Advanced Animation

23/04/2025 - 28/05/2025 / Week 1 - Week 6

Wang Yifan / 0368363

Advanced Animation / Bachelor of Design (Honours) in Creative Media /

Taylors University

Exercises

INTRODUCTION

LECTURE

Week 1:Miro Board

Fig 2.1 Week 1 Miro Board

Week 2: Lecture Slides

Fig 2.2 Week 2 Lecture Slides

Week 2 Miro Board

Fig 2.3 Week 2 Miro Board

Week 3: Lecture Slides

Fig 2.4 Week 3 Lecture Slides

Week 5: Lecture Slides

Fig 2.5 Week 5 Lecture Slides

Week 5 Miro Board

Exercise 1: Bouncing Ball Animation

In the first exercise, we need to find references and observe the difference of each ball's physical property (football, ping pong and bowling) and its weight. Then, we should analyse how does it affect:

The timing and travel distance of each bounce (Contact pose to Contact pose)
The overall timing that determines the number of bounces
The height of each Up pose when it bounces

Reference for different bouncing ball:

Football - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=01cm7H1QoJg
Ping Pong - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTsx5eW2eLU
Bowling ball - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTz_5quG_ig
Beach ball - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s74P1ejubEA

Reference before production

Reference

Animation Workflow in Blender

For the normal one (football), we did it in class with Mr Kamal in week 2. We learned how to insert keyframes, locate the ball, adjust the arcs in graph editor.

I followed the animation principle and constrained the ball's motion path through Bezier curves. After observing the shape changes and movement speed of the ball, I controlled the offset of the key frame of the ball in the following path to adjust the ball's motion path and speed. I also adjusted the shape changes of different types of balls in motion to reflect the characteristics of the balls.

A. Football (Normal Weight)

Features: Light, moderate bounce, gradual deceleration
Process:

Multiple bounce points plotted along the Bézier path
Maintained near-constant shape with minimal deformation
Used offset keyframes to reduce speed over time
Slight rotation added for realism

Description:
The soccer ball shows balanced bouncing with minimal deformation. I kept the form stable while adding slight rotation and decreasing bounce to create a natural and sporty motion.

Football (Normal Weight) - Arcs

Keyframes of soccer ball

Final Bouncing Football Animation

B) Ping Pong Ball (Light)

Features: Fast, high bounce, sharp contact

Process:

Tight Bézier curve with steep arcs and short intervals
No squash and stretch to reflect hard surface
High-frequency keyframes to simulate fast rebounds
Minimal rotation, focusing on vertical movement

Description:
The ping pong ball bounces quickly and lightly. I used steep curves and dense keyframes to capture its rapid response and hard-surface dynamics, creating a crisp and energetic motion.

Ping Pong Ball (Light) - Arcs

Keyframes of Ping Pong

Final Bouncing Ping Pong Ball Animation

C) Bowling Ball (Heavy)

Features: Heavy, low bounce, strong impact

Process:

Smooth Bézier curve with short arcs and heavy spacing
Barely visible squash to express weight
Slow timing with extended contact moments
Subtle rolling after each bounce

Description:

The bowling ball animation focuses on its weight. I reduced the bounce height, slowed the motion, and added slight deformation to convey heaviness and realism.

Bowling Ball (Heavy) - Arcs

Keyframes of Bowling Ball

Final Bouncing Bowling Ball Animation

D) Beach Ball (Super Light)

Features: Light, floaty bounce, soft impact

Process:

Wide Bézier arcs with slow keyframe spacing
Gentle squash and stretch during contact
Slower descent to simulate air resistance
Slight rotation and offset movement for playfulness

Description:
The beach ball feels airy and playful. I emphasized slow bouncing and added squash/stretch to show its softness, making the movement feel light and whimsical.

Beach Ball (Super Light) - Arcs

Keyframe of Beach Ball

Final Bouncing Beach Ball Animation

E) Squash and Stretch

Features: Elastic, exaggerated bounce, dynamic timing
Process:

Large squash and stretch keyframes at contact and lift-off
Fast, energetic rebounds with offset spacing
Dramatic motion arcs for visual appeal
Strong timing contrast between stretch and squash

Description:
This ball is designed to clearly demonstrate squash and stretch. I exaggerated the deformation and bounce height to show elasticity and cartoon-like energy in motion.

Squash and Stretch ball Progress

Final Squash and Stretch Animation

Compilation

Compilation of bouncing ball animation

Exercise 2: Pendulum Animation

Objective：

This exercise aims to create a smooth, believable pendulum swing using the provided rig. I focused on the animation principles such as drag, overlapping, follow-through, and timing to replicate the natural movement of a swinging pendulum.

