WALKING ANIMATION
Pt. 6: Frame 9 & Animating the Foot Position Guides

Flash: Intertactive Web Animation
Teachers: Ken Kimura
email: ken_kimura at lsrhs dot net
telephone: (978)443-9961 Ken Kimura: XT2221
NOTE: You need to know how to copy and paste FRAMES before you do this (Control click on selected frame[s]).

Before we begin add a keyframe for all body part layers at Frame 9.

STRATEGIC COPY PASTING

Frame 9 is the end of the first step and the beginning of the second step. It looks almost identical to frame 1 but the left and right legs and feet are reversed. We can create this position perfectly by doing some "strategic-copy-pasting" from the frames we've already made. Keep in mind that in the following steps you are ALWAYS COPYING FROM frame 1 and ALWAYS PASTING INTO frame 9, the OPPOSITE BODY PART.
  1. Copy frame 1 from the "left leg" layer and paste it into frame 9 of the "right leg" layer.
  2. Copy frame 1 from the "right leg" layer and paste it into frame 9 of the "left leg" layer.
  3. Now for the foot:
    Copy frame 1 from the "left foot" layer and paste it into frame 9 of the "right foot" layer.
  4. Now for the other foot:
    Copy frame 1 from the "right foot" layer and paste it into frame 9 of the "left foot " layer.
  5. Do the same for the arms.
  6. Now frames 1, 9 and 17 are in place.
Animating the Foot Position Guides
  1. Create a new symbol and name it "foot guide." Draw a short colored vertical line. This will be used to indicate the position of the feet.
  2. Return to the "MC_WalkCycle" movie clip. Create a new layer and name it "left foot guide."

    NOTE: In my illustrations the left foot is the leading foot on frame 1.
  3. Place the "foot guide" symbol so that it touches the ground, right in front of the toe of the left foot.
  4. Insert a keyframe on frame 17 and add a motion tween between the first and last keyframes.
  5. Create another layer and name it "right foot guide." Drag another instance of the "foot guide" symbol (from your library) onto the stage so that it touches the ground, right in front of the toe of the right foot.
  6. Insert a keyframe on frame 17 and add a motion tween between the first and last keyframes.
  7. Now, for some more "strategic-copy-pasting." Copy frame 1 from the "left foot guide" layer and paste it into frame 9 of the "right foot guide" layer.
  8. Copy frame 1 from the "right foot guide" layer and paste it into frame 9 of the "left foot guide" layer.
    foot_guide
Tempted to Test your Walk Cycle?
You're not even close to finishing yet. But if you insist on seeing where you're at (I warned you - it's gonna be ugly) click here.
Also see diagram: Position Guide for Legs
Also see: project example: walk cycles
Continue To Next Part
Edited 1-9-08