Floating Robot Energy Ball Throw Animation [C+C][WIP]

[heyguy]

Hey all! Here's a new version of the animation. I had a lot of help from the wayofthepixel Slack chat. I also switched over from Photoshop to Graphicsgale. I'm a lot happier with the up and down movement in the beginning. Now I'm having an issue with the right most arm during the wind-up. The arm pose seems weird or the position of the hand seem off. Maybe the arm should hyper-extend in the other direction to look more extreme? I'm detailing the new arms animation and I'm going to shift some of the hues too.

[MysteryMeat]

That actually looks super nice, dude! Long as you can keep the shapes proper that could be excellent!
EDIT: sorry, bit loopy from the heat. To put this in more understandable terms, be sure you keep proportions and the shapes composing the character standard. As a rule you don't want to put too much squashandstretch onto mechanized objects, as it makes them seem to "lifelike."
Fun Trivia Tidbit: this is actually why the titular Iron Giant in the movie The Iron Giant was rendered in oldschool CG, the animators were having a really hard time giving the character CHARACTER while keeping him rigid enough to stay believable as a big honkin' robot.

Try connecting up the arms with the body here and see if that still looks good, if not it's all a matter of tweaking it until it's believable.

[heyguy]

Hey guys! Just a small update. Still working on this and I think I'm close. Animation, flow, arm movement is done. Now I'm outlining the arms, cleaning the line work and cleaning up the torso. It's hard pixeling and getting the arm proportions just right! After finishing the basic shading, I need to work on the colors and add some hues to the shading next. I'd appreciate any critique. Thanks folks!

[MysteryMeat]

Nothing major this go around, I'd say make the arms-raise-up a frame shorter and add a smear to the lowering animation so it looks snappier perhaps

[heyguy]

New update! Thanks for suggesting to add a smear, it adds a lot. I've polished up a lot of the line work and shading too. I think I'm happy with most of the movement except...now I have a problem the left most arm during the wind-up. I think the gray arm might be moving or positioned in an odd way.

I've noticed another thing that's bothering me. It's the way the robot transitions from his upward rocket thrust to his wind-up/ throw charge. He clicks/jerks/flashes between those position. I need to find a way to make it smoother but I don't want to draw anymore frames of animation. A shift in the position of the robot might do the trick?

What does everyone think of the animation thus far? How's the proportions and foreshortening of the arms and hands working? Hows the shading coming out so far? I thinking it's finally time I start really working on the shading and color. The small animation issues I have seem easily fixable.

[MysteryMeat]

I'd say it's the circular motion, I'd stop it at the topmost part of it's animation and have it stay up, then bob down a bit before the toss.
remove the round motion entirely after the raise

[heyguy]

New update! I've added an arm shake to that circular arm movement. I actually like the circular arm movement though so I tweaked it a little bit. I think the circular movement looks a little more realistic and dynamic. But I think the shake looks better though. Ok, I really think I'm done with the animation! There's just some line work I need to correct on shaking arm.

I've also changed the color palette again and shading again. Right now I'm trying to simplify some of the shading on the torus-like base. I think my plan is to create a blue-green/red-orange color palette contrasting robot.

ArmSpin

ArmShake


edit: p.s. I could really use some critique and advice on the shading and palette. Thanks everyone!

edit edit: I added a tweak in the beginning that I think makes the animation flow better.

[MysteryMeat]

Excellent work, my dude! Looks great!

[heyguy]

Working on an idle animation for this guy. Here's what I've got so far. I think I'm satisfied with it. Gotta work on the shading still. Any thoughts or critiques?

[MysteryMeat]

Looks alright to me, just needs refinement so the shading's not jumping about on the arms