Cycles
Cycles are repeating loops of continuous actions such as walk and run cycles, endless roads and hair blowing in the wind.
Historic Example
Steamboat Willie – Disney (1928)
This is one of the earliest examples of Disney’s use of cycles. Although the hands move differently in this beginning scene, the body repeats the same movement throughout the scene. It keeps the rhythm of the tune and the cycle is repeated several times, making it easier for the animator to focus on other movements. The feet and hands are also part of this cycle. The landscape scene before this with the movement of the boat is also a cycle.
(Look at 0.31 on YouTube video)
This is one of the earliest examples of Disney’s use of cycles. Although the hands move differently in this beginning scene, the body repeats the same movement throughout the scene. It keeps the rhythm of the tune and the cycle is repeated several times, making it easier for the animator to focus on other movements. The feet and hands are also part of this cycle. The landscape scene before this with the movement of the boat is also a cycle.
(Look at 0.31 on YouTube video)
Embedding Unavailable
Contemporary Example
Llamas walk and run cycle (2011)
This video very simply shows the walk and run cycles of this character. It also clearly shows how continuous and repetitive cycles are. It’s a good example of how animators use pauses and changes in movement/ direction in between cycles to break them up, so that are more natural and less repetitive.
This video very simply shows the walk and run cycles of this character. It also clearly shows how continuous and repetitive cycles are. It’s a good example of how animators use pauses and changes in movement/ direction in between cycles to break them up, so that are more natural and less repetitive.
Amber Rose