Run Cycles [Locomotion and Mechanics for Animation - Unit 06]
Run Cycle
24/10/24
Introduction
Theory Analysis
- Core concept that in a walk there is always a foot on the ground whereas in a run there is a point where both feet have left the ground.
- Normal run typically has 6 frames per step, 4 steps in a second.
- The cartoon run extends the period the character is in the air.
- Realistic run has a reduced arm motion and less up and down in the body.
- We can stylise a run in many different ways to add personality, however, on the whole there are less frames to work with than a walk so you're slightly more restricted.
- Up and downs should be raised by only a half or third of a head.
- Runs are created on ones to help control the motion, this will be important when animating digitally to really control the inbetweens.
- We can curve the body to create a concave or convex shape on the passing poses
- We can twist the hips and counter twist the shoulders as we did with a walk.
- Traditional cartoon run could be on 4s or 8s.
- Straight leg on contact to add more vitality and reach.
- Start with your contact poses as we did with the walk, however, you could start with any position.
- In a run we want less mirroring of poses - e.g. contact left foot should not mirror contact right foot. Otherwise we will see the loop a little too easily and it will feel more mechanical. Particularly important for fast runs e.g. 4 frame step.
- You can lean the body forward more than a walk. The faster the run, the further you can lean the character.
- Doesn't have to be in balance all the time because the character will catch themselves.
- 6/8 frame runs are considered the most aesthetically pleasing.
- Arms can be varied as much as the legs.
- On faster runs if you swing too much it can be confusing!
- Swinging arms from side to side can force perspective.
- Varying the down positions will add more variety and make it seem like it repeats less. You could bake the animation and make every other passing pose a down pose.
- You double make the arms pump twice as fast as the legs to make it more energetic. This would create some twinning but then random overlap.
- Bend the body back to off balance the character but swing the arms forward for the balance, maybe slower!
- To vary positions you can change how the back arches, how the feet rotate and how the legs and arms animate.
- The slower the run, the shorter the stride.
- A fat character will have more up and down due to the weight. Down comes right after up and then there is a slow up due to the weight.
- When going around a corner you will lean into the corner.
- Fast runs are suited more to smaller characters with longer legged characters needing more time to complete their cycle.
- On a fast cycle its hard to get good arm motion so stretching the arms forward as if chasing can help.
- Very little up and down on the fast runs.
- Demonstrates some variations on run cycles.
- Reinforces that short cycles are easy to see the loop but adding variations delays the eye seeing these patterns.
- Highlights that we need at least 3 frames for a step or the eye won't be able to see the loop of the feet due to the repetition.
- Short cycles work best with cartoony characters.
- Can go a little faster if you do 3 poses for the first step and reduce to 2 for the second.
- This explores the challenges of a 2 frame run and how this can be tackled! This reinforces the need for variation in poses so that it reads more complex and less like a mechanical or mirrored action.
- Highlights further variations for 2 frame run including the use of blurs to smear the action.
- This highlights some key findings to sum up this chapter and will serve as a checklist for me when reviewing the quality of my run cycle.
- I've included some good thumbnails from the Preston Blair book for reference.
Animation
6 Frame Run
Conclusion
Learning Outcomes
- Understand the mechanics of running
- Animate a basic run cycle
- Use advanced Maya techniques
- Adapt run cycles for different characters
- Create dynamic animation scenes
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