Two CRUCIAL Weight Animation Tips

[@Animationcafe]

thanks for the tutorial) i'm just animating a similar scene and was thinking what to constrain to would be more convenient)

[@jeandenishaas]

You’re welcome!

[@hamedsaffari2280]

Very interesting. I think the subject of "Force in animation" can be very essential and interesting for animators. In some physical actions like lifting, pushing, pulling and hanging the ability to show the force is really important . And thanks for every second of video you make.

[@jeandenishaas]

Thank YOU for taking the time to watch my videos!

[@boki1504]

Awesome tip. I am used to point constraining the objects to the limbs so that rotation dont affect it as much. But then I spend time fighting the body in order to keep the appearance of weight. Anyway, awesome work !

[@jeandenishaas]

Bojan Andonovski It’s tricky to convey weight either way! And thanks!!

[@Crane-mj5el]

JD...I really like your creative workshop pitches....

[@jeandenishaas]

Mr. Crane 😁

[@Katia-dh8hc]

Great tips, I have not even think about it before. Thank you for sharing.

[@jeandenishaas]

Katia Maricheva You’re very welcome!

[@veronicaplante2332]

Thank you so SO much for making this FNA series! I'm getting back into doing 3D animation after not doing it for a few years (took time to focus on developing other skills before deciding which skillset I want to pursue specifically), and this series has been sooo helpful for shaking off the rust and dust. There's still a lot I have to refresh on, especially workflow, so I'll probably be binging this series over the next few days...

[@jeandenishaas]

Veronica Plante That’s great to hear! Happy binging!

[@MicahBuzanANIMATION]

These are really good tips even for 2D animation.

[@jeandenishaas]

Glad you like them!

[@nickkuan6520]

You could also switch the IK hand to world space. And you can still animate the hand control with the same result. I personally do not like to animate objects unless a specific pivot point is needed.

[@jeandenishaas]

Absolutely! There are many other ways!

[@AdrenResi]

about that second point, I think that making the hands slip would be more convincing because your suggestion would just make you break your back if you do that irl

[@jeandenishaas]

The second point is about how arms being forward takes away from the sense of weight. Slipping hands is a nice detail but the arms would still rotate closer to the body because of gravity.

[@bigboss9150]

Super clever tips! Especially the constraint one

[@jeandenishaas]

Thanks!

[@nimaxo2012]

Great Tip. Thanks Jean.

[@jeandenishaas]

Glad it’s helpful!

[@francescaa8331]

This is excellent instruction. It's the difference between a concrete block and a cardboard box. All the things you discuss.... line of sight, micro expressions, poses, weight, very important. The audience always notices things when they're off, consciously or subconsciously. These details matter if you want to a polished production.

[@jeandenishaas]

Francesca S Thank you!

[@Krentiles]

Great tip. Thanks

[@jeandenishaas]

Magnificent Sure thing!

[@HellionRex]

When you're lifting something heavy in, what is essentially a deadlift, you wouldn't lift it off the ground and then bring it in to the body, you'd bring the body to the object, so the arms are closer to a 90 degree straight down, straighten your back, and then lift. Anything else is a back injury in the making.

[@jeandenishaas]

HellionRex Absolutely but I’m not talking about the proper form for this tip, it’s about the visuals of lifting a heavy object WITHOUT it coming to the body, making it look like gravity isn’t affecting the lift, the arms being super strong making the object look light, etc. 😁

[@IvoDanielBrito]

Thank you for putting such good content in your channel. Your videos are already helping me improve.

[@jeandenishaas]

You’re very welcome! That’s the hope!

[@paolaabril9250]

Wish I have known this before!!! make so much sense!!

[@jeandenishaas]

I’m glad it does! 😁

[@4yadgar614]

Thanks a lot :)

[@jeandenishaas]

Sure thing!

[@JacobJRRWT]

great tips! thank you!

[@jeandenishaas]

Jacob Thompson Thanks! And you’re welcome!

[@rexildur3266]

Thanks for the tips, JD! , God Bless!

[@jeandenishaas]

Master Indra You’re very welcome!

[@jones3827]

Thanks JD, very helpful

[@jeandenishaas]

sketchijones You’re welcome!

[@cremademanos2945]

This was so helpful!!! I was just about to ask my professor if i should constraint the object to the hand or the other way around, thanks a lot for creating these videos your explanations are so clear ♡

[@jeandenishaas]

Thanks for the kind words!

[@rishabhlaheja7689]

Oh this looks like a much better idea haha, I didn't know this, thanks for passing along the eye opening idea! 😍👌

[@jeandenishaas]

Rishabh Laheja Sure thing!

