Before I Continue

[The Black Mamba]

So, lately I've been experimenting with a faster paced style. It's a lot harder then I expected since it actually requires planning and key frames and all that mess, so I was having trouble speeding it up. What you're seeing above is my collab entry to some collab on Shuniu, please share your thoughts so I can continue. I feel out of place animating like this, so I need to look at a lot of references. It'd be cool if you could point out anything I'm missing or doing wrong, Thanks.

Also, I'm going back and editing the colors of the time chamber so it's not white on white. No comments about that please.

[SIFTER]

For fast paced spacing you'd need a somewhat abrupt easing as well as a, well, a faster pace. And yeah, one of my complains about your project in jeneral is the way you position the legs since mostly the front leg should be much higher to give it more range. Exaggeration is always important when it comes to 2D animation. It's pretty cool spacingwise, but still needs some work and what not.

[Mitch]

You've gotta adjust your poses to that sort of spacing to make them stand out more amongst it, especially key frames that contain points of impact. When the 2 clashed in mid air it was a little hard to pick up on some of the moves because the poses needed to pop more (which can be done just by exaggerating where your move your limbs), it also looks like you made the figures lighter which didn't help at all.

As well as that, tone down your tremors at the start by a lot. They take away from the viewers ability to appreciate the background.

@Sifter: The faster your characters are moving the more you should just try to avoid easing in general.

[SIFTER]

I would disagree with you on this one, Mitch since you could ease and make things look flowy and fast at the same time. Flow never requires a slow pace. An abrupt easing with a fast pace is better than a fastpace without easing in general. No matter how hard you try to make your movements fast in real life, you always end up easing your movement even by a little. Picture yourself in a 100 000 fps slow-mo camera and you'll notice the easing since it's what supports the power of a certain movement. No charge(in which case easing) no power.
If you could moveyourself without easing, then props to you.

[Mitch]

I was talking about easing in the context of a stop, not a take off. My bad should have specified. When you are starting a movement easing should definitely still be applied but to a lesser extent like you said, as the bar is set higher for what speed you are trying to reach with your stick. But in terms of ending a movement you should try to avoid easing for as long as possible as it breaks the pace of the animation and segments your movements unnecessarily (unless you're me and you try to do that for your style/can't help it because you're bad)

As for what you said about flow that's kind of off bro. Flow is applicable to any spacing and can't really coexist with easing, as the reason flow exists in the first place is to avoid easing a movement and continuing it along a curved motion path instead.

You might have the word flow confused with smoothness or fluidity.

[SIFTER]

I've had it confused with fluidity, thanks for correcting me.

[The Black Mamba]

You've gotta adjust your poses to that sort of spacing to make them stand out more amongst it, especially key frames that contain points of impact. When the 2 clashed in mid air it was a little hard to pick up on some of the moves because the poses needed to pop more (which can be done just by exaggerating where your move your limbs), it also looks like you made the figures lighter which didn't help at all.

As well as that, tone down your tremors at the start by a lot. They take away from the viewers ability to appreciate the background.

@Sifter: The faster your characters are moving the more you should just try to avoid easing in general.

What do you mean by lighter? More agile?

[Mitch]

Nah I mean it literally looks like you have made them a brighter color when they hit eachother. But my eyes might be just seeing things.

[The Black Mamba]

Oh, yeah I did, didn't understand what you meant. I must have looked at Oblivion's tutorial a hundred times, I just don't know what to do. Everyone keeps pointing out my poses. Care to be a little more specific on what I did wrong poses wise? If it's not too much trouble.

[Mitch]

Ok so basically your poses and spacing should compliment each other as much as possible. In this situation because you are using heavier spacing it is made harder to achieve fluid/noticeable movements unless your poses are exaggerated to meet with the dynamism or your spacing. So to give all of your poses more "pop" you should go with really wide gaps and some sharp bends in your joints to crisp up the movements.

If I were to give an example of this I'de say Cress, his spacing is pretty quick yet he puts a lot of definition onto key poses. The result of this is all his blows and points of impact standing out and looking sharp.

That only really applies to the style you've used in THIS animation by the way, in your other animations your poses are fine in my opinion.

[The Black Mamba]

Thanks Mitch, I tried to apply some of the stuff you mentioned...



Better?

[SIFTER]

A picture is worth a thousand words so:


As you can see it looks more dynamic and gives the movements more range.
You did improve the animation quite alot, though.
You can always tell me that you don't need my help, if you like.

[Mitch]

Might just be placebo but i'm definitely feeling it a lot more now despite not seeing too much difference.

@Sifter: Fucking perfect, that's exactly what i'm talking about.

[The Black Mamba]

Thanks Sift, and you too Mitch. I need to sleep though, i'll continue tomorrow with what you guys said in mind.