ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the principles of generic walk animation and explore the challenges attributed to quadruped animation. Quadrupeds of all kinds are a major challenge to animators, as they effectively double the challenges the more conventional biped walk throws at readers. However, by tackling a simple cartoon-based quadruped—in this case, a traditional pantomime-style horse—people may just get a glimmer of the process that can be employed when dealing with more ambitious four-legged walks. Note that usually the background behind a walk cycle is an extremely long piece of artwork that pans past at precisely the same distance per frame as the character's foot slides. Consequently, for really top-drawer work, all walk animation in panning scenes really should be in-betweened and then shot on one's to match the optimum background speed. Every animator should train him or herself to study life and analyze the movement that is all around readers—from observation comes inspiration.
