New Animator In need of guidance

[JMan290]

Hey so far i've in class i've made a few swfs such as a pong video, walking with tweens, and a short movie trailer. I've really enjoy using flash ( I have Cs5) and now want to undergo a more serious but still short project, Now I've made many characters and separated their layers by body parts and drawn them from side view and front view. I really want to make a fluid walking cycle, Motion tweening doesn't seem the look im going for and the bone tool besides having glitches also gives a cartoony look im going for more of an detailed walk which I believe would best be done by frame by frame. I attempted this by using a animated gif as a reference my legs turned out decent but my arms just seemed like they were punching rather then swaying. So I guess my question to you would be how to work on frame by frame or how do you do yours when designing a new character? Do you make a skeleton and then trace over it?(If so is there anywhere I can download a skeleton swf?)
Repeated practice? Tutorial?

Like what I hope to achieve is to make a walking, jumping, and running animation and hopfully by then I will feel comfortable with frame by frame. I just also bought a tablet which makes drawing easier in my oppinion.

Also if anyone wants to mentor me I'd be very greatful and would sure to pass your teachings on and credit you in anything I publish.

Thank you very much for reading my request!

[Snazzymation]

I recommend a few things. Things I have learned and do. If you want to do a walk cycle, yes, the skeleton thing is best. If you want to do Frame by frame, the skeleton thing is best. Make a layer for your stick man as a guide. Animate the draft stick figure and on a layer over that one put in the details. It is a good frame work. Then you can delete the stick figure. I don't really think many people use bone tool, It can be limiting. It also would increase file size. I made an experiment walk cycle using tweens and it is on my page, I prefer Frame by frame for any action. Frame by frame just looks awesome with effort. Effort is always the key.

About your punching arm sway. Look into animation "timing". This is what gives realism to movement. Instead of drawing each frame the same distance apart, draw the first few frames with little movement, and then the following frames with bigger movement, and then at the end point draw frames that have little movement again. The last few frames that show movement ending are called "follow through". If you didn't do this then your movement would stop on a dime and it would be noticeable.

[JMan290]

Awesome, thanks for the advice, yeah i put alot of time into my frame by frame walk cycle and it looked decent inside the symbol but then, it just looked weird with the exception of the legs which kinda of made me frustrated, is there a website or maybe this website where you can download a fla with a skeleton walking animation?

[Celshaded]

I highly reccomend you find a copy of Richard William's animator's survival kit. Its one of the best animation resources on the planet.

Another thing that might help you out with walk cycles is to take video of yourself doing the kind of walk you want and then refference it frame by frame.

[Snazzymation]

At 11/8/11 01:17 AM, Celshaded wrote: I highly reccomend you find a copy of Richard William's animator's survival kit. Its one of the best animation resources on the planet.

Another thing that might help you out with walk cycles is to take video of yourself doing the kind of walk you want and then refference it frame by frame.

The book is good. I actually have a copy. And recording yourself is a classic technique. All the top dogs do it. It's the best way you can see something.