WEEK 14

My goal is to finish my animation as quickly as possible so I can move on to other assignments. I want to meet deadlines without sacrificing quality, ensuring the animation is well-executed. By completing this task efficiently, I’ll stay on track and keep my overall project schedule moving forward. Plus, finishing sooner will help me get more sleep, so I can stay focused and energised for the next steps.

Feedback

Looking back at the Pboard, I realised how important it is to push myself to explore different layouts. I thought about creating something more explosive—something that builds up to a sudden pause, a moment to breathe. Or maybe using a contrasting pattern that overlaps for a bit more intrigue. I also had to think about what I really wanted the Pboard to communicate: Should it show everything at once, or just give glimpses to make people curious? These reflections helped me understand how layout choices shape not only the visual appeal but also the emotional journey of the audience.

Reflecting on the animation process, I realised that sound played a crucial role in enhancing the mood. I initially considered using a triangle ding but switched to a tongue drum instead, as it created a deeper echo that fit the atmosphere better. https://pixabay.com/sound-effects/steel-tongue-drum-9-samples-28353/ When the character merges with the shape, I will add a slight yellow glow to guide the viewer's focus and emphasise the theme of self-unification.

I also realised the black colour of the hit was too harsh, so I adjusted it to a more muted brown to match the overall atmosphere.

For the moment when the character closes their eyes, I will change the eye colour to black to make the transition feel smoother and less abrupt.

I also will speed up the sound wave effect, making it more dynamic at first before gradually slowing down, using time remapping to control the pacing.

During the transition from rigid shapes to the circular form, I will adjust the background colour to help signal the shift more clearly.

Finally, I will work on making the transition during the hug smoother. By refining these details, I felt the animation became more cohesive and aligned with the emotional journey I wanted to convey.

MoGraph #3

Previously, the sound wave felt to stiff and need to be fast at first and slow at the end.

So, I revised the sound wave line and found a helpful tutorial, which is using wave warp. To make it fit better with the beat, I used keyframes to adjust the height and width of the wave for louder and softer sounds, and also slowed it down where needed.

By applying time remapping and tweaking the graph, I was able to find a speed that matched the sound more effectively. I will use the last one.

Previously, the characters transition was not smooth enough, and since I have time, I want to make it smooth.

So, I worked on the character transition from the side view to the front. I realised that I need to change the colour of the hands and legs to distinct them from the body. I used masks and the puppet tool to animate the movement. And after the character merge with the shape, the character's colour change to cyan and I used fill and keyframed it.

For the legs and crest, I played around with the position.

While for the face, I pre-composed it and applied a mask on the face to match the head's rotation, giving it a spinning effect.

To enhance the sense of happiness, I adjusted the position of the eyebrows, making them rise, and I also rotated them. For the eyes, I created a mask to gradually close them, symbolising acceptance, and as the eyes closed, the eyelashes started to appear.

The right hand transition was smooth since it was in the front layer.

However, the left hand in the back wasn’t smooth because at first, it was at the back layer, then it need it needed to go to the front layer as the character rotated.

So, I had to keyframe each part of the hand’s shape individually.

I also added a subtle detail where the character's head rotates upwards to convey the feeling of taking a deep breath and fading so that the transition to the title is smooth.

character ending result!!

sound wave without time remapping

sound wave 1

sound wave 2

sound wave 3

character transition before

MoGraph #3 Result

Pboard #2

Previously, my Pboard layout is too safe, so I need to explore more layout.

I decided to change the text to be shorter.

"Sometimes, we overlook the value of pausing and reflecting amidst the rush. This motion design invites viewers to take a moment to breathe. As fast-moving shapes symbolise life’s turmoil, pausing helps bring clarity and self-acceptance. It shows stillness and introspection foster growth, inner peace, and self-awareness. Take a moment to pause to breathe—your journey begins there."

I chose to use two shapes to represent my story, incorporating a slight pattern. One shape symbolises "breathe" with the design title, while the other represents the explosive rigid shapes. This choice was intentional to highlight the contrast within the narrative—the peaceful, grounding "breathe" versus the chaotic, tense explosion.

By using these two distinct forms, I wanted to convey the shapes fighting. This visual emphasises the tension between calm and chaos, reflecting the emotional journey of the character and the narrative itself.

before

after

Reflection

I’ve learned the importance of trying new things, even when they’re difficult and time-consuming. At first, it can feel frustrating, but I’ve realised that pushing through challenges is how I improve. By constantly refining my work—revising, adjusting, and testing different approaches—I gain valuable experience and grow as a creator. Each mistake or setback becomes an opportunity to learn and do better. This process of continuous improvement has helped me build confidence in my abilities, and I now see challenges not as obstacles, but as essential steps in my creative development.