How can I animate a quadruped to perform a human action?

Cecilia replies Animating a quadruped to perform a human action is a task that requires a good understanding of the motion you need to imitate, a grasp of the differences in the anatomies and some inventiveness to make the action believable. Here I have animated a horse playing drums in time with music.

The main challenge is to balance a quadruped in a position that is unnatural to the character, like sitting down on a chair, and animate the movement you are imitating so that it looks effortless and plausible. It is important to strike a balance between imitating the human motion and creating an animation that is not totally unfamiliar to the characteristics of the animal. Think about the way quadrupeds move and what they have in common with the action you want them to perform. What part of the body can help you communicate this more directly?

Gathering reference and analysing the motion you need to create is the first step to success, the next is to understand the limitations of your rig. Quadrupeds do not have elbows that point out or move freely like humans, instead their

as the sticks hit the drums, the horse’s head drops down and the mane follows the movement conveying the force of the impact

elbows are fused with the torso and wrapped in the skin that extends from the chest. This was particularly problematic as the elbows of a drummer have a major role in transmitting the force of the action.

It is fundamental to find out what the strengths of your character are and to utilise them as much as possible to balance out the weaknesses. Horses have very long necks – visually necks take up to almost a third of their length. I spent most of the time animating the neck and getting it just right, trying to make it look as natural as it would in a gallop.

Introduce devices to aid your quadruped through the motions it is not naturally able to perform. Here I have modelled and rigged tape to wrap the drumstick around the horses hoofs. Finally, utilise the parts of the character that can help you describe the motion more clearly. In this example, the mane is a key helper. As the sticks hit the drums, the horse’s head drops down and the mane follows the movement conveying the force of the impact.

The final animation of the drumming horse can be found on my website: www.ceci.tv/?/3d/project-2.