Pony Animation Loop - critique and tips needed!

[SkyStorm 334]

I made a small animation loop of my OC's mane and tail blowing in the wind, although this was done quickly and not to my best ability, I'm looking for critique as well as heaps of tips and tricks to keep things smooth and stuff! I really want to improve this

 

Edited May 2, 2014 by SkyStorm

[Mr F 1,522]

There is something about that mane... :okiedokielokie:

It looks like some parts of the mane moves faster than the other ones, that makes it look a little unnatural.

I don't see anything else tho.

Edited May 2, 2014 by A CrayZ Cat

[Sig Hoovestrong 838]

Animating hair and make it look good is always pickle. Best you can do is study other animations. 

[Tholos 145]

I honestly think it needs more lens-flares. A few dozen to a few thousand or so should do it. Otherwise it looks alright for starting off, as practice should help you improve upon other aspects.

[KRAKELINGCATcarnage 57]

Its nice! Did you made it with Macromedia flash 8?

[SkyStorm 334]

Its nice! Did you made it with Macromedia flash 8?

Nah, I made it with Pencil until I can get Flash, I'm working with this xD

[KRAKELINGCATcarnage 57]

Nah, I made it with Pencil until I can get Flash, I'm working with this xD

Ah i have never heard that program before but i think its a good program, if you need macromedia flash feel free to ask me and i can send it to you on skype

[Lightning Bliss 1,674]

Flash is the best way to go, but it ain't cheap...I would know... grr! But that's what I use cause there's nothing better for me!

 

Anyways there's a flicker in the ends of the mane and tail, and if you want a bold wave in the mane and hair you need to exaggerate the movements a bit more, but keep tight on the frames otherwise you get that 'jitter' effect like what I see on the ends of the mane and tail.

 

This cycle here:

 

 

Helped me with my wave cycles in some of my animations. Of course it depends on how many fps you use so keep that in mind while animating. Your off to a great start!

 

 

In my portfolio reel there's some examples of waves I've used either in hair, or tails.

 

[Wayzer 1,418]

you caaaan pirate flash, that's what we would do here, but yeah it's not illegal to download stuff here so...

[Frith is Magick 1,471]

Pretty good. With the mane, it should "flick" as it gets to the end rather than move up and down. You can kinda see it in the cycle posted by Lightning Bliss. If you think of the hair as a wave, it would follow the wave rather than be a standing wave, this is most visible at the end and bow, though it may partly be the fps. Sadly that has more to do with motion than animation techniques, but hopefully it helps a little bit.

[Your Nightly Spectre 1,061]

Awhhh! She looks like a little pony cow : D

[nami438 90]

Did you use onion skinning when you did this? It helps majorly.

 

GIMP should let you do that, or you could animate in real life with a lightbox then color on the computer later.