Reading: "Motion Doodles: An Interface for Sketching Character Motion"

Abstract

  • Present a novel system for sketching the motion of a character
    • Sketch a character
    • Draw a continuous sequence of lines, arcs, and loops
    • Parsed and mapped to a parameterized set of output motions that further reflect the location and timing of the input sketch


Contributions

  • Present the design of a set of continuous (cursive) gestures for sketching a significant variety of motions, their locations, and their timing. These gestures are implemented in a sketchbased animation system and are demonstrated on a variety of display devices.
  • Present a system that allows novices to sketch a 2D character and then draw a variety of animated motion for it, all within tens of seconds.

Strength and Weakness

  • Strong in its use of a cursive motion specification, its ability to allow for fast experimentation, and its ease of use for non-experts.
  • Focus on how 2D stylus input can be used to drive stylized 2D and 3D character motion
  • Provide a written notation system that is much easier to learn and use, foregoing much of the detailed control that a general motion notation system can provide.
  • Unlike actingbased interfaces, the motion gestures provide a meaningful visual record of the motion, as well as allowing for “superhuman” unphysical and exaggerated motions.
  • Doesn't support the complete gesture vocabulary in 3D

Ideas for Expansion

  • We could extend the library of motions so that it captures not only human-like models but also different kind of characters such as animals
  • We could add functions such that motions depend on surrounding environments (not only the path that users draw.) I.e. If there is a tunnel-like object, whose height is low relative to the height of the character, and if our path touches that tunnel, then the character moves as if it passes through the tunnel like a toddler.

Open Questions

  • What other gesture identification can we think of for creating different kinds of motions?
  • If we apply this system to the areas mentioned in the paper (film storyboarding, theatre staging, choreography for dance and sports, and interactive games), how faster/more efficient would this be? (need more user studies)