Click here to view the embedded video.

In animation everyone tends to work slightly differently.  I am not saying that this is the only way to work but I tend to work in the following curve flow in my process.

Pass 1 - Stepped: Great for setting up thumbnail style key poses.
Pass 2 - Linear: Good for setting initial time. Action too fast = Keys too close together. Action too slow = Keys to far apart.
Pass 3 - Auto: Best of both worlds Spline / Plateau
Pass 4 -  Fixed, Plateau, Flat, and or Spline. Very specific curve type for specific reasons.

Maya Curve Types

1. Stepped
2. Stepped Next 
3. Linear
4. Spline
5. Flat
6. Plateau
7. Clamped
8. Fixed
9. Auto (New 2012)

Found on toolbar

    Stepped - Constant value until there is a new value.  A good use of the Stepped Curve is with a proxy camera to establish camera cuts.  To avoid motion blur issues you should replace the proxy camera positions with separate render cameras.

Tip & Trick:

1. Create or Import Render Cam
2. Parent constrain the render camera to the proxy.
3. Delete the constraint.
4. Advance to the next camera placement.
5. Repeat 1 — 5 for all camera positions.

    Linear - Constant rate of change.  This curve type is great to use while trying to establish the initial timing on an animation.  If the action happens to quickly then the keys need to be spread further apart.  If the action happens to slowly then the key need to be brought closer together.

    Auto - An Auto tangent type will adjust the tangency of a slope as to flatten out as it get closer to the value of the key adjacent to it.  THis is a nice feature and seems to be based off of the AutoTangent Script.  THe best of both spline and plateau seem to be at play here. Pitfall: the slope flattens more than needed as the key is adjusted. If you manipulate to the desired angle and then move the key it will hold the desired slope.

    Spline - Equal slope going in and out to a keyframe.  This will give nice smooth motion; however, it will create overshoots that are unwanted.

    Flat - A flat curve type simply sets the tangent angle to be a zero slope.  Most common pitfall I see students doing is selecting the whole curve my mistake and then converting to flat.  The will cause a slow and go type of effect like a car with an acceleration problem!

    Plateau - A Plateau curve type will eliminate over shoots as long as the key frame values are within a tolerance range.  This range is greater than the clamped function. Pitfall: Converting the whole curve. Make sure you only use it where necessary or it can interfere with ease in situations that you have already set up.

    Clamped -  A clamped curve type was most commonly used to eliminate overshoots on foot and leg movements. Basically we two keys are with a small value difference from one another that different on slope is clamped off.  The end result is much like flat and plateau but the tolerance range is much smaller.  Pitfall:  is in not zooming in on your curves to make sure that the values of the keys are equal.

Found in Menu Set

Fixed - A fixed curve type simply fixes the slope of the curve to a specific value.  If you move the value or time of the keyframe the slope will remain the same.  Note: Anytime you break a tangent it automatically converts to a fixed tangent type.  If you are curious as to what the tangent type is for your keys:

1. Select some keyframes
2. In the Graph Editor navigate to Display -> Spreadsheet.

In Maya 2012 the tangent type button at the top of the graph editor activates when a single keyframe is selected.

Stepped Next -  Stepped Next curve is used with FBIK.  The difference between the Stepped and Stepped Next is that there is no constant value out.  It simply is reversed so that the value does not hold on the out tangent but rather switches to the new value immediately.

I have had several people that have been having issues with Maya 2011 and audio clips.  I get statements and comments like this, “When I go to scrub my animation the audio is not synched up! Help!!!”…. “It works in Maya 2009!”  Well, specific issues with scrubbing the sound clip in Maya after offsetting the audio track in the timeline is just an update issue. It seems that the way Maya handles the audio in Maya 2011 is a little different.  All you need to do it import the file again offset it and then play through the clip by using the play button.  Once the file is re-cached or read then go back to scrubbing.  Everything should be fine then.  If not then email me and I’ll try to help.

For those newer users, or if you are using sound clips in Maya 2011 and have never used the offset features in the audios dialogue box, just run through the following steps.

With Maya open go to File->Import and then navigate to the clip you want to import or simple drag the audio clip into the viewport.

When you look at the timeline it should look like this:

It’s pretty thin and when working with audio clips for dialogue or general sound it can be hard to see what is going on in the waveform.

Q: “Why do I need to see the audio clip’s waveform?”

