Go easy on me guys.
What can I do to make this eagle look better?
This is clipart that I got from Corel PrintHouse and I broke apart the different body parts and animated them.
I was thinking about making the mouth open and have the eagle make a sound.
What do you think?
(I used tweening)
Here is the original clipart.
http://webpages.charter.net/cartoons/eagle.bmp
http://webpages.charter.net/cartoons/eagle.swf
Thx
You need to give a little more information, in my humble opinion.
How long of a clip are you going for?
What is the action you are trying to get the bird to do?
Those are the big ones, that jump to my mind.
A school wants me to make the eagle fly.
I'm sorry, I assumed you guys could read my mind.
LOL.
I figured it's easier to make the eagle fly in place and have the background move instead of having the eagle move across the screen.
Basically, I want the eagle to look like it's flying in place.
I'm wondering if I should just draw my own eagle and animate that?
As far as the length of the clip, just long enough to show some variety of movement. The principal will probably leave that up to me. An eagle is the school's mascot.
Thx
As is, the clip is too long to show a flying eagle (by that, I'm assuming you mean a bird in active flight, moving his wings). As I time it, you're at about 3 sec. right now. At most, it should be half that long, incorporating both a down and up wingbeat.
The pose is also not great, as this bird is coming in for a landing. You could adapt it, but you'll have to turn the head so he's looking forward, change the profile of the wings, and get the feet behind him instead of under him.
You might be better off starting with a different image or drawing your own.
I agree with DSB, just tweening the head bobbing and leg shift, isn't going to cut it. Time to work up something of your own. Besides some of the Corel clipart has restrictions on use. Don't fall into the clip art pit. It can bite you later on. Get out your magnifying glass and read the small print. If you are going to be selling something, clip art isn't the way to go!
Pat Hacker, Visit Scooter's World.
There's a lot of floatiness and separation....these things are precision-minded beasts, yet also masters of grace. Definitely go with the speed comments, but I'm going to second drawing your own because it's eventually going to -need- flapping....
Plus, as has been said, he's "flaring" to prepare to touch down.
I was going to work on a variation for you, since I can't get my butt in gear on anything new, but you copy protected your swf so I can't even import it. You are working with clip art and just tweening it, but you copy protected it...unreal.
Pat Hacker, Visit Scooter's World.
I could hack it, but it's not worth the effort. If you want folks to help you post your swfs or flas as zips and let us show you some variations.
Pat Hacker, Visit Scooter's World.
I"ll upload the fla when I get home.
I know there are programs out there that will let you hack the .swf.
"You are working with clip art and just tweening it, but you copy protected it...unreal."
You crack me up Phack!
Thanks for the input guys!
Should I look for pictures of a real eagle and cartoonify that?
I can only open the Corel clipart in PrintHouse anyways.
I'll do my own like you guys suggested.
you caught this magnificent bird just as he's going to catch a prey,
or trying to land. he's got his feet out, wings braking into the wind,
even the tail's tipped down for deceleration.
you may need to find the usual wings-spread-out pose,
which they usually do when thermal soaring,
you can do minimal animation on the wings and it will look decent,
and you can glide it across the screen or cycle it on spot.
or you can animate it. just keep it slow and noble.
pretty good work on the clip art, considering.
Don't worry. All shall be well.
I love the clipart featured in Corel's "PrintHouse".
Too bad they dont support it anymore.
I think it's any awesome desktop publishing program.
I think it's even better than MS Publisher.
Glad I gave you some jollies, but I wan't joking.
Pat
Pat Hacker, Visit Scooter's World.
If you are serious about computer graphics, get over MS Publisher.
Pat Hacker, Visit Scooter's World.
Phack,
Do you mean get serious about using the graphics?
The only thing I'll use them for is greeting cards and such. (from now on)
I really appreciate the info.
What I meant earlier, I think the Corel graphics are nice looking.
Here is a crazy question, would I be able to use the flash pieces found in the flash library for a project?
Ex. I have seen some flash cartoons in previous versions of flash that you can open in the library.
(I think some of the cartoons feature a man and his family around a Christmas tree and some other stuff)
Also, what about clipart from Freehand. (just wondering).
Last question (for right now), what clipart would I be able to use in flash projects besides my own?
Thx again for your input!
I suggest, if you want to be a true professional, don't even open those clip art colletions, learn to design your own material.
Pat Hacker, Visit Scooter's World.
While I wouldn't have put it the same was a Phacker did, I agree with him regarding clip art. Clip art always looks like clip art, and the quality of your work (and opinions regarding it) suffer as a result. Not to mention your graphic options are limited to what's available in the collection.
If you don't (or can't) draw, develop a relationship with someone who can, and have them design your stuff for you. Or better yet, learn how to draw/design. Then you're at least a double threat. :)
KutKut nailed it as for what the eagle was doing.
For that landing or catching position he needs to be more vertical. Eagles are very powerful and can glide but in that position they flap in a circular motion (helicopter) before landing.
Describe the job to me. If it is an eagle logo banner on a school website, a static eagle a la anime or 60s hanna barbera with a repeat pan background may suffice. Do you have to use that exact eagle?
Graphite, I'm sure I don't have to use that exact eagle. I'll explain the copyright situation to the principal and try and draw my own sometime this weekend. I'd really love to do a Hanna Barbera type thing with a panning background. If I don't get a chance to draw something today, I'll try Sun or Mon.
Btw, depending on how it is used I don't have a problem with clip art. I have a problem if it is poorly drawn, animated, not-so clever use or an individual claiming they drew it. But used correctly or adapted i have no more problem than someone using a model pack. I rember seeing some grphics/animation on TV for a phone ad some years ago that used those 1950s newsletter clip arts. It was well used and art directed.
However, will one learn how to draw if that was all they were to use? No.
P.S.- I sense your task is to create a cool animated logo, not so much a cool character animation, correct me if I'm wrong. As said, your eagle as it is now posed if animated has to land or attack at some point. Personally, an eagle flapping ad infinitum could be a pigeon for all I care. Eagles are very powerful and don't need to keep flapping (I see lots of eagles where I live), They're so strong and subtle like small jets.
I say if it is a logo that is requested,go at it as a stylized motion graphic becasue animating the eagle will look corny in the context of logo. It weakens its symbol of strength IMHO.
Graphite, maybe this will help.
The school's mascot is an eagle and the principal wants me to make it fly.
She gave me their logo in a word doc (a different eagle) but I think as long as it looks good flying, she will be happy (trust me)
How is that project of your going?
Yeah, I'd be interested in seeing what you finally came up with for your school.
Pat Hacker, Visit Scooter's World.
The principal had some animated gifs that she purchased a while back. I ended up using that. I've been so busy with the start of school that I haven't had time to do anything else.