wenxin's 3d animation blog

Month: October 2026

Categories
3D Computer Animation Fundamentals Animation Fundamentals

Week 2 : Weight in Animation

This week, we focused on weight in animation, especially how timing and spacing can make an object feel heavy or light.

One thing I learned was the difference between timing and spacing. Timing is about how many frames are used for a movement, while spacing is about how the movement changes speed during those frames. Before this class, I did not really separate these two ideas. I usually just looked at whether the movement was too fast or too slow.

We also looked at how force, mass and acceleration affect movement. A heavier object needs more time to accelerate when the same force is applied. This helped me understand why objects with different weights should not move in exactly the same way.

For the exercise, we animated different balls rolling off a platform, including a table tennis ball, beach ball and bowling ball. I found this useful because the basic action was almost the same, but the feeling of each ball should be different. I realised that changing the timing and spacing can make a big difference even when the movement itself is simple.

Reflection

Before this class, I think I was more focused on where the object was going than how it was moving between two positions. I would probably make a movement look correct first, and then adjust the speed if it felt strange. This class made me start looking more closely at what happens between the key poses.

The three-ball exercise also made me notice something quite simple. A bowling ball and a table tennis ball can follow a similar path, but I should not animate them in the same way. The difference in weight needs to be visible through the movement itself. I think this is something I can understand better by watching real objects rather than only remembering rules.

I also found the idea of spacing useful because it gives me another way to look at my animation. Instead of only asking whether the timing is right, I can look at the distance between each frame and see how the movement changes.

For my next animation, I want to spend more time observing references before I start animating. I think this will help me understand weight more naturally, instead of trying to make an object look “heavy” just by changing a few settings.

Categories
Design for Animation, Narrative Structures & Film Language

week 2 ：Visual Language Fundamentals & Film Language and Research approaches

This week we were introduced to the fundamentals of visual language. We first looked at the Elements of Art, including line, shape, form, value, colour, space and texture. These are the basic visual elements that we use to build an image. I learned that these elements are not only about how an image looks. The way they are organised can also guide the viewer’s eyes and affect how they understand the image.

We then looked at the Principles of Art, including balance, emphasis, movement, proportion, rhythm, unity and variety. These principles are about how we organise the visual elements in an image. For example, balance can create a feeling of stability, while emphasis can make one part of an image stand out. Rhythm can also be created through repeated elements, and movement can guide the viewer’s eyes through an image.

Art Elements vocabularyDownload

After this, we looked at the relationship between Animation, Art and Cinema. We learned about some early animation experiments and how animation developed alongside art, film and technology. We looked at early works such as Enchanted Drawing and Humorous Phases of a Funny Face. We also learned about the development of the peg system and cel, which changed the way animation could be produced.

Reflection

Before this class, I already used colour, shape, space and movement in my own work, but I usually thought about them separately. I did not always think about how they work together to guide the viewer.

I also realised that some things I used to think about when drawing can also be applied to animation. For example, when I was doing sketches, I often paid attention to the silhouette of a figure, but I did not think much about how it could affect the way an animated scene is understood.

As someone with a design and visual art background, I think I sometimes pay too much attention to whether an image looks good. When I make a character and environment, I can spend a lot of time on the visual details. This class made me think more about the fact that animation is not only about making a good-looking image. Movement, time and the way the image is organised can also change how the audience understands the scene.

I also started to think differently about the relationship between a character and its environment. I often like combining characters with environments, and before, I mainly focused on the character itself. Now I realise that the space around the character can also be part of the expression. For example, putting a small character in a large empty space can make the character feel more alone or vulnerable.

I think this is something I need to change in my own work. Instead of only asking myself “Does this image look good?”, I also want to ask “What does the audience see first?” and “How does the character, space and movement work together?”

I also want to observe more from real life. Instead of only thinking about animation as a set of techniques, I want to pay more attention to how people move, stand and interact with their surroundings. I think these observations can give me more ideas when I create characters and scenes.