Walking and Running Drawings
A WALK CYCLE is one of the first big challenges in character animation. Walking looks simple — but capturing it convincingly requires understanding the mechanics. A walk cycle has FOUR KEY POSES that loop forever as the character "walks" in place (the background scrolls behind them).
The four key poses. (1) CONTACT: front foot just hitting the ground, back leg fully extended behind. Body at peak height. (2) DOWN: weight transfers to the front foot. Body at LOWEST point (knee bent). Back foot lifting. (3) PASSING: the back leg is now passing the front. Body at MIDDLE height. (4) UP: front foot pushes off, body at PEAK height again, opposite leg starts forward. Mirror this for the second step. 8 frames total = one complete walk cycle.
In a walk cycle, when is the body at its LOWEST height?
RUNNING is faster and more extreme. Both feet leave the ground in the air. The body bobs MORE. Arms swing higher. Faster timing — usually 4 frames per cycle instead of 8. The principles are the same as walking, just exaggerated. Different characters have different walks too — a heavy character walks differently than a tiptoeing character. Personality through motion.
Walk Animation
Draw the 4 key poses of a walk cycle on paper (or in any animation app). Stick figures are fine. Mirror them for the other foot. You now have 8 drawings = a walk cycle. Imagine looping them forever — that's walking in animation.
Walking is one of the most useful animations to master. Once you can do it, you can build animations of any character moving anywhere. It's a foundation skill professional animators practice for years.
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