fancy being an internet DJ? Gaz me for details., Wed 18 Apr 2007, 19:46, archived)

Hahaha, that's hilarious, what are you talking about? ;D
On a serious note, i guess if you want to make it look more 'realistic', you need to make the movements a little smaller, or insert more steps so they become more gradual (and then optimise the resulting bigger gif accordingly) - that'll stop the limbs looking quite so jerky. But it WILL remove comedy, i'm sure. ;)

Backgrounds are tough if the creature is moving towards the camera - you basically need to create something that looks vaguely smooth, so the less detail in the background the better...pictures of long straight desert roads in the USA are a good start. You can create the illusion of movement by adding your own 'animated' central reservation lines, disappearing under the cat....additionally, flipping the road image with each frame (like you've done with the legs) can create the illusion of the tarmac surface shifting - ie. movement - but it doesn't work well if there's a lot of roadside detail that is obviously jumping from left to right. ;)
( grey kid is breakdancing to save a community centre, Wed 18 Apr 2007, 19:28, archived)

scrolling into the distance backgrounds still beat me.
even with the maidenart tutorial, but i'll get there in the end.
( god save the queen hardly ever original, Wed 18 Apr 2007, 19:34, archived)

having a right good stroke, thattun!

( gaijintendo ITS IN THE HOUSE, Wed 18 Apr 2007, 19:30, archived)

yay!
dunno about tips, i think if i were doing this i'd probably make 2 or so cats bodies with the arms and legs merged into their different positions so they appeared more attached.
just keep playing around it's well on the way.
( god save the queen hardly ever original, Wed 18 Apr 2007, 19:31, archived)

could be worse
keep it up:)
( wjh31, Wed 18 Apr 2007, 20:08, archived)

shit...
i thought i was safe with kids
( wjh31, Wed 18 Apr 2007, 20:16, archived)