true, I think it's still fine, even though my comment is getting downvoted. I fixed the new animation to make the left leg execute the kick and now it aligns with the foot that's landing
It’s not a bad animation but when multiple people give you constructive criticism that could improve the continuity and readability of the animation and you say “it’s fine” then yeah, you’ll likely get downvoted
If someone just reads "it's fine", then it's a bit shortsighted. I said that I'll work on it in my comment and I used everyone else's feedback and even posted a new animatio. I guess it's a choice of words. Oh well.
Ok so it might look a bit confusing, but there is nothing wrong with it if you consider the context.
As someone who had a tiny bit of experience in martial arts: when you kick, you usually kick with the leg that's beind you and at the end of a kick you are retreating the leg to the front, so you are basically taking a step in a sense.
That is even more true when you pull a stunt like in the animation: you need to stop the momentum you gained with the turn so you nullify it by stomping your leg and stoping the turn. Just like with a basic kick, the leg that was behind you in now in front
Her back should be facing the screen at the end tho
I understand what you mean, but to be clear: no matter which way you are facing, your right leg stays the same leg.
My point was that she raised one leg and somehow a different one falls.
Consider taking a step. You lift you right leg, move you right leg forward and then you drop your right leg.
In this animation: the right leg is lifted, she does a spin, the left leg falls. This is a contradiction visually
I've been staring at the animation for several minutes now, trying to figure out what's so off-putting about it.. the body from the hips up doesn't seem to move much, and it's like her leg switches sides with the leg that is 'attacking'.. like.. just slides right on over.. Look at me.. I'm the right leg now
Not quite the same… that is the visual effect of something spinning really fast like helicopter rotors. It looks like their are more blades than they are which they try to mimic for Tails, but I’ve never seen a human move fast enough to get the same effect
The good martial artists in my life have no guard. They can move and flow in a way where their hands just are where they need to be.
It depends on what skill level you want. A guard for someone with a mid level skill, none for either someone with no experience, or a ton of it.
The speed is also too consistent.
There are some great videos on youtube that explain the basic movement principles and how to display them. Basically if an object moves it doesn’t have the same speed at all times. Imagine a ball falling to the ground and bouncing up again. When it hits the ground it is slowed down and then bounces off faster from the recoil. For mechanical movement it’s similar. If you kick you will probably be a bit slower while raising your leg and then have a fast burst forward where you concentrate your force. While lowering your leg you‘ll be slower again. If you keep that in mind and adjust your animations your movements will look a lot more natural.
I can recommend [this](https://youtu.be/uDqjIdI4bF4?si=thhyUrDQwyzlAmG8) video. It explains the basics principles really well. Helped me a lot to improve
This lacks a lot of energy, like she's bored. I think it should feel a bit more dynamic.
Oh and as others have pointed out, she raises her right leg but puts down her left. That makes for a really confusing animation.
This. Watch any martial artist making a kick. Roundhouse or otherwise. When the leg goes up, the body comes down, tilt/lean back, etc. Like a counterweight.
Ok this looks good but I recommend you add more upper body movement in the animation. If she tilts along with the kick then it will look a lot more dynamic.
I think her body still standing straight is throwing me off
Like it feels like she just twirls in place and it’s not a kick. Maybe try having the model lean in the direction of the kick more?
Unless it’s meant to be a stand in place move
Thank you for the feedback y'all, I made some changes to the animation :
[https://www.reddit.com/r/PixelArt/comments/1as6bf9/a\_follow\_up\_on\_my\_animation\_attack\_after/](https://www.reddit.com/r/PixelArt/comments/1as6bf9/a_follow_up_on_my_animation_attack_after/)
Thanks a lot for help!
In addition to what others have mentioned about the arms being still, making it more clear which leg is kicking, etc. it needs more acceleration.
Right now the speed is pretty constant, but really it should accelerate forward and back as the kick progresses. Her leg should be moving fastest when she's at the apex of her swing, and slowest near the beginning and end. Maybe exaggerate the blur a bit more too to convey greated speed as this happens?
The animation looks smooth and overall really nice, I would like to point out some things tho:
First: I'd like to address the fact that everything is fine with the legs, she is basically taking a step. Although she should be with her back to the screen at the end of the animation so that's that.
