Basic Animation Using Keyframes

From TOI-Pedia


This tutorial will cover basics of creating a simple animation in Autodesk maya using keyframes. Topics that are covered are the timeline, frames per second (fps) and setting and removing keys.

Download scene files here. File:Cubes.zip (Only works in Maya 2009, older versions will give an error message)

Use the cubes.mb for this tutorial.

Setup your scene

Fist we are going to setup the scene before animating. Click on Window, settings/prefrences, prefrences.

The Preferences Window is now active.

Click on the Categories Settings.

Set the option Time on Pal (25 fps) (Euro iso film speed) Click on Save to save your settings.

PrefrencesWindow.jpg

Click and hold the right mouse button on the Timeline.

Select Playback Speed and choose Real-time.

Timeline setting.jpg

Set Pivot

Before we can begin animating, we have to set the pivot of the objects at the right place. We are doing this because we want change the way the Cubes move.

Click on MotherCube (big yellow cube) and move the Pivot, as described below. Do the samething with the LittleCubes.

SetPivot.jpg

For CarCube (big grey cube) move the Pivot, as described below

SetCarPivot.jpg

We are now ready to begin animating the cubes.

Keying MotherCube

First we are going to key the basic movement of MotherCube.

Select MotherCube and make sure that the Timeslider is on the first frame.

Press the S key to set a keyframe. This is the begin Frame for the animation of MotherCube.

Frame 5: Slide the slider on the TimeLine to frame 5.

TimesliderM1-5.jpg

Activate the Move tool and move MotherCube first foreward and then straight up.

Press the S key to set the keyframe on the Timeline.

MoveMeend1-5.jpg

Frame 10: Slide the Timeslider to frame 10

TimesliderM5-10.jpg

Activate the Move tool and move MotherCube first straight down and then forward.

Press the S key to set the keyframe on the Timeline.

MoveMeend5-10.jpg

Repeat the last two steps ones more. Try to get MotherCube to this position.

Use frames 15, 20.

MoveMeend15-20.jpg

If you clik and hold the left mouse button on the Timeslider you can scroll through you animation.

To play you animation just click on the play button.


To get more movement out of your animation we have to create an extra key in-between the existing keys that we have created.

We are going to create animation keys with rotation.


Slide the slider to frame 3.

TimesliderM1-3-5.jpg

Activate the Rotate tool. Rotate MotherCube forward around the Z axis.

Press the S key to set the keyframe on the Timeline.

RotateMeend1-3-5.jpg

Slide the slider to frame 8.

TimesliderM5-8-10.jpg

Activate the Rotate tool. Rotate MotherCube backward around the Z axis.

Press the S key to set the keyframe on the Timeline.

RotateMeend5-8-10.jpg

Frame 13:

Activate the Rotate tool. Rotate MotherCube forward around the Z axis.

Frame 18:

Activate the Rotate tool. Rotate MotherCube backward around the Z axis.

Keying LittleCube1

Now we are going to key the basic movement of LittleCube1.

Select LittleCube1 and set the Timeline slider on frame 8. That is the begin frame of the animation of LittleCube1.

Press the S key to set the keyframe on the Timeline.

The animation of littleCube 1 starts later on the Timeline then the animation of MotherCube.

Create the next frames as described below.

TimeSliderLittleCube1.jpg

Frame 13: Forward, up

Frame 18: Down, Forward

Frame 23: Forward, up

Frame 28: Down, Forward

Frame 33: Forward, up

Frame 38: Down, Forward

MoveLittleCube1.jpg

Now we are going to create an extra keyframe in between the excisting keyframes, in the same way as MotherCube.

Create the next frames as described below.

TimeSliderRotateLittleCube1.jpg

Frame 10: Rotate-forward

Frame 15: Rotate-backward

Frame 20: Rotate-forward

Frame 25: Rotate-backward

Frame 30: Rotate-forward

Frame 35: Rotate-backward

Keying LittleCube2

Now we are going to key the basic movement of LittleCube2.

The animation of littleCube 2 starts later on the Timeline then the animation of LittleCube1.

Select LittleCube2 and set the Timeline slider on frame 10. That is the begin frame of the animation of LittleCube2.

