Paper cut out problem (Turning around a character)

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Jajajajack
Posts: 6
Joined: Tue Apr 23, 2019 8:31 pm

Paper cut out problem (Turning around a character)

Post by Jajajajack »

I'll be short. I made an animation out of paper cut outs. I found out how I could rotate the head by drawing the head in different angels and use a switch group.
But I don't know how to do this with an entire body. Anybody has an idea how I could achieve this?

Here's a link to a demo I made half a year ago:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dp5QkIyfhBE
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hayasidist
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Location: Kent, England

Re: Paper cut out problem (Turning around a character)

Post by hayasidist »

exactly the same idea for the body parts. for an example (based on vectors rather than "cut-out") take a look at the Character Wizard (yeah - a facility in need of refresh but that's another story) and how it handles the 8 separate views of (e.g.) the "Boy Spiky" preset. CW assumes you'll want the head and torso always in the same view - but there's no real reason why that should be so.
Jajajajack
Posts: 6
Joined: Tue Apr 23, 2019 8:31 pm

Re: Paper cut out problem (Turning around a character)

Post by Jajajajack »

hayasidist wrote:exactly the same idea for the body parts. for an example (based on vectors rather than "cut-out") take a look at the Character Wizard (yeah - a facility in need of refresh but that's another story) and how it handles the 8 separate views of (e.g.) the "Boy Spiky" preset. CW assumes you'll want the head and torso always in the same view - but there's no real reason why that should be so.
Was thinking about it. But It's not the most efficient way of making a character seemingly. If this is the best way to do it, then I will just go with this.
I kinda want to finish my new project in the summer.
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hayasidist
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Re: Paper cut out problem (Turning around a character)

Post by hayasidist »

Jajajajack wrote: But It's not the most efficient way of making a character seemingly. If this is the best way to do it, then I will just go with this.
You're not using vectors (?) so a lot of the smart-bone head / body turn stuff is not relevant if that's what you mean?.

Jajajajack wrote: I kinda want to finish my new project in the summer.
and as for speed of implementation - well -- IMO that's down to planning and design - just create the head / torso / limb view combinations you need for the shot. e.g. in the demo you have a torso / limb 3/4 view with a head view that switches between 3/4 right to 3/4 left. That's all that shot needs.

another shot might be a front close up (head / shoulders) with an up / down head motion (i.e. the camera sees the top of the head, "up the nostrils" and one or more points in between).

another might be an extra long shot (your character is small in the whole view) and they're running away with their back to the camera - here you can probably get away with a few "whole body" images of the various stages of a run-cycle and cyclically switch between them.

There's no need to try to combine these rigs into one.

===

In a nutshell - what I do:

one Moho file is the Character Master - it holds all the separate views of a character - artwork reused as needed in this file - which are then imported as needed into...

one Moho file per shot.

assemble the animations from the "shots" files into the finished work using a video editor.
Jajajajack
Posts: 6
Joined: Tue Apr 23, 2019 8:31 pm

Re: Paper cut out problem (Turning around a character)

Post by Jajajajack »

hayasidist wrote:
Jajajajack wrote: But It's not the most efficient way of making a character seemingly. If this is the best way to do it, then I will just go with this.
You're not using vectors (?) so a lot of the smart-bone head / body turn stuff is not relevant if that's what you mean?.

Jajajajack wrote: I kinda want to finish my new project in the summer.
and as for speed of implementation - well -- IMO that's down to planning and design - just create the head / torso / limb view combinations you need for the shot. e.g. in the demo you have a torso / limb 3/4 view with a head view that switches between 3/4 right to 3/4 left. That's all that shot needs.

another shot might be a front close up (head / shoulders) with an up / down head motion (i.e. the camera sees the top of the head, "up the nostrils" and one or more points in between).

another might be an extra long shot (your character is small in the whole view) and they're running away with their back to the camera - here you can probably get away with a few "whole body" images of the various stages of a run-cycle and cyclically switch between them.

There's no need to try to combine these rigs into one.

===

In a nutshell - what I do:

one Moho file is the Character Master - it holds all the separate views of a character - artwork reused as needed in this file - which are then imported as needed into...

one Moho file per shot.

assemble the animations from the "shots" files into the finished work using a video editor.
Yeah I actually only use high resolution png images. Everything in my animation is just painting basically that were cut out in PS CC.
But tbh the Character Wizard solution seems to be the best.

Once I have that character model put together I will be able to modify it easily, probably. I already have the drawings for the profile, 3/4 and frontal view. I just have to make the paintings and cut them out in PS.
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