One of the reasons why the weekly animations were getting boring, is because they consisted mostly of drawing a single high res image (like a CG), and then editing it a lot. It doesn't really feel like actual animation the way lower res animations does, and can be sort of "stiff". At best it looks like the Shantae animation (when I go all out with the details), but at it's worst it looks like the Hilda animation (where I stuck too much to using layers because I was using Aesprite for the first time). It's boring as hell when it gets too repetitive.
To make it more interesting (And hopefully higher quality in the future), I want to try and animate stuff frame by frame instead, Here's a short animation test I did (sorry about the missing details, I didn't think I'd be posting this so I don't have all parts of the initial rough)
However, the head does serve as a good example of the difference between frame-by frame animation and the weekly animations I've done thus far. Whereas the weekly animations had mostly subtle shifting to create the illusion of depth, and rotation, with frame by frame I can do much more drastic movements.
Since this has at the very least proven to me that animating this way is viable, I'm going to try and redo one of the previous week's WIP animations this way. I'll spend more time on the initial rough, this time around, so we'll see how it turns out.
Ultimately, this would be a better skill to practice long-term, compared to the way I was doing weekly animations before. If it doesn't work, I'll finish the previous animations the way they were, and continue to do weekly animations until I have a developed weekly game idea, and a working engine for it.
Also for the heck of it, here are two style tests I did. I want to find a good style for animation. One that's a little stylized, and easy to work with. The one thing I know for sure is that I'm going to stay away from styles with a lot of lines.
Edit: Oh, by the way, Curly Brace from Cave Story was the winner.
as long as you continue working and don't feel like a zombie it's fine by me
ReplyDeleteReally like the animation, hopefully that way works out; also, yay Curly!
ReplyDeleteOh wow yeah I actually really like this style more than the weekly animations so far, I really like the head and the breast animation!
ReplyDeleteAnd considering you rushed part of this I'm really excited to see what it would look like when you don't.
Awesome, I can see how you find this kind of animation more interesting ^^
ReplyDeleteYay for Curly!
Expecting the suggestions are paused again. Or not?
Noooo! Korra lost again? :(
ReplyDeleteOh, who am I kidding, any animation by you is a win :) I can't wait for them even if they're not of my favorites :)
I have to agree. The frame by frame looks much more natural and better compliments your style. Even this little 'rough practice' is more appealing to me than those weekly animations...but that's simply an opinion. Back to the shadows for this lurker....
ReplyDeleteThis animation style looks fine to me. Maybe even better
ReplyDeleteIt is funny how you put down your animations but yet I (and I would assume a good amount of us) don't even notice the flaws and just get excited to see them out. Most of the flaws I don't even notice till you point it out and even then it's hardly noticeable. With that, I know you said you don't plan to do any more using two people but....should a poll be very closely tied at the end, any chance of just tossing both "winners" together?
ReplyDeleteHowever main point, the animation looks smooth to me and she does have a cute style about her.
It would be nice if the drawings were lower res but longer. One of the things that I like best in your animations is your transitioning between scenes, so while higher res images are better looking in some aspects, the animation is more satisfiying when the animation is longer and has more stuff going on. It's a trade-off that I would take in a heartbeat.
ReplyDelete"Result wasn't great because I sort of rushed through the initial rough animation"
ReplyDeleteMan, if this is your idea of a sloppy animation, I can't wait to see the best you can do with this frame by frame style.
You're being too modest.
Well, the animation's problems are
Delete-the anatomy isn't great
-the motion is too exaggerated for what's actually happening to her. She's bobbing like her entire body is being moved by the thrusting.
Curly won? Man, that's like the third time in a row that my personal pick got chosen. Now I'm really looking forward to these animations~
ReplyDeleteIs this frame wait a final version? I think the different interval lets animations more natural.(ex. slow when ready to push, and fast when inserting.) If you know, don't worry.
ReplyDeleteNah, I'm not really using this for anything. I just wanted to see how long it would take to draw each frame from scratch, and so I didn't really spend much time in the initial sketching/ animation phase. (Which is why the motion doesn't make much sense)
DeleteIf I were doing this for actual animations, I'd put more time into planning the motion, especially since with this kind of animation you don't have ability to go back and tweak it easily.
Oh, I see.
DeleteHey Kyrieru,
ReplyDeleteCould you explain the difference between doing the animation in layers and doing it frame by frame? I understand the concept of layers in the tool, but I'm not sure what exactly makes that different from doing it frame by frame. Don't you use layers when doing it frame by frame as well?
