Pivot Stickfigure
Animator is a freeware application that allows users to create stick-figure animations, and save them in animated GIF format for use on web
pages or some movie making software. Based on stick-figures, the
software gives you the possibility to create an animation by moving the joints and nodes of the
figures. There is no need to redraw your figures in each frame.
Please use the link below to learn the basics of
how to use Pivot Stickfigure Animator.
How to use Pivot Stickfigure Animator
Pivot Stickfigure is located on the desktop
of the computer you are working on.
Assignment # 1 - Floating Pivot Figure
(save as first name floating pivot; eg. rudyfloatingpivot )
How to make a floating pivot figure.
Assignment # 2 - Horse bucking a Cowboy
(save as first name bucking horse; eg. rudybuckinghorsepivot )
Using a minimum of 30 frames, you must make a pivot animation
that shows a horse bucking a cowboy. You will load the figures
from within the pivot animator program.
Please use the link below to learn the basics of
how to use Pivot Stickfigure Animator.
How to use Pivot Stickfigure Animator
Pivot Stickfigure is located on the desktop
of the computer you are working on.
Assignment # 1 - Floating Pivot Figure
(save as first name floating pivot; eg. rudyfloatingpivot )
How to make a floating pivot figure.
Assignment # 2 - Horse bucking a Cowboy
(save as first name bucking horse; eg. rudybuckinghorsepivot )
Using a minimum of 30 frames, you must make a pivot animation
that shows a horse bucking a cowboy. You will load the figures
from within the pivot animator program.
Assignment # 3 - Animate Your Name
Using a minimum of 30 frames animate your name.
Use the Load Figure Type function to load each letter in your name.
(save as first name rudy animate name; eg. rudyanimatename)
Assignment # 4 - Person Climbing Ladder
Using a minimum of 40 frames create an animation where a person is climbing a ladder that is against the side of a building.
Use the Load Figure Type function to load the ladder and person. Use the Create Figure Type function to construct your building.
BE CREATIVE and Have fun. No acts of violence
or the person falling down or off the building please.
(save as first name rudy ladder climb; eg. rudyladderclimb
Assignment # 5 - Animate Your Name-In Color
Using a minimum of 30 frames animate your name in color.
Use the Load Figure Type function to load each letter in your name or open your original name pivot and save as:.
(save as first name rudy color name; eg. rudycolorname)
Assignment # 6 - Skater Boy Grind
Using a minimum of 40 frames create an animation that has a
skater boy on a skateboard "grinding" down a set of stairs.
Use the Load Figure Type function to load each figure from
the Period 3 folder on the "S" drive. Save as:.
(save as first name rudy skater grind; eg. rudyskatergrind)
Using a minimum of 30 frames animate your name.
Use the Load Figure Type function to load each letter in your name.
(save as first name rudy animate name; eg. rudyanimatename)
Assignment # 4 - Person Climbing Ladder
Using a minimum of 40 frames create an animation where a person is climbing a ladder that is against the side of a building.
Use the Load Figure Type function to load the ladder and person. Use the Create Figure Type function to construct your building.
BE CREATIVE and Have fun. No acts of violence
or the person falling down or off the building please.
(save as first name rudy ladder climb; eg. rudyladderclimb
Assignment # 5 - Animate Your Name-In Color
Using a minimum of 30 frames animate your name in color.
Use the Load Figure Type function to load each letter in your name or open your original name pivot and save as:.
(save as first name rudy color name; eg. rudycolorname)
Assignment # 6 - Skater Boy Grind
Using a minimum of 40 frames create an animation that has a
skater boy on a skateboard "grinding" down a set of stairs.
Use the Load Figure Type function to load each figure from
the Period 3 folder on the "S" drive. Save as:.
(save as first name rudy skater grind; eg. rudyskatergrind)
Assignment # 7 - BMX Bike Action
Using a minimum of 60 frames create an animation that has a
figure riding and doing tricks on a BMX Bike.
Be creative and create various terrains and/or items for your BMX rider to complete their riding and stunts on.
Use the Load Figure Type function to load each figure from
the Period 3 folder on the "S" drive. Save as:.
(save as first name rudy bmx bike; eg. rudybmxbike)
Assignment # 8 - Dancing in the Alley
Using a minimum of 80 frames create an animation that has a
figure dancing in the alley.
Be creative and create various moves for your character to dance with the alley background. NO VIOLENCE!!
Use the Load Figure Type function to load the alley scene from
the Period 3 folder on the "S" drive.
(save as first name dance pivot; eg. firstnamedancepivot)
Assignment # 9 - Elephant, Horse and Man Acrobat Act
Using a minimum of 80 frames create an animation that has a horse jumping/climbing on an elephants back, then a man jumping/climbing up onto the horse's back.
Be creative and create various moves for your characters with the alley background. NO VIOLENCE!!
Use the Load Figure Type function to load the alley scene from
the Period 3 folder on the "S" drive. The elephant and horse can be found in the pivot folder.
(save as first name acrobat pivot; eg. firstnameacrobatpivot)
Assignment # 10 - Free Form Animation - Your Choice
Using a minimum of 70 frames create an animation using either the lake or water slide background (examples pictured below).
Be creative and create something spectacular for your characters with the either background. NO VIOLENCE!!
Use the Load Background function to load the either background from
the Period 3 folder on the "S" drive.
(save as first name freeform pivot; eg. firstnamefreeformpivot)
Assignment # 11 - Animation Basics
Our first animation basic is the walk cycle. Many talented animators have come before us and they have broken down the walking motion of a two-legged figure into four poses. These are CONTACT,
RECOIL, PASSING and HIGH POINT.
These are illustrated below in two full cycles:
Notice that the figure's head does not stay at the same level. In order for us to accomplish this type of head movement, we're going to have to change the size of our stick figure. A change of about 5% works well. (Contact:100%, Recoil: 95%, Passing: 100% High Point: 105%)
Here's another look at the four poses:
For Assignment # 11: Using the "Cowboy" figure in Pivot Stickfigure Animator, create a four-frame animation that gives the illusion of a figure walking in place. Once you've got that looking amazing, use that same figure to create a multi-frame animation that gives the illusion of a figure walking all the way across the frame from left to right. Then finally, to challenge your brain, create a multi-frame animation that gives the illusion of a figure walking all the way across the frame from right to left.