essential gestures for talking animation

[laserbot]

I made an interactive projector that toggled between a mouth open and mouth closed expression on an audio trigger. I have been thinking about how to make an automated process that could do the necessary expressions to emulate a face in conversation. Here is a breakdown of what I find to be the 4 most important facial expressions to make a face look like it is talking.ESSENTIAL TALKING FRAMES45ild.ild

[laserbot]

After a bit of editing...essential talking express 3.ild

[catalanjo]

Cool

Cheers

[dsli_jon]

Hiya, LB..

Here is a breakdown of what I find to be the 4 most important facial expressions to make a face look like it is talking.

Very nice - here's a 'little gift from the old school' - http://www.freetoon.com/prestonblair....php?chapter=1 ...yes, we actually used-to have to know how to draw, by hand, to make laser shows... some of us, still do... This guys' work / book was a *huge* help to me when I was growing-up, learning how to draw, etc - helps me to this-day...

In particular, this chapter - http://www.freetoon.com/prestonblair....php?chapter=4 - you'll find a wealth of pointers - ie: http://www.freetoon.com/prestonblair....php?pageID=92 - and these 'animation principals' hold-true, even-when working in 3D, etc... certain principals, like "stretch & squash" will help you achieve a realism in your animations that will set your graphics apart from others' work - especially-those that ONLY use 3D-programs, which - imo - tend to produce rather 'lifeless' / sterile animations... which is fine for some-things, cars, spaceships, etc - every tool for its' purpose - but I find for truly 'natural-feeling' animations, there is just no substitute for these 'old school' principals...

Hope this adds something helpful...
cheers..
j

[laserbot]

dancer gesture 3.ildI am thinking about the same idea only with a dancer. I thought it might be nice to have a library of gesture drawings of dancers to sync to music. 2 frames tonight...