To begin with, I studied the pendulum rig structure in Blender and planned the swinging movement frame by frame. I observed how the bottom ball of the pendulum always trails behind the top, and how the motion gradually slows down.

keyframe

I started by blocking out the main poses of the pendulum, then added in-betweens to simulate drag and follow-through. The keyframes were set for each joint, and the arc of movement was maintained smoothly.
To refine the timing, I used the “Ease In/Ease Out” interpolation.

Easing mode

At the beginning of the swing, I applied a small backward force to simulate inertia before the forward motion. This helps to show anticipation and makes the movement more expressive.

Keyframes

Final Pendulum Animation

Final Pendulum Animation

EXERCISE 3 : Emotion Pose

We are tasked to download any of the character rigs for the exercise. We should explore and understand the rigs. Then, find image/video reference for action poses that show these emotions (happy, sad, angry and scared) We should observe the reference by spotting the key or storytelling pose and its dynamic. Next, we draw from our study of the pose to show:

Reference

First of all, I found different references on the emotions. I observed and study the poses and later drew them out.

Reference - Happy

Reference - Sad

Reference - Angry

Reference - Scared

Sketch

I sketched out the posture based on each reference. Then, I created another sketch by changing a bit of direction and angle to create a clear silhouette and exaggerated pose.

Scared pose sketch

Angry pose sketch

Sad pose sketch

Happy pose sketch

Execution

Happy

For the first pose, Jump of Joy, I raised the spine and lifted both arms into a wide “Y” shape to show celebration. One leg was bent off the ground, while the other stayed down for balance. The body formed an “S” curve to add motion and energy. The face had wide eyes, lifted eyebrows, and a big smile to enhance the joyful feeling. I chose a low camera angle to emphasize the jumping motion.

Process of posing (happy pose)

Manually adjusting the facial expression

Sad

The second pose, Collapse Down, showed exhaustion and defeat. I bent the torso down close to the floor and used IK controllers to place the knees and hands on the ground naturally. The pose leaned forward, with the head lowered, giving a heavy and tired impression. I added a sad expression with closed eyes and a relaxed mouth to show emotional fatigue.

Process of posing (sad pose)

Manually adjusting the facial expression

Angry

In the third pose, Angry Shout, I rotated the torso and placed the legs in a wide, stable stance. The arms were bent and fists clenched to show tension. I shaped the face with furrowed brows, wide eyes, and an open mouth to show yelling. The body twist and expression worked together to communicate strong anger.

Process of posing (angry pose)

Manually adjusting the facial expression

Scared

Finally, for the Fear Reaction pose, I had the character hunch forward slightly and cover both ears with the hands. The head was turned down and to the side, suggesting fear or panic. The facial expression showed wide eyes, raised brows, and an open mouth, adding to the emotion. The pose was tight and inward, creating a sense of anxiety.

Process of posing (Scared pose)

Manually adjusting the facial expression

Final Exercise 3: Good Poses

Final Good Poses - Happy

Final Good Poses - Sad

Final Good Poses - Angry

Final Good Poses - Scared

Line of Action - Silhouette - Final Pose

REFLECTION

Exercise 1:

This was my first time animating in Blender, and the bouncing ball exercise helped me understand the basic principles of timing, spacing, and squash and stretch. I tested different types of balls, such as a ping pong ball, beach ball, and bowling ball, and observed how each behaved differently due to weight and material. Through adjusting the keyframes, I learned how the spacing of the ball’s motion can affect its perceived speed and impact. Adding squash on contact and stretch during the fall helped bring life and realism to the animation. It was a simple task, but it gave me a strong foundation for understanding animation physics.

Exercise 2:

The pendulum animation allowed me to explore the concept of “follow through” and overlapping action. I worked on animating the swinging motion of a pendulum with an extended tail, which required more attention to timing and secondary motion. I realized that the base movement needs to be smooth and consistent, while the tail has to lag behind and catch up gradually to show weight and drag. It was challenging at first to balance the main movement and the delayed response, but through this task, I understood how subtle offsets in motion create more natural and believable movement. This exercise improved my skill in refining arcs and easing transitions.

Exercise 3:

In this final task, I focused on posing a character to express clear emotional states such as joy, collapse, anger, and fear. I learned how to use body posture, silhouette, and facial expressions to communicate emotion without any motion. I paid close attention to the line of action and how to exaggerate body language for better storytelling. This task helped me think more like an animator and less like a static modeler. It also made me more confident using rig controls and posing the character in a way that feels dynamic and expressive. I now better understand how much storytelling power a single pose can hold.

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Wang Yifan (0368363)