Press the S key to set the keyframe on the Timeline.

Create the next frames as described below

TimeSliderMoveLittleCube2.jpg

Frame 15: Forward, up

Frame 20: Down, Forward

Frame 25: Forward, up

Frame 30: Down, Forward

Frame 35: Forward, up

Frame 40: Down, Forward

Now we are going to create an extra keyframe in between the excisting keyframes

Create the next frames as described below

TimeSliderRotateLittleCube2.jpg

Frame 12: Rotate-forward

Frame 17: Rotate-backward

Frame 22: Rotate-forward

Frame 27: Rotate-backward

Frame 32: Rotate-forward

Frame 37: Rotate-backward

Keying LittleCube3

Now we are going to key the basic movement of LittleCube3.

Select LittleCube3 and set the Timeline slider on frame 10. That is the begin frame of the animation of LittleCube3.

Press the S key to set the keyframe on the Timeline.

Create the next frames as described below.

TimeSliderMoveLittleCube3.jpg

Frame 17: Forward, up

Frame 22: Down, Forward

Frame 27: Forward, up

Frame 32: Down, Forward

Frame 37: Forward, up

Frame 42: Down, Forward

Now we are going to create an extra keyframe in between the excisting keyframes

Create the next frames as described below.

TimeSliderRotateLittleCube3.jpg

Frame 14: Rotate-forward

Frame 19: Rotate-backward

Frame 24: Rotate-forward

Frame 29: Rotate-backward

Frame 34: Rotate-forward

Frame 39: Rotate-backward

Keying CarCube

Now we have to animate the CarCube. The Carcube is going to make a slowing down movement.

CarcubeTopView.jpg

Key the CarCube as is sown in the above picture.

The CarCube is driving fast and is lowing down rapidly.

We are now going to create an extra key so that the car tilts at the end of the animation.

Frame 20:

Rotate the Carcube, around the X axis.

CarcubeRotate20.jpg

Frame 24:

Rotate the Carcube a bit more, around the X axis.

CarcubeRotate24.jpg

Frame 27:

Rotate the Carcube a little back down towards the ground, around the X axis.

CarcubeRotate27.jpg

Frame 30:

Rotate the Carcube al the way back on the ground, around the X axis.

CarcubeRotate30.jpg

For more cartoony animation we can use the ScaleTool for a little bit squash and stretch movement in the CarCube animation.

Click on the CarCube object and activate the ScaleTool.

Frame 20:

Scale the Carcube so that it is squashed a bit.

CarcubeScale20.jpg

Frame 24:

Scale the Carcube so that it is squashed a bit more.

CarcubeScale24.jpg

MotherCube looks at CarCube

Now we are going to animate MotherCube so that she is looking at CarCube when he’s almost crashing in to her.

Because we have used the S key for setting Keyframe on the Timeslider every channel (Translation, Rotation, Scale) has already an in put.

If We going to make a Rotating movement on a Frame in the next Frame that is already set the object is going to rotate to these values.

At this moment we don’t want that.

To let MotherCube look at CarCube we have to Rotate on the Y Axis.

We have to break the connections in the Channelbox on Rotate Y.

Click on MotherCube. Open the ChannelBox.

Right click on Rotate Y and hold down th right mouse button.

Highlight Break Connections.

Breakconnections.jpg

Now the Rotate Y can be animated.

Frame 10:

Press S to set a Key for the beginning of the animation.

Frame 15:

Rotate a bit in Y in the direction of CarCube.

MotherCubeRotateY15.jpg

Frame 20:

Rotate a bit more in Y in the direction of CarCube.

MotherCubeRotateY20.jpg

Frame 22:

Press S to set a Key.

Frame 26:

Rotate so that MotherCube tilts backwards.

MotherCubeRotate26.jpg

Where going to give MotherCube a cartoony look with a little bit of squash and stretch movement in the animation.

Activate the ScaleTool.

Frame 5:

On this frame MotherCube is on the highest point of the jump. Scale MotherCube so that she is a bit longer.

Frame 10:

On this point MotherCube is on the ground. Scale MotherCube so that she is shorter.