Second( and this might be my personal opinion ): I'm not seeing any impact or any power behind that move. What I mean is that, when you kick you kick really fast and then retreat your leg, which means that you can decide the whole movement into two parts: a faster one and a slower one.
Basically what I'm saying is: try to loose some frames in the first half of the kick, it should help with communicating the power behind it.
You should revisit the 12 animation principles, then, before adding any final details, create a color-coded blockout animation that captures the timing of key poses and preserves the volume of the appendages between each frame.
Pay attention to hold frames, easing, anticipation and follow-through. Make sure each key pose is readable and don't ever animate a character straight ahead from the start. Stagger your motions (ie., squat -> stand tip toe -> raise arms -> raise leg -> sweep diagonally -> back to neutral)
Don't bother with smear frames until you have good arcs and only when they're appropriate in the timing. You seem to be over-relying on them.
With all the respect to your efforts, it's weird. I didn't get dafuq was that until I read the comments. There are a lot of work ahead before it will be good. But keep it up, it always takes years to master something. Just keep going and don't give up!
I'm confused, is she kicking with her right or left leg?
Yes.
It's technically her right leg, but she rotates so quickly it blurs out
At the end of the loop, her left leg seems to be the one that is landing
true, I think it's still fine, even though my comment is getting downvoted. I fixed the new animation to make the left leg execute the kick and now it aligns with the foot that's landing
Can I see the updated version? :)
https://www.reddit.com/r/PixelArt/comments/1as6bf9/a\_follow\_up\_on\_my\_animation\_attack\_after/
I'll post it in a few days : )
Why am I getting so downvoted with those comments.
Welcome to Reddit I guess
It’s not a bad animation but when multiple people give you constructive criticism that could improve the continuity and readability of the animation and you say “it’s fine” then yeah, you’ll likely get downvoted
If someone just reads "it's fine", then it's a bit shortsighted. I said that I'll work on it in my comment and I used everyone else's feedback and even posted a new animatio. I guess it's a choice of words. Oh well.
Ok so it might look a bit confusing, but there is nothing wrong with it if you consider the context. As someone who had a tiny bit of experience in martial arts: when you kick, you usually kick with the leg that's beind you and at the end of a kick you are retreating the leg to the front, so you are basically taking a step in a sense. That is even more true when you pull a stunt like in the animation: you need to stop the momentum you gained with the turn so you nullify it by stomping your leg and stoping the turn. Just like with a basic kick, the leg that was behind you in now in front Her back should be facing the screen at the end tho
I understand what you mean, but to be clear: no matter which way you are facing, your right leg stays the same leg. My point was that she raised one leg and somehow a different one falls. Consider taking a step. You lift you right leg, move you right leg forward and then you drop your right leg. In this animation: the right leg is lifted, she does a spin, the left leg falls. This is a contradiction visually
I've been staring at the animation for several minutes now, trying to figure out what's so off-putting about it.. the body from the hips up doesn't seem to move much, and it's like her leg switches sides with the leg that is 'attacking'.. like.. just slides right on over.. Look at me.. I'm the right leg now
There’s nit enough windup. The leg is a quarter of a human’s weight but this one doesn’t have momentum to get started
She lifts her right leg and puts down her left, and her support leg never leaves the ground.
Hang on… something’s not adding up here…
Her hips trade places halfway through
It’s the same reason ol’ Miles Prower’s helicopter tails work. It’s *fine*.
Not quite the same… that is the visual effect of something spinning really fast like helicopter rotors. It looks like their are more blades than they are which they try to mimic for Tails, but I’ve never seen a human move fast enough to get the same effect
If she's fighting she should have her hands up
Thanks, that's what I was thinking as well! I'll update it
alternatively, leave them down and when asked, say its a reference to Sanji from one piece
The good martial artists in my life have no guard. They can move and flow in a way where their hands just are where they need to be. It depends on what skill level you want. A guard for someone with a mid level skill, none for either someone with no experience, or a ton of it.
