Walk Cycles in Adobe After Effects

[@BenMarriott]

Now that's what I'm walking about!

[@lunchplus]

Looking forward for your version as well?

[@ECAbrams]

10/10 best comment.

[@OneSipReviewOfficial]

I love the loopOut "continue" bit. This is something I've always manually counted frames for. I love learning stuff, when I'm trying to learn about something else.

[@ECAbrams]

It's the secret sauce of the channel :)

[@Hotsauceonmy]

that rig thick as hell

[@omrozsoy]

Can you also show how to stop walking?

[@ECAbrams]

For sure. If people want more character animations we'll definitely get into more on the subject.

[@Zenzuke]

Yeah, happy to see Limber represented, underrated script.

[@ECAbrams]

It is so very very good.

[@hello_dim]

Thank you! 👌

[@rudewalking]

It would figure the best walk cycle tutorial would be a EC Abrams production.

[@ECAbrams]

Thank you so much!

[@ToluWorkks]

I know this is old but please I would appreciate your help. How do I make a walk cycle character walk in and out of the composition. Please

[@ToluWorkks]

On a static background

[@ECAbrams]

@@ToluWorkks You would want to precompose the character and then keyframe that comp's position across the frame to be at pace with the steps. In some cases, it helps to put a little grid layer down so you can see where the feet seem to make contact with the visual ground plane. And it may not be a linear or smooth travel. Some walks are a stutter or slow and fast cycle. Hope that helps!

[@rootopiaaa]

i can't find limber in window

[@davidpaulicek]

Hello its a paid plugin from third party - aescripts

[@BadreCh_]

I love this! Thank you so much

[@ECAbrams]

You're very welcome! I hope it's helpful.

[@sfnadim]

how did you do the shadows on the floor?

[@ECAbrams]

This one is an old trick. We take the precomp containing the walk cycle, duplicate it, flip it, use the fill effect and a blur effect, lower the opacity, and place it below the original. It's how we do easy reflections too.

[@neutralmichaelc]

I like that he makes tutorials about basically everything in ae.

[@ECAbrams]

Some day I'm sure we'll have it all covered around here :)

[@sblga]

That is great! How did you create the shadow in your scene? Or is it just a "Drop shadow" effect?

[@ECAbrams]

The shadow is actually a duplicate of the character precomp but filled, blurred, flipped and squashed, and less opaque. I should do a quick tutorial on that old technique sometime.

[@sblga]

@@ECAbrams That would be awesome!

[@babulsingh7521]

Sir, Your chapters are not working because you need to add 0:00 as starting like 0:00 Intro So glad that I'm helping my teacher 🥺🥺

[@ECAbrams]

Thanks! I did not know that was a requirement.

[@deebsanimation2804]

Really looking forward to seeing a "start/stop walking/running" tutorial. Alternative strides would be cool too.

[@ECAbrams]

Sounds like a plan to me!

[@maxx4141]

I've watched so many walk cycles after effects tutorials on youtube but i'm still not able to make it

[@bastiaborshchenko9219]

you are a lifesaver! Thank you very much! But I got a problem with cycle loopOut expressions, it is not working, do not know what the problem...

[@evanabrams2735]

What is happening when you type it in? Are you getting an error? What exactly are you typing?

[@bastiaborshchenko9219]

@@evanabrams2735 nothing happens. After effects do not show any errors, but expressions do not loop the movement, However, the "loopOut continue" worked without any problems. (btw thanks for the fast reply!)

[@evanabrams2735]

@@bastiaborshchenko9219 no worries. That's very interesting that loopOut() would do nothing, but also not throw up an error of any kind. I'm not sure what would cause such an inconsistency.

[@bastiaborshchenko9219]

@@evanabrams2735 yeah, I'm curious too. Anyway, thanks, man! I learned a lot from your videos 🙏🙏🙏

[@BiranYael]

@@evanabrams2735 I have exactly the problem :( it is very weird. If I crop the pre-comp to the size of the loop then it works, but if I try to set time remap frames at the loop markers, it simply plays through.

[@rodrigobrazao7192]

This vídeo helped me a Lot! Using this method, I'll always have to let the foot keyframes linear If I want to make the character walk across the scene?

[@ECAbrams]

If they're walking at a constate rate, then when the feet slide on the ground, those need to be linear to match with the perceived movement. Does that make sense?

[@rodrigobrazao7192]

@@ECAbrams Oh got it! But just if the character walk constantly right? If you need the character to just walk a few steps and stop, this method won't work, will it?

[@carlotafvc7524]

How did you delete those green things?

[@ECAbrams]

The IK controllers? They don’t really need to be deleted because they are created as guide layers. Right click any layer and select guide layer from the options. They won’t be rendered. Does that help?

[@carlotafvc7524]

@@ECAbrams yep! I figured that out a few minutes after 👍😊

[@chanelcricket1596]

Why shadow placed before character if the light spot is in front?

[@ECAbrams]

Because I have only a marginal attachment to realism I suppose.

[@tatarin-1982]

Which plugin used?

[@ECAbrams]

For the IK? I used a plugin called Limber. I think I mentioned it towards the start of the video.

[@semillerimages]

Super nice as usual! It's been a year and I don't see a video of the character stopping and starting the walk as you mentioned in the video. Also, is there any other way than using time remapping to actually get the character to walk across the screen? Something where the feet don't slip?

[@ECAbrams]

For a continuous movement: you could deploy loopOut() expressions to every property if you wanted them to loop. The sliding is caused by a mismatch between the lateral movement and the actual stride of the character. The only solid way is paying close attention to the timing, possibly making minimal adjustments along the length of a stride. You can also use other functions of the loopOut like continue or offset if you have non-linear speed in the stride. As for part 2 of this video, very few people have asked so I never put it on the top of the list of topics.

[@semillerimages]

@@ECAbrams thanks much!

[@blanquitito]

Very insightful. I started with RubberHose and pivoted to Limber as well. Do you ever use WALKS in conjunction with Essential Graphics... (to create lots of different walking people with only one baseComp) .. miss the MotionDesignHotline anything planned?

[@ECAbrams]

Some day Motion Design Hotline will return. Or something like it. I miss interviewing creatives a lot. But it's hard to find the space in my schedule at the moment.

[@keet.109]

THANKS

[@fadwa2413]

Love you Thanks a lot

[@ECAbrams]

You are most welcome

[@bhaganiasaab5027]

Plz tell us how to use one walk cycle again and again so that we can save our time plzz sir

[@ECAbrams]

Like applying the same walk cycle to another character?

[@bhaganiasaab5027]

@@ECAbrams yes sir Plzz give me tips to do this

[@whyusan]

[@whyusan]

Have you ever used Rubberhouse ??

[@ECAbrams]

@@whyusan I have. It's nice for even more simplified characters.

[@whyusan]

@@ECAbrams thank you sir ~

[@brendanmcnamara7581]

The up/down segment really doesn't make much sense

[@abiodunosagie]

You talk too fast bro.

[@ECAbrams]

Sorry about that. Which part gives you trouble? You may also enjoy viewing the video at a slower speed.

[@bubblewhales7431]

Agreed, I had a hard time understanding much of what he was doing and talking about

[@113.studio]

bad Walk Cycles