A: Often times it is beneficial to see the peeks and valleys in the sound.  It helps to see where the beats or rhythms fall within the clip while synching up actions and lipsynch.

If you open the preference window within Maya: Window->Settings/Preferences->Preferences you will see the following window.

Under the Categories column on the left select Time Slider.  The change height from 1x to 4x.

In order to hear the audio play set the Playblack Speed to Real-time (24 fps).

When you’re done make sure you save your preferences. — (Note the preferences window will close!)

You should now see the Time Slider is 4 times it’s normal size.

In order to see the wave form even clearer you can change the color in the Color Preferences.

Expand the animation menu and click on the color swatch.  I have changed myine to yellow.… the results look like the following image:

This will make it much easier to see that waveform!

You can pull in multiple audio clips and turn them on and off by right clicking on the time slider and going to Sound and selecting the track you would like to use.

In order to offset the audio clip you can go to the sound clips dialogue box and then enter an offset value.

Once you select the dialogue box the attribute editor will open that looks like this:

Enter a value in frames that you want to offset the audio clip.  Just remember that if you offset it just play through the clip and then you should be able to scrub the audio as well.

Tip: If you need to mute the clip there is a checkbox under duration that will toggle it audible or not.

To delete audio files from your scene:

1. Go to the dialogue box for the audio clip and then highlight the title of the name of the audio in the audio field.

2. Command+C to copy it.

3. In the Mel command line type:  delete filename;

4. Then press enter.

Another way to find and delete audio tracks is to open the outliner.

Under the Display menu in the outliner you will see several options.  Uncheck the DAG Object Only option. It is located here:

Now you will see many other things listed in the Outliner including Audio Nodes.

Now simply select the nodes and delete them.

Another way to delete sounds is to navigate to Edit -> Delete by Type -> Sounds and then pick the sounds file to delete.
If you want all the files gone then goto: Edit -> Delete all by type -> Sounds and that will delete them all at the same time.

There are probably two more ways to delete sound files because in Maya their are 5 ways to do anything.  See if you can find the other 2 and get back to me… LOL.

Additional Notes:
If you have imported sound and cannot hear it try one of the following:
1. Check and make sure you are on Realtime 24 in your timeline settings.
2. Check you audio file and make sure it is supported.
3. Reselect the audio file by right clicking on the time line — goto sound and choose file.
4. Make sure you are up to date on you Maya software.   I have found issues in 2011 until updating to the current service pack!
5. You cannot import files that start in a number — Example 1audiotrack.wav.

That’s it for now.  Find great clips and animate your heart out.

CraigBowman

Many animators new to 3D spend countless hours searching for the magic button in maya that will make there animations look good.

I found it .…… it is right here:

Seriously?.….all joking aside. IT DOESN’T EXIST!  .…. Being an animator is being an artist! And, in being an artist you must explore — make decisions — and have fun!

Three scenarios usually occur:

1.) The animator jumps in and starts tweeking curves before they have a strong foundation of keyframes.
2.) They Key frame too much and end up with “poppy” /  “clicky” animation that needs a lot of fixing and cleaning up.
3.) They open the graph editor after keying framing and get scared, then close the graph editor because they don’t want to mess anything up.

Here are few key strategies to combat these situations:

1.) Make sure you really understand the mechanics of the action that you are trying to create.  Act it out if possible! Use reference when you can.
2.) Make sure each pass is as solid as possible realizing that nothing is set in stone.  Refinement is the name of the game.  As Frank thomas said, “At the end, the character should be doing quite well without you — thank you!“
3.) After the first pass, work with the graph editor open!  Seeing the curves as you explore will help you to understand what is going on.

In order to help demystify Maya’s World I invite you to watch the following video:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Now that you have more understanding of Maya’s World and Directions watch this video about Timing & Mass:

Click here to view the embedded video.

On to another example that deals with curve patterns, Rotations vs. Translation and Accelerations:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Pendulums (Energy being used up & Overlap)

Click here to view the embedded video.

Whips (Favoring Breakdowns, Breaking Tangents, & Proper Curve Progression)

Click here to view the embedded video.

That’s it for this post.  I hope these help to demystify the graph editor somewhat. Just remember that exploring these tools and trying different things out is your best bet in becoming more comfortable.