Frame 15:

Again we are at the highest point of the jump. Scale MotherCube so that she is a bit longer.

Frame 20:

On this point MotherCube is on the ground. Scale MotherCube so that she is shorter.

Frame 26:

On this point MotherCube is in shock. Scale MotherCube so that she is longer.

Frame 31:

On this point there is no danger. Rotate MotherCube a bit foreward.

MotherCubeRotate31.jpg

Frame 35:

Rotate MotherCube all the way back to standing position. Scale MotherCube back to Normal proportion.

MotherCubeRotate35.jpg

Squash and Stretch LittleCubes

Now we are going to give the LittleCubes squash and stretch animation in there jumps.


Squash and Stretch LittleCube1

Select LittleCube1

Frame 13:

On this frame LittleCube1 is on the highest point of the jump. Scale LittleCube1 so that he is a bit longer.

Frame 18:

On this point LittleCube1 is on the ground. Scale LittleCube1 so that he is shorter.

Frame 23:

On this frame LittleCube1 is on the highest point of the jump. Scale LittleCube1 so that he is a bit longer.

Frame 28:

On this point LittleCube1 is on the ground. Scale LittleCube1 so that he is shorter.

Frame 33:

On this frame LittleCube1 is on the highest point of the jump. Scale LittleCube1 so that he is a bit longer.

Frame 38:

On this point LittleCube1 is on the ground. Scale LittleCube1 so that he is shorter.

Frame 30:

On this point LittleCube has stopped Jumping. Scale LittleCube so he is normal again.

This content requires Adobe Flash Player.

Squash and Stretch LittleCube2

Select LittleCube2

Frame 15:

On this frame LittleCube2 is on the highest point of the jump. Scale LittleCube2 so that he is a bit longer.

Frame 20:

On this point LittleCube2 is on the ground. Scale LittleCube2 so that he is shorter.

Frame 25:

On this frame LittleCube2 is on the highest point of the jump. Scale LittleCube2 so that he is a bit longer.

Frame 30:

On this point LittleCube2 is on the ground. Scale LittleCube2 so that he is shorter.

Frame 35:

On this frame LittleCube2 is on the highest point of the jump. Scale LittleCube2 so that he is a bit longer.

Frame 38:

On this point LittleCube2 is on the ground. Scale LittleCube2 so that he is shorter.

Frame 42:

On this point LittleCube has stopped Jumping. Scale LittleCube so he is normal again

This content requires Adobe Flash Player.

Squash and Stretch LittleCube3

Select LittleCube3

Frame 17:

On this frame LittleCube3 is on the highest point of the jump. Scale LittleCube3 so that he is a bit longer.

Frame 22:

On this point LittleCube3 is on the ground. Scale LittleCube3 so that he is shorter.

Frame 27:

On this frame LittleCube3 is on the highest point of the jump. Scale LittleCube3 so that he is a bit longer.

Frame 32:

On this point LittleCube3 is on the ground. Scale LittleCube3 so that he is shorter.

Frame 37:

On this frame LittleCube3 is on the highest point of the jump. Scale LittleCube3 so that he is a bit longer.

Frame 42:

On this point LittleCube3 is on the ground. Scale LittleCube3 so that he is shorter.

Frame 44:

On this point LittleCube has stopped Jumping. Scale LittleCube so he is normal again.

This content requires Adobe Flash Player.

Playblast animation.

We can make a playblast of the animation that we have created.

You have the option to save your animation as a film format or watch it directly in a Movieplayer software package.

Click and hold the right mouse button on the TimeLine.

Select the Playblast option box.

PlayblastSelect.jpg

Use these stetting if you want to watch the animation directly in a Movieplayer.

PlayblastOptionBox.jpg

Use these settings for saving a Video File.

PlayblastOptionBox02.jpg

Create a Movie file name and you use the browse option to select a directory where you want to put the file in.

You can choose your own Compression format by clicking on the Compression button.

Then choose the compression format.

PlayblastCompressOptionBox.jpg

The default settings should be ok in this case.

This Tutorial is going to stop at this point.

You can tweak your animation or add key frames to your liking.

Happy animating!

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