New concept toon, need C&C and some advice :)

[misterx]

Below are my first try at making a toon for my game.





As its my first try I used a pic from my little girls computer, one that she was using as a background on her desk top, as a basic model. (no idea where she got it from, I think a friend drew it for her)

So Since I cant draw, I kept the basic shape but changed the shorts to pants, changed his hair and tee shirt. and shoes. Also I had to reduce size alot and cleaned up around the edges.

But with it being only one pic from the front I have tried to make a Back view.

Now I need some Major help and advice on how to make this toon walk and how to make side views, again needs to be step by step help and pointers as I am new to art programs and as I cant draw :)

Also what do you think, would he make a good main character.....

[Minimi]

Yes, it would be a good main character, if he could do his arms out of his pockets !

Well, you did this pretty good, the result is very nice, and to animate you have to learn something about the walk of a human, im right now making ripping an tutorial for you, from the help file of my 3dstudiomax, wich explains this. Ill be posting this very soon... hang on!

[misterx]

ok how does that arm look, and thanks so much for all your help, a tutorial would be great..

Ok back to working on other arm < and back view for arm >

[Minimi]

that hand just looks fine, but it would be even better for a main char. to have open hand! though you made it look good!

[Minimi]

here it is the tutorial... every piece of text is about the next guy on the picture... so alinea 1 about the first guy...etc



1. CONTACT
For convenience, the contact pose at frame 0 is already keyframed. This will give you a head start. Notice the foot positions. As you enter each pose pay great attention to the positions of the feet. If they are off at all, your character will appear to float, thus breaking the illusion of life.

2. RECOIL
On the recoil pose, weight is being shifted to the stepping foot. The stepping foot becomes planted on the ground while the rear foot begins to lift off the ground.

3. LIFT
During the lift pose the character begins to push himself up using his planted foot. The waist lifts upward slightly, and the rear foot begins to come forward as it begins the next step.

4. HIGHPOINT
This is the first high point of the walk cycle. The character reaches the highest point in his walk. In this pose, his waist will rise as his rear leg passes the planted left leg.

5. RISING
During the rising pose, the rear leg now becomes the front stepping leg. The character's body lowers slightly as the rear leg is lowering the body into the next step.

6. CONTACT
Now the walk cycle enters a contact pose. This is basically the same contact pose as the first one; however the right leg is now stepping on the ground as the left leg begins to lift.

7. RECOIL
This is the second recoil pose in the walk cycle. The weight is being shifted to Right foot. The right foot becomes planted on the ground while the left foot begins to lift off the ground.

8. LIFT
During the lift pose, the character begins to push itself up using its planted right foot. The waist lifts upward slightly, and the left foot begins to come forward as it begins the next step.

9. HIGHPOINT
This is the second high point of the walk cycle. The character reaches the highest point in his walk cycle. In this pose, his waist will rise as his left leg passes the planted right leg.

10. RISING
During the rising pose, the left leg becomes the front stepping leg. The character's body lowers slightly as the right leg moves into the next step.

11. CONTACT
This contact pose is the same as the first contact pose in the walk cycle. This is the point at which the loop begins.

So this is just to show you how to animate in actually 10 pictures a very nice animation of walking I hope this will help you!

[Meowster]

Minimi, have I recently mentioned how much I love you?

[Minimi]

no, do you?

[misterx]

great tutorial, but i just cant seem to get this toon to walk...

My drawing skills are rubbish, if anyone would like to have a good at turning this toon into a sprite sheet be my quest  

[Neole]

Great character! I personally like hands in pocket.