Now that you have added your final Rig to the Harmony Premium Library, you can now bring that rig into another new Harmony scene file.
This is how to set up and animate a Walk Cycle.
You will be animating everything as key poses and creating Key frames. This is known as pose to pose animation. The rig set up allows you to select the body part, say the Right Arm and then click on Deformation chain button to yurn on the bone controls for the right arm. Rotate the bones, Harmony automatically creates the key frames.
DO NOT ROTATE THE BODY PART AND THEN THE BONES. Doing this throws the bone chain outside and away from the body part it is controlling. See the photos below and remember Harmony will be creating the inbetweens for you, but its up to you to set the key poses and make sure the animation working correctly.
To do a walk cycle, you need these key positions for each step. Below shows only one leg stepping forward as the other foot is going back. This is only the first step of a complete stride. (examples from Richard Williams Animator's Survival Kit (go buy your own)
Below is a timing chart showing the same animation with different timing, giving a cartoony tempo or a more realistic pace.
You should go with the On 16's chart. The first Contact pose is Key .#1, Key # 17 is the opposite of Key #1. Key # 9 is the Pass Position, showing how the back leg comes forward.
Key #1 + Key #9 = Key #5 The leg bends to take the weight making this the Lowest position of your step. Key # 9 + Key # 17 = Key #13 The leg and body's highest position of the step.
You create these 5 poses and then do the same for the other leg stepping forward and you should have the following Keys on the same frames numbers.
inbs
First Step K1 - - - K5 - - - K9 - - - K13 - - - K17
2nd Step k17 - - - k21 - - - k25 - - - k29 - - - (k33)K1 link up
Turn on the Transform tool and the Animate button first and then select the body part you want to change first. Then turn on the Deformation change button to see the bone chain and rotate the bone. As you do this, Harmony places a key frame on each bone you move. You can also select KF+ to add a keyframe down the entire frame. You can start with the body and legs, position Key #1 on frame #1.
Keep All the Keys on the same Key frames
By selecting the Master layer, this selects the entire rig. You can use this to create the up and down motion throughout the 2 steps. Once the body is working, move onto keying the legs, then the arms, then hands.
This is how to set up and animate a Walk Cycle.
You will be animating everything as key poses and creating Key frames. This is known as pose to pose animation. The rig set up allows you to select the body part, say the Right Arm and then click on Deformation chain button to yurn on the bone controls for the right arm. Rotate the bones, Harmony automatically creates the key frames.
DO NOT ROTATE THE BODY PART AND THEN THE BONES. Doing this throws the bone chain outside and away from the body part it is controlling. See the photos below and remember Harmony will be creating the inbetweens for you, but its up to you to set the key poses and make sure the animation working correctly.
To do a walk cycle, you need these key positions for each step. Below shows only one leg stepping forward as the other foot is going back. This is only the first step of a complete stride. (examples from Richard Williams Animator's Survival Kit (go buy your own)
You should go with the On 16's chart. The first Contact pose is Key .#1, Key # 17 is the opposite of Key #1. Key # 9 is the Pass Position, showing how the back leg comes forward.
Key #1 + Key #9 = Key #5 The leg bends to take the weight making this the Lowest position of your step. Key # 9 + Key # 17 = Key #13 The leg and body's highest position of the step.
You create these 5 poses and then do the same for the other leg stepping forward and you should have the following Keys on the same frames numbers.
inbs
First Step K1 - - - K5 - - - K9 - - - K13 - - - K17
2nd Step k17 - - - k21 - - - k25 - - - k29 - - - (k33)K1 link up
Turn on the Transform tool and the Animate button first and then select the body part you want to change first. Then turn on the Deformation change button to see the bone chain and rotate the bone. As you do this, Harmony places a key frame on each bone you move. You can also select KF+ to add a keyframe down the entire frame. You can start with the body and legs, position Key #1 on frame #1.
Keep All the Keys on the same Key frames
Contact down Pass Up Contact
First Step K1 - - - K5 - - - K9 - - - K13 - - - K17
2nd Step k17 - - - k21 - - - k25 - - - k29 - - - (k33)K1 link up
inbs inbs inbs inbsBy selecting the Master layer, this selects the entire rig. You can use this to create the up and down motion throughout the 2 steps. Once the body is working, move onto keying the legs, then the arms, then hands.
Always click on the time line in the Master rig layer and then click on the body part you want to select,
then click on the Deformation change button next to the Deformation tools.
then click on the Deformation change button next to the Deformation tools.
The bone chain appears. Click on the bone then rotate it into position.
Make sure you pose all the parts on the same key frame. Harmony automatically sets keys frames on the bones you rotate, but you have to key the Master rig layer yourself.
The Master Rig will move the entire rig, this will help when making Key #5 & #21: the down positions and Key # 13 & #29: the up positions. When you move the Master Rig, use the arrows keys to move it up or down and then adjust the legs and feet. If you click on the Master rig, moving it up or down using the mouse, you will add more side to side motion as well.
Always remember to use your Onion Skin tool to see how the spacing for arms or legs is working. Any motion where the leg's foot moves and then slows down or pauses for several frames and then speeds up.This shows bad spacing and you will need to adjust your leg so its always moving.
Motion and Stop Motion Keys.
Stop Motion Keys: Are useful for setting up a pose to pose test. Just showing the key poses without the inbetweens added.
Motion Keys: Show the inbetween frames in between the two key poses.
Here is a good example of what both Motion keys look like in action. The back leg, the one away from us is set on Stop Motion keys.
Make sure you pose all the parts on the same key frame. Harmony automatically sets keys frames on the bones you rotate, but you have to key the Master rig layer yourself.
The Master Rig will move the entire rig, this will help when making Key #5 & #21: the down positions and Key # 13 & #29: the up positions. When you move the Master Rig, use the arrows keys to move it up or down and then adjust the legs and feet. If you click on the Master rig, moving it up or down using the mouse, you will add more side to side motion as well.
Always remember to use your Onion Skin tool to see how the spacing for arms or legs is working. Any motion where the leg's foot moves and then slows down or pauses for several frames and then speeds up.This shows bad spacing and you will need to adjust your leg so its always moving.
Motion and Stop Motion Keys.
Stop Motion Keys: Are useful for setting up a pose to pose test. Just showing the key poses without the inbetweens added.
Motion Keys: Show the inbetween frames in between the two key poses.
Here is a good example of what both Motion keys look like in action. The back leg, the one away from us is set on Stop Motion keys.
To change the Stop Motion to Motion keys, go to Animation tab on the top in Harmony and click off Stop-Motion Keys and click Animate on top.
To learn about blocking out your scene, click this link.
To learn about blocking out your scene, click this link.
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