Hi,
I just quickly made a little bird. I’m going to use it as a simple model to learn animation I think. He is very simple and still functional to try animation:-)
So meet Squeek!
I love this little bird!!! Great concept! I have nothing to crit, job well done!
Great bird!
All I have to say is give him more of a pixar eye, and use an eye texture.
Hi!
I’ve managed to use IPO’s 
- Used an empty to track the eyes
- Used an IPO driven by an object for the upper eyelids
- Used an IPO driven by a shape for the beak
Thanks for the comments.
I could make a pixar eye, maybe… but I’m just using him as a testmodel to learn animation. So, maybe, but not at the moment.
A short quicktime animation movie (625kb):
http://home.scarlet.be/~matrix64/images/bird02a.mov
Some shots:
Hi,
Next steps done:
- I put an IK chain the neck
- I parented the eyes / eyelids to the head
- I put a constraint loc/rot to the head with the top of the IK
- I made it possible to open the eyes / close the eyes
Problem, the IK base should not move when I move the top of the chain…
I need to figure this out…
A render with the eyes wide open and neck/head turned :
That is SOOOO cute :D:D
Very cool looking creaturem, great colors.
OK, another update:-D
I rigged the body and one leg + toes. I know there are deformations, but at the moment I don’t care.
I also rigged the neck to the body, which is not perfect but it works.
Squeek is coming alive piece by piece 
Mmm maybe I’ll also try to figure out Softbodies later on, but first the other leg and toes.
edit thanks for the comments. Nice to hear that you love the bird:-)
edit2 …I also maybe add a tongue later on.
A new Squeek shot:
He BELONGS in a short film, like the ones they play before big cg movies. Love it! Good work. A+ to you.
I was trying to make the Squeek run a bit.
I’ve made it a little too slow… at the tempo seen in the very short animation, Squeek should just walk… but hey it is my first running animation and still need lots of practise and things to learn.
Saxofoner91, indeed it’s such a creature that can be put in such a funny short:-)
Here’s the short movie
40 frames, 10/sec, +/-900Kb, AVI format, Codec Intel Indeo 4.5 comp 85%)
http://home.scarlet.be/~matrix64/images/bird05.avi
(best is to right click then save it first before playing)
I wasn’t able to see the video, didn’t have the codec. Any way you can save it as a qt instead?
I love the character however! Its cute and cartoony, you just want to hug it…
Is there anyway of making the feathers ruffle?
Mr. S
Hi mrsnuffle,
Well, the rendering takes a long time, so here another AVI, but with a standard codec ‘Windows Video 1’. Maybe you’re able to play this one.
(less quality though)
http://home.scarlet.be/~matrix64/images/bird05b.avi
I’ve experimented with Softbodies and when I apply it to the body, then the feathers are rufling :-D, so softbody will do the trick. (not included in the video yet)
Another update!
I’ve revisted the running of Squeek and made hime walking instead.
Now it is much more natural and the head+body is wiggling too.
I’ve applied softbody on the body and this makes the feathers rufle a bit which is also better.
Enjoy the short animation :
80 frames, 25/sec, Quicktime mov, 4.5MB, this time rendered without AO :
Great start! Heres a couple things to think about:
When squeek is walking, its head & body should bob a little more in the Y axis (right now, its more moving side to side) mostly when one of its leg is up. Not too much, but. His neck is wobbling way to much left & right as well.
also, watch for the joint hiccups on the feet. There is a point where his toe moves a bit.
Finally, (and I’m not sure how soft bodies work in blender), but is there any way to have the feathers do a little more of a shake during the down position of the feet rather than a continual ruffle. It seems as though the feathers are ruffling in any which way. Think of it as an action and reaction. The foot hits the ground, and the feathers rustle opposite from the action of the feet.
effstops has a great walk cycle of one of his characters, a great example of movement. Its miniscule changes, but thats what makes it more realistic 
https://blenderartists.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=57602&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=75
Mr. S
Thanks mrsnuffle for the help.
I’ve corrected the following:
- added a track to contraint bone for the neck, made it less wobbly
- let the head move in the Y direction too (actually X direction, because of my model placement)
- added more frames some new animation
- learned a bit about the sequence editor and stitched 2 mov’s together into a bigger one using cross over gamma.
- played with the softbody settings a bit
edit woops just noticed that the feathers on his head do not have a guided curve anymore, so don’t look at that;-)
I do not find out how to actually control the feathers more than now…
Anyway, here’s a new animation to download:
(best to right-click and save as before viewing)
(300 frames, 25/sec, no AA and no AO, low quality, +/- 8MB)
http://home.scarlet.be/~matrix64/images/bird7.mov
I do not know if mt webspace can hold up…but for now it is ok.
It is looking much better Squeek is much more refined then before
However:
1st scene: Where Squeek is walking towards the camera, it looks like that it is limping…Squeek also looks like it is walking in one place at times.
You may want to start adding secondary motion to Squeek. He/she (btw is squeek male or female?) still seems a little stiff…Add some eye movements, maybe some more blinks. Just think about yourself when you standing still. In reality your not really standing still at all. You are ever so slightly moving your hands, or repositioning your weight…your chest is moving about. Think about that with squeek.
If you have a video camera around, you may want to try videotaping yourself acting out the character…To get a general idea of movement. Or you can use a mirror…Whatever you feel most comfortable doing.
Just a couple ideas… But Squeek is looking good!
Mr. S
Indeed, the first scene makes Squeek limping… my mistake because I parented the camera to Squeek and it isn’t looking good.
Let’s make it a male bird
Thanks for the hints, I’ll have a look at them, but during the weekend there is not much time.
Updated:
- Better frontview scene
- Added some frames at the end (but still needs tweaking, because the body wiggles to quick at a certain point)
380 frames, 24/sec - Quicktime movie (+/- 7,8MB a little bigger renders than previous movie)
http://home.scarlet.be/~matrix64/images/bird.mov
(best is to right-click and save it first)
Squeek is getting alive:-)
I already have in mind how he should ‘squeek’ like a bird when adding sounds…
Really nice! 
8)
Update 9, “Want to know a secret…?”
I will start replacing the bird.mov file from now on instead of uploading a new file eacht time to save webspace.
Latest render:
(2.2MB, 380 Frames)
http://home.scarlet.be/~matrix64/images/bird.mov