# walk cycle The walk cycle is a simple looping animation of a character taking steps. Only one cycle of steps is drawn and then it is repeated over and over. A lot of information can be learned about a character just by seeing how the walk. A basic walk cycle demonstrates how a character moves which conveys body language, weight, emotion, pace, gait, etc. in addition to actually moving them forward in space. This is a good exercise for animators to learn about their characters even if the actual cycle isn’t actually used in a finished work. --- ## quick historical highlights ### cave paintings Some of the earliest known examples of human art depict attempts to capture a sense of movement. This cave painting seems to show a boar walking. While a static image, it feels like a series of poses overlapping each other. ![[Pasted image 20221129103743.png]] ### Eadweard Muybridge: The Human Figure in Motion ![[b00b9d7bb7eb571ed53119e927985410_MD5.jpeg]] _[nucius](https://nucius.org/en/photographs/eadweard-muybridge-the-human-figure-in-motion-sequences-1887-1901/)_ At the end of the nineteenth century, [Eadweard Muybridge](https://penntoday.upenn.edu/news/new-way-thinking-about-motion-movement-eadweard-muybridge) used cameras to capture the human body in motion. He documented men, women, and children both nude and clothed doing all manner of physical activities from running and jumping to playing leap-frog and swinging baseball bats. He also documented animals running and jumping, proving that running horses do completely leave the ground. It was the first time physical movements had been captured in still form. His photos became the foundation reference materials for artists and animators, as well as for scientists and doctors. ### Ryan Larkin animates Walking <div class="iframeDiv"><iframe width="100%" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/FK7Ef4MpU6c?si=kpomZHlCWyA5mAa5" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div> In 1968, the National Film Board of Canada released [Ryan Larkin’s short film Walking](https://psyche.co/films/an-oscar-nominated-animation-that-celebrates-walking-with-humans). It is a series of vignette’s of various people walking in different ways, animated with a variety of traditional materials. It was nominated for an Academy Award. --- ## breaking down the poses ### feel what it feels like to walk Before drawing out your walk cycle, it is worth getting up and moving around yourself. Pay attention to how your body moves while you walk. Where is the weight carried and how does it shift as you take steps? How does your foot fall and roll along the ground as you take steps? How does swinging your arms differently change how the rest of your body moves? Now experiment with your steps and see how things change in your body. Add a happy bounce and let yourself feel light. Now let yourself feel heavy and tired. How does your body move differently? What if you have a limp? What if you are nervous or in a hurry? What if you are feeling [a little silly](https://youtu.be/iV2ViNJFZC8?si=J4P6_03u03fSwK9N)? Take that awareness into your drawings. ### the named poses ![[Pasted image 20240923125059.png]] A typical single step in the cycle has four basic poses… 1. **Contact** - both feet on ground with one foot forward 2. **Down** - the lowest point of the cycle, legs extended the furthest apart 3. **Passing** - one leg passes by the other as the weight shifts 4. **Up** - top point of the cycle, leg is lifted as high as it will get Then repeat the same sequence with the other foot to complete a full cycle. Usually the first four drawings can be reused, just switching sides of arms and legs, unless the character has a reason to step differently on the opposite side. Maybe a pegleg or a limp? ### Alan Becker’s breakdown is awesome <div class="iframeDiv"><iframe width="100%" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/2y6aVz0Acx0?si=oL-rVe-Ud0M4YjUD" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div> _[Alan Becker - Animating Walk Cycles](https://youtu.be/2y6aVz0Acx0?si=DrNUzZoQKKo_h1mH)_ <div class="iframeDiv"><iframe width="100%" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/jggdbxTJPG4?si=NEzyKsGAJXqWlAXO" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div> _[Alan Becker - Animating Run Cycles](https://youtu.be/jggdbxTJPG4?si=NEzyKsGAJXqWlAXO)_ ### Preston Blair’s classic chart Here’s the classic **Movements of the Two Legged Figure** chart from Preston Blair’s book [Cartoon Animation](https://walterfoster.com/walter-foster-book/cartoon-animation-with-preston-blair-revised-edition/) (originally published by Walter T. Foster in 1948) with breakdowns of several different types of walks. Note the curving arc of the head/body bouncing up and down through the entire cycle. ![[a5a459697c44e906471c69d55c2072e0_MD5.jpeg]] The Angry Animator does a good job [breaking down how the chart works](https://www.angryanimator.com/word/2018/03/20/preston-blair-deciphered/) and where there are limitations/missing information in the cycle. Still, this chart is a good start to understanding how the poses change based on the emotion and energy your character carries. --- Learn more… - [How to Animate a Walk Cycle YouTube video from TipTut](https://youtu.be/mCe1xtx-nK4?si=h2lv0JHDbm4t8c8Y) - [Animation Is All About The Walk YouTube video from The Royal Ocean Film Society](https://youtu.be/WGhJkIQ8TxY?si=lRRvVrubvS4tjMvh) - [7 Common Mistakes in Walk Cycle Animation - Tips to Detect and Fix them YouTube video from Motion Design School](https://youtu.be/11CFCzoF0Uk?si=XShnRThS7s9z0RhW) - [Making a Walk Cycle in Adobe Animate! YouTube video from BaM Animation](https://youtu.be/k25G83FqiEI?si=tspcPGhfgubAm0uF) - [Procreate Animation Tutorial: Basic Walk Cycle YouTube Video from Stayf Draws](https://youtu.be/Q5DuNcVqtc4?si=IF8vA0xJ4erQkjaK) --- tags: #animation #resources home: [[! animation]]