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Hey, just jumped into pixel art and could use some pointers on making smooth animations. My sprites look like they're having a seizure lol help
Submitted 10 months, 3 weeks ago by SpriteSculptor
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A smooth animation has flow. Don't just add inbetween frames, plan your motion paths. And keep your sprite's volume consistent unless intentional changes. Vary your timing to add interest - not everything should move on the same frames or at the same speed.
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lolz - Try to ease the motion, slow at the beginning and end, faster in the middle, keeps it smooth. Also do u use layers? Keep body parts separate, makes adjusting way easier. Just be patient it's like anything else. And backup your work, losing frames is a nightmare.
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Consider learning about 'squash and stretch' as well as 'anticipation'. These principles from traditional animation are essential for breathing life into pixel art. Also, don't hesitate to use onion skinning, it allows you to see the previous and next frames so you can maintain consistency. At times even a single pixel's movement can add fluidity. Frame rate's typically around 8-12 fps for pixel stuff, experiment within that range. Also check out 'The Animator's Survival Kit' by Richard Williams, it's my bible for animation fundamentals.
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Keyframes are your best friend in sprite animation. Start with the critical points of the action - the start, the mid point, and the end - then work your way with the inbetweens. Smoothness comes from easing in and out between these frames. Think about the physics behind your character's movement and let that guide how many frames you put where. Also, don't forget to drop that animation curve in when you're doing anything more complex than a basic loop!