How do you animate with the ''blocking'' method

[#richreligion]

I recently stumbled across a blocking pass video, and I need to now how to use this method it makes pretty good animations in the end.

[Bop]

Well, the blocking method. First you need to understand why animators tend to use the blocking method. There's nothing that actually defines the fact that blocking makes better animations, and in certain cases, it's actually better to animate with an active curve type rather than blocking.

Essentially, blocking is used to prevent computer genetated frames from getting in the way. It often makes the animating process less frustrating for animators, as the key frames are more easily seen and accessed. Additionally, blocking acts as an indicator on the quality of animation, as a fluent block would almost guarantee a fluent final animation.

When should blocking be used? Beginner animators should almost never be using blocking, as the computer generated feedback is actually more helpful for beginners, since they don't yet have the experience to visualise a blocked animation. Professional animators tend to overdo blocking a bit due to habits from traditional 2D animation. In 3D animation, blocking is often best for animations that get quite chaotic in the animating process, usually along the lines of quick and/or complex animations from action scenes.

[AmitKilo]

Originally posted by ClinterinoM0 | C::

Well, the blocking method. First you need to understand why animators tend to use the blocking method. There's nothing that actually defines the fact that blocking makes better animations, and in certain cases, it's actually better to animate with an active curve type rather than blocking.

Essentially, blocking is used to prevent computer genetated frames from getting in the way. It often makes the animating process less frustrating for animators, as the key frames are more easily seen and accessed. Additionally, blocking acts as an indicator on the quality of animation, as a fluent block would almost guarantee a fluent final animation.

When should blocking be used? Beginner animators should almost never be using blocking, as the computer generated feedback is actually more helpful for beginners, since they don't yet have the experience to visualise a blocked animation. Professional animators tend to overdo blocking a bit due to habits from traditional 2D animation. In 3D animation, blocking is often best for animations that get quite chaotic in the animating process, usually along the lines of quick and/or complex animations from action scenes.

But you never explained him how to use this method, how does the process go?, how do you start?, how do you finish the animation and which interpolation types you use?

You basically didn't answer his question at all.

[raptornx01]

I have nearly 3000 hours into sfm, and even use blocking myself, and i barely understood most of that. >.>

Anyway, there are two way to do it. either in the motion editor, or in the graph editor. the ME is the easiest to do it with though.

you just grab the left side of the green floaty layer there, and move it over. (the right side doesn't matter) move it to where ever you want to start your animation, then pose the model how you want it to start. then move that left side over to the next key frame of the animation (for example if a guy was raising his arm you pose with the arm down, move the edge of the green layer over and pose with the arm up).

thats it really. just go in steps. it can also be helpful to place a bookmark at each step. (pressing M)

i use blocking mainly for lipsync. i listen to the word/sentence, then block out each main mouth shape for a syllable.