How do i turn a caracter

Wondering how to accomplish a certain animation task? Ask here.

Moderators: Víctor Paredes, Belgarath, slowtiger

Naruto
Posts: 23
Joined: Sat Feb 12, 2005 11:06 am

How do i turn a caracter

Post by Naruto »

HI,

i would like to ask how do i turn a caracter in moho i have my caracter right now in front of me and i would like to turn him to left and right pleaes help me
Toontoonz
Posts: 763
Joined: Fri Mar 25, 2005 9:28 pm

Post by Toontoonz »

Two ways to flip your character depending on how you want to use it:

In the Layer tool section go to the bottom row, left hand tool (looks like a page with an arrow pointing left and right) and with your layer/character selected click on this tool.
(If you hold your mouse cursor over it - text will come up that says "Flip Horizontally".)

Your character will flip over left or right.

I would use this method to flip your character left or right if animating it.

-----

In the Draw tool section go to the bottom row , third from right tool (to the right of the Peak tool with red dot at top) and with your character selected click on this tool.
(If you hold your mouse cursor over it - text will come up that says "Flip Horizontally".)

-------------
To flip veritcally the buttons to the right of the Flip Horizontal buttons work.
Naruto
Posts: 23
Joined: Sat Feb 12, 2005 11:06 am

Post by Naruto »

Thanks but this is not what i exactly want i want to ask is there any option where i can turne my caracter to a side look

sorry but my english isn't so well because i live in germany
User avatar
cribble
Posts: 899
Joined: Wed Aug 04, 2004 12:42 pm
Location: London, UK
Contact:

Post by cribble »

Because this isn't a 3D program, you're going to have to re-draw the character but at a side angle, then use either Switch layers or Opacities to help you turn the character. Don't expect a smooth turn though, you're going to need to draw more angles if you want the turn to be smoother or smooth-ish.
--Scott
cribble.net
Naruto
Posts: 23
Joined: Sat Feb 12, 2005 11:06 am

Post by Naruto »

Thanks
Toontoonz
Posts: 763
Joined: Fri Mar 25, 2005 9:28 pm

Post by Toontoonz »

To see how flat - 2D - your character is go to Workspace tool area, click on the Orbit button (with two arrows in it) put your mouse cursor over the drawing area and click and move your mouse around.

You will see how non-3Dimensional your 2D drawing is.

People are always amazed when I show that and they see the 2D drawing in a 3D space.

(To get back to your regular camera view, click on "View", then "Reset" at the top of the Moho window.)
Naruto
Posts: 23
Joined: Sat Feb 12, 2005 11:06 am

Post by Naruto »

is there a easy option to draw my caracter on a side view
Toontoonz
Posts: 763
Joined: Fri Mar 25, 2005 9:28 pm

Post by Toontoonz »

No.
User avatar
cribble
Posts: 899
Joined: Wed Aug 04, 2004 12:42 pm
Location: London, UK
Contact:

Post by cribble »

Hmm.. thinking about it, you could use the 3d space and perspective to achieve a turn i suppose... but don't ask me... I haven't tried this yet... and it does depend on the complexity (if such a word) of your character.
--Scott
cribble.net
Naruto
Posts: 23
Joined: Sat Feb 12, 2005 11:06 am

Post by Naruto »

thanks for the answers
User avatar
Lost Marble
Site Admin
Posts: 2347
Joined: Tue Aug 03, 2004 6:02 pm
Location: Scotts Valley, California, USA
Contact:

Post by Lost Marble »

Here are a couple previous discussions about turning heads. One of the tricks is to arrange the different facial features in 3D space. The head, the eyes, the mouth, etc. are all still flat 2D objects, but by arranging them in 3D, you can turn the whole collection of shapes for a very convincing 3D effect.

http://www.lostmarble.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=867

http://www.lostmarble.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1395
Toontoonz
Posts: 763
Joined: Fri Mar 25, 2005 9:28 pm

Post by Toontoonz »

Lost Marble: "One of the tricks is to arrange the different facial features in 3D space."

But can one go from a full frontal body and face shot to a total 90 degree right or left full body and face side shot?

Most of the 3D type examples in Moho I have seen are the face only and just moving or tilting slightly back and forth a bit. Has anyone got an example using the Lost Marble 3D technique with an entire body looking straight into the camera and then turning completly right (or completely around) as the original writer suggested he/she is trying to do? ("...right now in front of me and i would like to turn him to left..."

This 3D technique is real nice, but it can change the entire look or style of an animation if it is inserted just once or for one character and not carried on throughout the entire animation.
User avatar
jorgy
Posts: 779
Joined: Sun Sep 05, 2004 8:01 pm
Location: Colorado, USA

Post by jorgy »

That's when you cut from the mid-body shot to a headshot. :-) :-)
User avatar
Lost Marble
Site Admin
Posts: 2347
Joined: Tue Aug 03, 2004 6:02 pm
Location: Scotts Valley, California, USA
Contact:

Post by Lost Marble »

Toontoonz wrote:But can one go from a full frontal body and face shot to a total 90 degree right or left full body and face side shot?
I suppose you could, but it's going to be more difficult to set up.

Another thing to consider is just "don't do that". I'm not being facetious, and I don't mean to say that no one should ever try to turn a head/body to the side, but sometimes you might want to just consider not doing that. There's something to be said for just sticking with the limitations of the 2D format. If your story is entertaining that's the most important thing - if you set up your shots so that a head never turns to the side, but the rest of the animation is good, I doubt your audience will even notice.

Here's another way to turn a head. On the link below, look at the Cat movie. The cat turns its head so that you first see the front and then it turns to show you the back of its head. This one doesn't use any tricky 3D setup - it just switches between two heads (the front and the back), but uses some simple 2D rotation in between to make the transition smooth.

http://www.lostmarble.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=146

To me it really seems like the head turns away from you, but if you step through the animation, it really just switches instantly from facing the camera to facing away. That extra little bit of rotation is the key here.
Toontoonz
Posts: 763
Joined: Fri Mar 25, 2005 9:28 pm

Post by Toontoonz »

Lost Marble wrote: Another thing to consider is just "don't do that".
Good advice.

I have played around with the 3D effect in Moho using Layers to turn the head and it is a lot of work and a bit tricky to get it just right. A round face layer seems to work best.
For the time invested one could have just drawn the face (and body) at different angles or used a different edit or cut (as you described) to get the same or better effect.
I am kind of leery of mixing the 3D-face look with a 2D cartoon myself - I think it takes a real good eye and artist to pull it off without some situations in style. Such as, if one character does it once, should it and all the other characters do it all the time when they move or look around?

I do like the having a 2D character living in a 3D space - this offers lots of interesting possiblities.
Post Reply