Here's a visual example
Deletehttps://i.gyazo.com/19f58c08129ba6df8e31cd6c20153451.png
Basically I'm talking about the impact it has on animation based around shifting. Because everything is split into layers, I become less likely to make drastic changes to the pose, because it doesn't work with the layers I have set up.
With frame by frame I use layers, but only after all the animation is already done, as opposed to a method of animating.
Curly Brace won? With the likes of Korra, Misty, Kat and even Nadia on the poll!? I don't believe you! I demand to see the results! >:(
ReplyDeleteSeriously, angry fanboy crap aside, what were the results? I'm actually curious...
Sure thing,
Deletehttps://i.gyazo.com/c351ed7e3898136ab8131e235f51a2ec.png
Dat midriff though :D
DeleteCave Story is a good pixel art sidescroller. Many people who like Ky's games probs like Cave Story too. Curly is a cute, energetic (and sexy) heroine, of whom unfortunately there is not that much good H. Seems quite believable to me. ^__^
DeleteDamn. Nadia was nowhere near popular enough. And I thought she was a popular character, too. Kat didn't get near enough love, either. But at least my 2nd pick Misty was a close 2nd. Thanks for the results.
DeleteI think that the lower a character is on the list, the less their number of votes reflects how much people would actually like to see them animated. People may choose one character they like in favor of another, but if the victor was not on the list, they might choose a less popular character, not the one who was second or third and even the odds. I think any character has a chance. ^___^
DeleteSo, with Curly added into the line, no suggestions this week?
ReplyDeleteNah, not yet. Not until I'm up to date, so it's more or less the same song and dance again -___-
DeleteOkay, just asking, no sweat ^__^
DeleteIt means you got to experiment with this, which is good, after all.
Yessss, not enough of Curly Brace out there!
ReplyDeletehttp://vignette1.wikia.nocookie.net/le-miiverse-resource/images/6/68/XtwuF-1-.png/revision/latest?cb=20140626194007
Love the style test to the right ^^ It's not just the chest size and the expression, the hair as well. I'm into longer ponytails but that hair looks really cute ^^
ReplyDeletePlease don't tell me this means all the animations will be posted only after Curly is finished now ◕︵◕
ReplyDeleteCool art btw, even if they are just tests.
I like the picture on the right better. Not only is it a preferred body type of course, but it's easier to see her facial expressions due to the slightly darker skin tone and widened eye size.
ReplyDeleteAlso, to note that warmer shading is a lot more inviting than the cold shading on the left imo. I know that you could use cold shading depending on the environment, but generally you want a character's body to look warm, and not as if they're close to death.
Frame by frame animations are incontestably better. They look more smooth and more "alive" than the layered animations.
ReplyDeleteSo if you prefer frame by frame animations, that's great !
Keep up the good work, Kyrieru. =D
Listen to the song ''I like your booty, but I'm not gay'' while looking at the GIF and you will probably have just seen the funniest thing you'll see for the rest of the week.
ReplyDeleteHey I really like your art style! Also your sprite tutorial is awesome and helped me a lot. Do you plan on creating a guide for simple animations? I tried to create some characters for a game, but their movements look very awkward and I could use some advice from a professional game dev.
ReplyDeleteI know this was to demonstrate art style and not character design, but give that girl on the right some nice outfit, a weapon (a whip or a staff maybe?) and you got quite the hot heroine for the Patreon game :)
ReplyDeleteI'd imagine her like more of a brawler type. Maybe with katars(push daggers), which would match a brawler fighting style and are sadly underused.
Delete...which reminds me, we need a weekly animation of Katara from ATLA :)
Her neck needs a collar badly
DeleteGr8 upd8 m8 :3
Yay, some insider stuff is always nice :)
ReplyDeleteI also would like something similar to the girl to the right for the patreon game, especially if there are going to be color settings as you mentioned elsewhere :) Breast size could be change-able like in Noaika, or at least with one expanded stage. Wonder what she'd look like in a sprite the size of the new Noa sprite...
That scene is amazing
ReplyDeletemakes me wonder why she can't just stand up :D
DeleteThis is what your turning me into XD
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgUeUjIsAxs
Thank for the update though, quenches my thirst for the delayed animations a bit XD
Does this mean you're not switching over to a Patreon game? =(
ReplyDeleteThe game looks like it tore a page out of the preamble to Repure Aria. View a few animations for that game to see what I mean.
ReplyDeletehttp://cdn.meme.am/instances/500x/58611701.jpg
ReplyDelete