Animation Test 7: There's Some Serious Spring In His Step

     So close and yet so far. I made this cycle last November, and it was a major step forward above the other tests. I feel like I was starting to get solidity in there. The shoulders feel like they're moving though space as opposed to just sliding side to side, and so do the legs. Something that was mentioned during a critique of my earlier cycles, was that I should add more details, so that's where the hair tie, zipper and back pocket came in. These extra details start to give a sense of form.
     I finally got the lifework down with this one, and in some cases, it even defined the space, like in drawing 6 and 12. The feet feel like they're really hitting the ground and not just floating.
     But as close as I got, and as smooth as it is, it still feels a little off. For starters, the head feels like it kinda pops as opposed to bobbing along, which it should be doing. The heads on 3, 6, 9, and 12 should have been a little lower, although I like the way they look the best. Even with the extra details like the tie and the zipper, the drawing still feels a little vague and not as solid as it could be. Again, it's getting close, but it's not quite there yet.
     Some of the legs are a little awkward, like in drawing 10, but for the most part they work. When the feet are on the ground they look all right, but they look vague when they're in the air. My biggest problem with this has to be the arms and the hands. Especially the hands, since they're the second most expressive part of the body, next to the face. They just look mushy and undefined, and they don't look like they're in the same space as the rest of the figure. What I need to do is do some studies on arms and hands. Maybe I can put that wooden hand mannequin I got for Christmas to good use.

The faces in this one, along with 4, 7
and 10 are ok, but not great

The faces in this one, along with 5, 8, and 11 feel too flat

I like the face in this drawing, along with 6, 9, and 12

Weird left arm, but decent legs
Also, I forgot to number this one

It looks like his ass is really sinking in this one

The back arm is a little too angular, but, overall, it's not bad

The area where the legs meet the torso is a little flat 

The front arm could have been pushed forward on the torso

The arms are still weird, but I still think
this one turned out the best

Yikes! What the hell's going on with his legs? Or his arms?

Looks like I forget the shoulders on this one

If the lines were even widths, it would be harder
to tell which leg is in front

     Even with it's problems, it's still my favorite out of all the cycles I've done so far. I liked this one enough to make flip books out of it for a class project. I wish I had a video of my flipping it to show you. Guess that's what I get for still having a flip phone in 2015.