[@Supinori]

Amazing tips! Thanks a lot

[@jeandenishaas]

You’re very welcome!

[@madjoycreations1652]

Thanks jd you are rocking man, great tips it helps a lot to students

[@jeandenishaas]

That’s the hope!

[@simonpapousek]

Great video, JD!! Love this kind of content!

[@jeandenishaas]

Papo Shimitz Thanks for watching! More like that is coming!

[@cletusmugane]

i love this videos...i am always coming back

[@jeandenishaas]

Thanks!!

[@Hubotnik]

Simple, yet so helpful. Thank you!

[@jeandenishaas]

Hubotnik You’re very welcome!

[@jeandenishaas]

If you find this helpful I have animation workshops for more help! Sign up! spungellaonline.blogspot.com/p/faq.html Let me know if you have any questions about it!

[@acamporota]

Glaf i am not the only one doung spelling mistake😅. Great video, big fan of your channel 😊

[@jeandenishaas]

Alessandro Camporota Hahaha! And thanks!! Same!!

[@harshal792]

Amazing tip! Thank you! On lifting the box, do we keyframe the box or the auto key on the hand controller kicks in? Also, do you teach at AAU? If so, what class do you teach?

[@jeandenishaas]

Thank YOU! I have auto key always on. So if the hand is the driver it will key that and the parented light object would follow and vice versa. And I do teach at the Academy! This fall I should have a cartoony creature class (technically on-site but will be a zoom class) and maybe an advanced animation for the online classes.

[@harshal792]

@@jeandenishaas That clears up a lot! Thank you! I'm in the advanced class this fall. Hopefully, I get to be your student! :D

[@jeandenishaas]

Harshal Ashar You’re welcome! And yes! That would be fun!

[@MrNasirArshad]

I have a quick question, if we simply let the IK arms not to go with the body (follow with body or root) we can simply work with the first technique that is parenting the box with the hand and it will eventually work the same way as your second technique. Correct me if I am wrong, or there's something really handy?

[@jeandenishaas]

Nasir Arshad Yep, that’s also the way! Students just usually put too many keys on characters and less on an object, therefore making it too messy and light. But totally works as well!

[@MrNasirArshad]

@@jeandenishaas Oh yeah, I didn't thought it as a student's perspective. By the way your lectures are blessing for animators. Looking forward to get more insight. Thanks.

[@jeandenishaas]

Nasir Arshad You’re very kind! Thank you!

[@rickruizdana]

Great tips!! Didn't know! Somehow they are very logical, (when you already know them!!) but as Eddie Andersson said, this is something that has to be taught at the beginning, it makes the difference. Thank you for teaching us, JD!

[@jeandenishaas]

Rick Ruiz-Dana You’re very welcome!

[@losaminos59]

Sub! May I know what is the app you are using to write and draw on the screen? Seems very smooth and intuitive.

[@jeandenishaas]

Thanks! And the program is called “Keyframe Pro”, there is more info about it in the description!

[@enderperez-lopezanimations4103]

Thank you for the video J-D!

[@jeandenishaas]

Of course! Thank YOU for watching it!

[@FriedFrogLegsAnimations]

I'm watching your tutorial and I loved it.

[@jeandenishaas]

seth warren production's Thanks!!

[@eddieandersson5570]

Nice one JD. Everyone should be taught this first day in character props interaction animation. BTW what annotation tool are you drawing with? Ohh it's the screeencast o matic isn't it?

[@jeandenishaas]

Eddie Andersson Thanks! And yeah! For clip annotations it’s Keyframe PRO but any other desktop screen capture I use Screencast-O-Matic which has an annotation tool as well.

[@eddieandersson5570]

@@jeandenishaas yeah I saw in the description after I asked and followed the link. I like the shapes arrows and stuff. I have epic pen, but that doesn't have shapes as far as I can remember. I just use it to draw on the Maya screen. It's a bit annoying to use as you have switch back and fourth from pen mode to pointer just to scrub the timeline in Maya.

[@jeandenishaas]

Eddie Andersson I don’t use the shapes most of the times which is silly, gonna change that. Especially the arrow lines.

[@priyankahedaoo1824]

Hi Jean, I'm new bee in 3D animation, so learning every time.. I have a doubt.. As u said to constraint: Select first box than the wrist-- than -- do constraint (parent).Unfortunately, I'm not able to constraint it. it shows Error 0: could not add constraint or connection. Using Mery to lift heavy object (I know she doesn't have muscle ..but still we both are trying 😂) Learning a lot from your video's... Thanks for nice, informative video's … stay healthy and safe.😇

[@jeandenishaas]

Hard to say from here. Does it already have a constraint? Are either rotations or translations locked and not visible in the channel?

