Model Production and Test Animations

The above images are of the very first stage of the model making process. I decided that the success of the whole animation would depend on how well the legs animated.

This meant that I concentrated on the lower body until I was satisfied, and left the torso off, so it wouldn’t distract me.

The running cycle was going to have 8 frames meaning I could concentrate on the models in the first 4 frames, knowing the rest would be a mirror of these first 4.

The above 4 pictures are just mirrored images of the previous 4. Doing this gave me the opportunity to put all 8 frames together and view the run cycle as a whole, allowing me to analyse my animation with out making the other 4 stages.

After many fine corrections, including removing one whole model which fitted between frames 3 and 4 I was able to put together this run cycle, on a continues loop.

Next I concentrated on the spacing between the models, (still not attaching the body). This would change the animation from running on the spot to running across the screen and was the hardest part.

This show an early attempt at spacing the models run cycle. There is a circle drawn on the floor for each model to be placed in. I found this an over complicated way of working, often forgetting which model went with which circle, and where I was in the animation.

It also meant planning where every single frame would be, meaning my final scene with over 50 frames would need a piece of paper laid out with 50 pre-designated spots on it, which its self would be visible.

There was also no guaranty that in every frame the model would face forward with the round base, leading to poorer animation.

These problems annoyed me so I distracted my self by completing the models. First I green stuffed up all the horrible gaps left by my converting. I missed out a bit by accident so it looks like he crushes his foot when he lands. Oops.

For the paint scheme I choose good old reliable ultramarines, seeing as they are the most recognisable chapter. The red head and green shoulder pad are rank insignia, but where chosen to give contrast and definition. He is 4th company, 9th squad, devastator sergeant.
I removed the round bases and used square ones instead. This was so that the model had a definite facing and stop the problem of the model twisting randomly during animation.

Then I drew the centre point on each base and stuck the foot there. This meant that the first 4 models would be in the exact same place, then the 5th frame would be positioned ahead of the previous frame, then frame 6, 7 and 8 would be in the exact same spot as 5. Then frame 1 would be placed ahead of frame 8 and the process would repeat.

The spacing between frame 8 and 1 and frame 4 and 5 was very important to the animation. This distance was discovered though trial and error, turning out to be a base and a half, or 1 and a half inches. I made a marker to measure this distance when animating.
With all 8 models complete I was ready to enter the big wide world and start filming!