Week 11 Lab 1 - Keyframes

This is how i create a simple animation of a ball bouncing in Maya.

Process

Exercise 1

First, I click on the ball and set a keyframe at 1.

Then, at the frame 72, I moved the ball to the edge of the table and then set a keyframe there. Then, i went back to frame 1 and played the animation. The ball went right through the fence.

I then moved to frame 34 where the ball is right in the middle of the fence. I then moved the ball upwards and then set a keyframe there. When I played the animation, the ball now travels in a smooth arc across the table.

I then switched to frame 50 and moved the ball so that it would be touching the table. I then set a keyframe and moved to frame 60. This time, I moved the ball upwards a little and set a keyfraem there. When i played the animation, it looks as if the ball bounces off the table and then bounces out. Also, when the ball bounces, it looks as if the ball slides off the table.

I then opened the graph editor and then made the tangents linear. This made the bounce look more sharp and linear, making it more realistic.

This is the result of my bouncing ball:

Exercise 2

First, I created a red bowling ball in Maya, by creating a sphere and then using booleans - difference to difference several cylinders in it to make the holes.

Then, I moved the bowling ball to a high point and set a keyframe at frame 1.

After placing the bowling ball at several high and low points, this is how my animation graph looks like. The animation was a bit shabby at first, so i tweaked the animation here and there by manipulating the animation graph.

This is the result of my bowling ball animation:

Techniques

I have learnt how to set keyframes in this lesson.

I have also learnt how to use the animation graph to help make my animation looks more sharp and realistic.

Also, I learnt how to playblast the maya file into a movie.

Reflection

This exercise was rather fun to do.

Although my bowling ball animation might have screwed up a little, I still think I learnt alot in this exercise.

I have also realised how hard it is to make animations look realistic. This is because the physics of the animation will never be perfect, and that timing is also crucial.

References

Maya Online Help