[@priyankahedaoo1824]

@@jeandenishaas It's visible... Parenting is working the other way.. like first the wrist ..than object...than do constraint (parent).. But not working for --- first object than the wrist-- than -- do constraint (parent). Before I didn't thought much which comes first and last....😂.. But after seeing this video and explanation.. makes sense to do with first object than wrist.. but it's not happening.. Trying to figure it out.. if any other way to do that constraint plz let me know .. will be great help.. stay healthy and safe.😇

[@aleph-tav]

If you constrain the L_hand to the box, what do I do with the other hand? Can I constraint both hands to the object?

[@jeandenishaas]

You totally can!

[@lawalbolaji3715]

Hey sir! Love your video! Did you use rigify? Cause mine looks different, and yours looks way better to rig, how can I get it? I use blender

[@jeandenishaas]

Thanks! I don’t use rigify and all my clips are done in Maya.

[@VamsiKrishna-ly9in]

When i am trying this it's ok on that frames and further frames but it is becoming difficult in the first and last frame where the characters hands are stretching and having contact with the box where it doesn't needed.

[@jeandenishaas]

Sorry, what is difficult? I’m not quite sure I understand.

[@VamsiKrishna-ly9in]

@@jeandenishaas The hands are sticking to the box where it is not necessary.

[@jeandenishaas]

@@VamsiKrishna-ly9in Sticking because of the constraints? You’ll have to key them off.

[@VamsiKrishna-ly9in]

@@jeandenishaas Thank you sir now i got it and it's working.

[@jeandenishaas]

@@VamsiKrishna-ly9in Great!

[@SahilBhagat2711]

👏👏👏👏

[@jeandenishaas]

@@SahilBhagat2711 😁

[@WaddleQwacker]

I like that rig. What is it?

[@jeandenishaas]

MonsieurCoinCoin Here: animationbuffet.blogspot.com/2019/04/ace.html

[@WaddleQwacker]

@@jeandenishaas wooo! Thanks sir!

[@jeandenishaas]

MonsieurCoinCoin Sure thing!

[@adityakapoor7029]

Hello, great tip! But when I have to change the position of hand in between the animation, I switch the value of blend parent from 1 to 0. This works but then I want my constraints to work again with the changed position it's not working....how to do it?

[@jeandenishaas]

You have to set it back to 1 and at a different pose or use multiple constraints.

[@adityakapoor7029]

@@jeandenishaas I switched it to 1 but it jumps back to its original position

[@jeandenishaas]

@@adityakapoor7029 Make sure you set a key on the new position. If that doesn’t work then you have to set up a new constraint.

[@adityakapoor7029]

@@jeandenishaas I set up a new constraint and it works...thankyou

[@jeandenishaas]

@@adityakapoor7029 Great!

[@harshal792]

Hey! I had a question. If the hand is constrained to the weight, and if I try to move said hand mid-lift (it's in IK), it doesn't change position but reverts to its default position. How do I fix that? Thank you!

[@jeandenishaas]

Harshal Ashar Are the channels blue? You need to have a hierarchy where the hand is parented underneath a node or group and it’s that group that’s constrained to the weight. Hope that makes sense.

[@harshal792]

@@jeandenishaas I was working on an animation layer, so channels are a shade of blue. The IK control of the hand constrained to the object does have a Blend Parent value. On the frame where I need to readjust the hand, I turned the Blend Parent to 0 and it worked! Is that the right way to do it?

[@jeandenishaas]

Harshal Ashar Thats one way too, you can key the constraint on and off.

[@harshal792]

@@jeandenishaas Got it! Thank you! 😊

[@jeandenishaas]

Harshal Ashar Sure thing!

[@TopsonNoble]

Does it also work if the hand is switched to an IK control instead?

[@jeandenishaas]

Sure!

[@philliplewis5902]

Hey with weight and 3d animation is it mainly about the timing?

[@jeandenishaas]

@@philliplewis5902 Timing is definitely a big component plus posing ans many other factors but timing is key

[@philliplewis5902]

@@jeandenishaas thanks for your replay I took a break from animation tying to get back into it.

[@jeandenishaas]

@@philliplewis5902 Good luck!

[@abeepeep]

I love you

[@jeandenishaas]

Abner Balboa ☺️