Lizzet Arias Rhor 2:28 pm on 28/07/2017
Tags: , , , , , , , , , weight   

Specialisation Project-Weight

The specialisation project, varied from 2D to 3D options, including VFX. In my case, I working on a 3D character animation and as part of the tasks that we have to do to complete this project is have to some research. This entry will focus on weighting, and all related to moving weight. In my project the character that I had choice, will be lifting a heavy bag, for that reason I’m going to research for it and find all about for the project.

Now, to talk about weighting is necessary to understand about timing and spacing. That’s because weight nor force doesn’t really exist in animation, everything is part of the illusion of animation.

For an animator, weight is a visual presentation of opposing forces. When a character jumps up, it is actually driving down against the ground. The faster it can drive down the higher it will jump. The character can enhance the power of the jump by thrusting shoulders and arms in the direction of the jump. Study a high jumper or long jumper.
-Weight in Animation, Posted by Wayne http://www.anamie.com/weight-in-animation/

Animating a believable sense of weight and power is probably one of the most challenging tasks an animator will have. It takes a keen understanding of Timing and Spacing (one of 12 Animation Principles) to animate anything that should appear to be affected by a gravitational pull.
-Emphasizing Animation Timing to Convey Weight and Force, By Pluralsight on August 8, 2014, https://www.pluralsight.com/blog/film-games/emphasizing-animation-timing-to-convey-weight-and-force

I just quote two bits of different websites that certainly are saying the same with different approaches; there is also the constant mention of timing, that’s because the timing is what would give the impression of weight in the animated object.

Part of the research that I have done, also shows an example of how to animated weight correctly. As mentioned before, that would include has the correct timing in the movement of such asset.

For example, if someone animated the same object two times but give it different timing in each; the illusion of how heavy that object will varied. To be more specific, just let’s say that such object is a ball, if the animation has a fast timing the audience will conclude that it’s light, but if that has a slow timing, then the audience will conclude that it’s heavy.

That’s how weighting in animation works, or better say how the illusion of weight is created on an animation. So therefore having a great understanding of timing is the best way to make weighting works on the animation.

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