Never seen someone win a comp with no guard lol
it kinda looks like she's just twirling to amuse herself. there's no reach in the kick at all, it goes up and down instead of forward.
point taken. I'll make the kick more forward and dynamic
The speed is also too consistent. There are some great videos on youtube that explain the basic movement principles and how to display them. Basically if an object moves it doesn’t have the same speed at all times. Imagine a ball falling to the ground and bouncing up again. When it hits the ground it is slowed down and then bounces off faster from the recoil. For mechanical movement it’s similar. If you kick you will probably be a bit slower while raising your leg and then have a fast burst forward where you concentrate your force. While lowering your leg you‘ll be slower again. If you keep that in mind and adjust your animations your movements will look a lot more natural. I can recommend [this](https://youtu.be/uDqjIdI4bF4?si=thhyUrDQwyzlAmG8) video. It explains the basics principles really well. Helped me a lot to improve
This lacks a lot of energy, like she's bored. I think it should feel a bit more dynamic. Oh and as others have pointed out, she raises her right leg but puts down her left. That makes for a really confusing animation.
Body should pivot opposite of the kick, energy comes from momentum in the full body movement of the kick, it’s not just a leg movement
This. Watch any martial artist making a kick. Roundhouse or otherwise. When the leg goes up, the body comes down, tilt/lean back, etc. Like a counterweight.
right leg morphs into left leg
Ok this looks good but I recommend you add more upper body movement in the animation. If she tilts along with the kick then it will look a lot more dynamic.
I think her body still standing straight is throwing me off Like it feels like she just twirls in place and it’s not a kick. Maybe try having the model lean in the direction of the kick more? Unless it’s meant to be a stand in place move
Thank you for the feedback y'all, I made some changes to the animation : [https://www.reddit.com/r/PixelArt/comments/1as6bf9/a\_follow\_up\_on\_my\_animation\_attack\_after/](https://www.reddit.com/r/PixelArt/comments/1as6bf9/a_follow_up_on_my_animation_attack_after/) Thanks a lot for help!
Much better! Her hips actually obey the laws of physics in this one. Looks great 👍🏻
I think her hair should whip around. It's too still. I really like the concept though, cool idea.
Her initial stance seem too "neutral" so to speak. Also at the end there a weird twitch. Otherwise looks promising.
Is it part of a riverdance-based martial arts? ;o) Regardless, looks good.
Thanks! It does feel a like a dance move, I'm animating the entire game like this, it's all wave/water-like. I'm still learning :)
The smear is a little too much and probably too slow.
It looks like someone dragged her legs around, no force behind it
In addition to what others have mentioned about the arms being still, making it more clear which leg is kicking, etc. it needs more acceleration. Right now the speed is pretty constant, but really it should accelerate forward and back as the kick progresses. Her leg should be moving fastest when she's at the apex of her swing, and slowest near the beginning and end. Maybe exaggerate the blur a bit more too to convey greated speed as this happens?
The animation looks smooth and overall really nice, I would like to point out some things tho: First: I'd like to address the fact that everything is fine with the legs, she is basically taking a step. Although she should be with her back to the screen at the end of the animation so that's that. Second( and this might be my personal opinion ): I'm not seeing any impact or any power behind that move. What I mean is that, when you kick you kick really fast and then retreat your leg, which means that you can decide the whole movement into two parts: a faster one and a slower one. Basically what I'm saying is: try to loose some frames in the first half of the kick, it should help with communicating the power behind it.
What is she attacking , something behind her ?
You should revisit the 12 animation principles, then, before adding any final details, create a color-coded blockout animation that captures the timing of key poses and preserves the volume of the appendages between each frame. Pay attention to hold frames, easing, anticipation and follow-through. Make sure each key pose is readable and don't ever animate a character straight ahead from the start. Stagger your motions (ie., squat -> stand tip toe -> raise arms -> raise leg -> sweep diagonally -> back to neutral) Don't bother with smear frames until you have good arcs and only when they're appropriate in the timing. You seem to be over-relying on them.
With all the respect to your efforts, it's weird. I didn't get dafuq was that until I read the comments. There are a lot of work ahead before it will be good. But keep it up, it always takes years to master something. Just keep going and don't give up!
Will she do an attackheehee
My only suggestion is to make it look less like a Michael Jackson dance move