For Week 2, the focus is on creating a pendulum animation while applying the overlapping action principle. This principle, crucial in animation, emphasises that different parts of an object move at different rates, rather than everything moving uniformly. In the pendulum exercise, the base of the pendulum moves first, with the string and the weight at the end following the motion in a delayed, overlapping fashion. This creates a natural and fluid movement, where the swing of the pendulum’s weight lags behind the main motion due to inertia and gravity.

In addition to the animation task, a drawing exercise involves creating a pose with a line of action running through it. This line of action helps define the motion path and energy flow, ensuring the poses are dynamic and balanced. The overlap drawing exercise reinforces understanding of how different parts of an object or character interact, improving the ability to portray natural, believable motion. These tasks directly tie into the teachings from the “Animation Survival Kit” book, helping to solidify the concepts of overlapping action and improving overall animation technique.

The process of learning to animate the overlap drawing, how fundamental it is to bring life and believability to characters. The overlap drawing exercise has helped understand how different parts of a character or object interact during motion. It’s not just about the movement itself but about how energy flows through a character’s body—each part moving at slightly different times, creating a natural ripple effect.

Learning the animation fundamentals in Maya begins with a planned approach that combines technical tools and key animation ideas. Coming from a programming and game design background, this was crucial in building a foundation for understanding the more advanced concepts of the course.

To receive feedback and collaborate on the ball animation, a SyncSketch is required. To demonstrate the ball’s weight, motion, impact and improvements.

Starting with drawing out important spots and utilising motion’s arcs and timings. utilising a spline graph on Maya, and Keying’s poses highlighting critical points in the ball’s bounce or roll, followed by Squash and Stretch.

Challenges arose with the rotation and spacing. The ball’s movement and rotation initially felt disconnected, and finding the right spacing between keyframes was key to ensuring a smooth, natural rhythm. Refining the spline graph helped resolve these issues, ensuring fluid motion. referring to references and the lecture recording provided great insight into how to improve fluid motion and tiny details to demonstrate a more refined look.