Craig

A CardBoard Box Affair

This animation exercise is part of a series of assignments I will be giving my students.  Being able to animate action that feels completely natural can provide very useful lessons in physics.  In order for an animator to be successful in this assignment they must have a good understanding of Newton’s Laws. They must work to create a natural sense of timing.  They must create multiple subtle variations of force based on height and interactions between the falling boxes.  They will explore cause and effect and overlapping actions as well as the rest of the principles of animation.  It also serves as an exercise in animating an object that bounces and settles in like a ball yet has corners and edges.

Final Render

The first pass has been keyed with an even timing on fours. Curve Interpolations at this point are set to STEPPED.  All I’m looking for during this pass is the basic elements needed to tell my story. The motion at this point is at it’s most primitive level.  Your Keyframes should communicate the (Beginning/Middle/End).  This is called Blocking in the Animation.

Pass 1 — Stepped

For the next steps the principles that need to be developed are:

• Timing - Ease In Ease Out — Arcs — Settle In
  

Pass 2 — Linear

My second pass now contains all of the contacts.  I have changed my curve interpolation to Linear.  I like moving into this type of curve calculation because it helps me to see the timing of the actions in it’s base form.

With a constant rate of change: If the character/object seems to move to quickly then the keys that I have set need to be spaced out so that the action will happen over a longer period of time.  Remember.… If a key had a voice it would say: “Be in this position at this point in time”. If the character/object seems to be moving to slowly, then the keyframes need to be brought close together in time.

First Edit: I changed the timing in the beginning by compressing the first few keyframes so that they are in twos.

Second Edit: Added Keys for the top box to hit the corner in the back then the first edge and then flat. Made the settle in faster by changing the timing to two frames for the last hit and stopping point.

Third Edit: Added a few keys to the middle box for the extra corner impacts and a few slight rotation and distance tweeks.  The timing for the impact to the stopping point was sped up so that the keyframes are on twos.

Fourth Edit: Went back and extended the first frame of the top box so that it is on 8eights for a long ease out.  Not happy with the rate of fall.  It should drop harder because it starts out higher than the middle box.

Pass-2a

Fifth Edit: Move the top box keys for the first hit and the settle in onto twos and ones for intial look of a harder hit..

Pass — 2b

Principles to Focus on:

1.) Timing
2.) Anticipations

Principles to be developed further:

1.) Continue developing timing
2.) Ease In / Ease Out — Hard In / Hard Out
3.) Arcs
4.) Overlapping actions

Pass 3 — Spline/Plateau

I have decided to start keying in the box flaps secondary movement.  I have been spending a fair amount of time getting the right timing and overlap for them to feel natural.  I am stopping to put in the breakdowns for the boxes.  Then I will continue to tweek the box flaps.  Notice the pop that happened with the bottom box flap… This is ok at this point because I will convert to spline later and tweek further.

Breakdowns:

I have put in my breakdowns and have decided to go subtle with them.  This is supposed to be a natural box fall and settle in.  If there was to be more character I’d push them further but for now I’m leaving them where they are.  I have converted to plateau to see how things look… Still looks  good so now it’s time to overlap some be offsetting keys and breaking some tangents to get things to accelerate into the contacts…..

• Overlapped to create small slides and the end of the boxes settle in.
• Eased up on the bottom box with it’s rotation and slide… about half the distance and turn…
• Added a keyframe to extend the breakdown on the top box… this give a little hang time…..
• Offset the box flaps in on the bottom box because they needed more overlap and they were tweening…

Pass — 3a

• Overlapped the middle boxes star of its fall two frames later….. feels better.

Cardboard Box – Pass 4

Now it’s time for the curve tweeking process.  I went in and broke tangents that I did not want to ease in.  Generally you would do this for any motion that needs to me a medium or fast acceleration into an impact.  I created some overshoot by pulling tangents and allowing it to accelerate through a key and then return to a then next. Some tangents will be flat between two keys… I didn’t want for it to hold still but to be more of a moving hold…. Example: The top box holds a little before falling.

Pass — 4

Pass –4a (curve tweeked)

• Still see something that I don’t like on the bottom box flaps.  Need to look closer at that.
• Fixed the flaps for now and then pushed the hold on the middle box for two frames.  I think I’m going to let this right for now.

Pass — 4B

• Next, to see if there are any inter-penetrations.  I found a few to fix!

Finished

Final Render is at the top of this post.…. Enjoy!

Craig Bowman