Recently here at AMPS we have been working on a lot of animation projects. We have been illustrating people and assets that the people interact with.
Animation is a long, detailed, and intensive process, and to simply that process we found a handy plug-in for Adobe After Affects called DUIK Character Rigging. This tool automates the key framing of individual movement points of the characters and is intuitive in preparing the character’s limbs for proper movement.
Other ways we make our characters move are with rigging individual layers/body parts of the characters and using expressions and manual key framing techniques. Lastly, another usefully mode is the puppet tool. This tool creates very fluid, organic sorts of movements by placeing little pins where the characters limbs connect.
All of this illustration and animation happening at AMPS has been an enlightening experience that is allowing us to grow and innovate.