I'm just a beginner trying to get the hang of decent animations and finding my own style, here are some(my only) animations and would appreciate some cc (apparently the key phrase)

[swf=http://filebox.me/files/8xmhkxwxb_Random_Ninja.swf]height=400 width=550[/swf]
the original version of my ninja was just a stiff figure fly through the screen with a straight up sword


[swf=http://filebox.me/files/081ted9x1_Game_Over.swf]height=400 width=550[/swf]
i understand the stick at the beginning has problems with resizing?(i guess thats what its called) but i tried to fix it as i progressed through the video


[swf=http://filebox.me/files/5en765xac_text_run.swf]height=400 width=550[/swf]
this is an example of a run sequence i have in a current project that i will hopefully finish (and get enough posts) for the sound competition



well please enlighten me, il try to reply with newer little practice vids

yes... you definitely need a new style. Its currently the everyday, pivot-style figure.

I can't tell you a style otherwise its not the style that suites you.

just try elongating or shortening limbs, for example, someone who doesn't punch at all but kicks heaps will have long legs and shorter arms.

try different brush/pencil sizes and different head sizes...

thats all I really know about...

also, you can create emphasis to your style by different styles of effects/particles

try different trails, particles and others...

lol there you go with that word again. Shut up Mr. Zerogravity.

ZCR, you're not looking for a style. You don't have one. You won't have one for a while.

I recommend going to the pivot or flash tutorials section and looking through some movement tutorials. The more frames, the better. Also try to fix the anatomy with your stickfigures. The body piece shouldn't be longer than the arms or legs.

On another note, when animating a run, walk, etc, it is crucial that you show transactions. As in the legs and arms crossing. With yours, the arms stay int he same position (it seems that you were going for the trailing arms kind of thing though. So that doesn't really matter), and the legs seemed like they just pivoted back to frame 1 and didn't cross. A run should be about 8-30 frames with all of your movements and transactions and such.

Quote from Arch-Angel

lol there you go with that word again. Shut up Mr. Zerogravity.

ZCR, you're not looking for a style. You don't have one. You won't have one for a while.

I recommend going to the pivot or flash tutorials section and looking through some movement tutorials. The more frames, the better. Also try to fix the anatomy with your stickfigures. The body piece shouldn't be longer than the arms or legs.

On another note, when animating a run, walk, etc, it is crucial that you show transactions. As in the legs and arms crossing. With yours, the arms stay int he same position (it seems that you were going for the trailing arms kind of thing though. So that doesn't really matter), and the legs seemed like they just pivoted back to frame 1 and didn't cross. A run should be about 8-30 frames with all of your movements and transactions and such.

i know i dont have one, im just trying to get ideas and tips so i can build one

i know i have a bad anatomy, for instance i cant draw a hand because im not a good artist, which is why i use the line tool the majority of the time

this run sequence is actually just a quick short screen run through pulled directly out of a project im workin on for the sound competition. the arms i didnt move cuz i was lazy but the legs were bad because i didnt know how to do it, like i knew how fast i wanted him to run through but when i had the legs cross it looked weird

thats another question i had, whats a good framerate, because i have trouble figuring out how many frames should be used for certain actions

Quote from zcr07

i know i dont have one, im just trying to get ideas and tips so i can build one

i know i have a bad anatomy, for instance i cant draw a hand because im not a good artist, which is why i use the line tool the majority of the time

this run sequence is actually just a quick short screen run through pulled directly out of a project im workin on for the sound competition. the arms i didnt move cuz i was lazy but the legs were bad because i didnt know how to do it, like i knew how fast i wanted him to run through but when i had the legs cross it looked weird

thats another question i had, whats a good framerate, because i have trouble figuring out how many frames should be used for certain actions

Basic hand anatomy. Every finger has three joints except for your thumb. It has a third joint, but it is within your palm. Your palm is like a square with a trianlge top and four joints connected to it. Two joints on each side of the triangle.

Hands are hard to draw. They take time.


Your basic leg movements when running.
There will always be a frame where the legs and arms intersect. If not, it's going to look odd.

http://www.truploader.com/view/989232
A quick example of a good run with an intersection, and a bad one.
The bad one is horribly looped and none of the limbs have any momentum or force.

The good one still has a lot of problems. Such as the back leg just hanging out there with its stiff self.

Work on easing as well.
Which is drawing an object on frame 1, and on frame two, you highlight it, move it 2 spaces in a direction with the arrow keys, and on frame 3, you move it four spaces in the same direction, and on frame 4 you move it 7 spaces in one direction, etc. It builds up to a maximum speed and eases out when the movement is ending. That way the anticipation is able to carry over. Keep in mind that momentum will be lost once an object connects to another object.

ok. just remember, If you have the time, don't rush it. Take however long it takes you to get it right.

And possibly post it in the beginners section.

.....the legs are too short...

Yeah.. Just practice, practice, practice. Also, legs are too short, I agree.

yeah i know the legs are too short, the whole body is off, and il just post anything here seeing as how basically only beginners pay attention to the beginners section, hence the creation of this thread

24 posts and I already like you more than 50% of all the members in the flash section.

well thanks, but why do you say that?

It's most likely because you're acknowledging that what you've done isn't great and are trying to improve. A lot of people, when faced with an AA criticism, would try to pretend that they meant to do it that way or that it wasn't as bad as he makes out.

I'd make a more relevant comment on the animations in this space if ArchAngel hadn't already said just about everything that needed saying. Basically, work on your movements. Try to smooth things up a bit. If you can, look through and make sure nothing at all changes direction twice in two frames, or starts moving in any direction without easing.

Quote from zcr07

yeah i know the legs are too short, the whole body is off, and il just post anything here seeing as how basically only beginners pay attention to the beginners section, hence the creation of this thread

Quote from zcr07

alright lemme work on a short run sequence and maybe a punch or kick or something

That's why.
Most faggots on this site will tell you to go to the beginners thread.
I'm against the beginners threads because no one good posts in them. It's a bunch of noobs awing over other noobs animations.

well thanks, i appreciate it, i know im not great or anywhere near there, which is why i am here asking for help

well thanks for the few seemingly obvious and pointless but overall extremely helpful tips and i will get to practicing and hopefully will be able to improve slightly, i try to do and/or learn something about flash each day, and this has already been a pretty full day, and i'll see if i can get something posted up later today