Graphics Reference
In-Depth Information
distinct actions that each can be broken into the separate phases described
earlier, but they may also be analyzed as a sequence of actions that create the
whole.
• The preparation for the jump may be a rather slow one, with the athlete
rocking backward and forward, shifting his weight from one foot to the
other, with slight adjustments to the arms to maintain balance as he
psyches himself up for the jump.
• There will be a transition phase from this state into the full run down
the track.
• The run itself will increase steadily in speed as the athlete prepares for the
jump itself.
• The sequence then moves into a phase where the athlete takes an initial
short jump from one foot, landing on the other foot.
• The next movement is the second and larger jump, during which the
athlete undertakes a series of movements using the arms and legs to help
propel him through the air.
• At the end of this action the figure lands in the sand pit with his feet
extended fully forward.
•
The final action is where the figure recovers from the landing and
stands up.
Breaking down this sequence in this way, we can see how it is constructed
from a series of complex actions, each of which has its own timings. To read a
sequence and analyze the various actions, we need to approach it in a logical
manner.
It is important in analyzing a sequence, as it is with the analysis of a single
action, to start by gaining an overall impression of the sequence. Begin by
identifying the aspects of the sequence you are interested in analyzing. It may
be the entire sequence or just part of it. Start by viewing the sequence as a
whole a few times and in doing so aim to get a sense of the dynamic shifts:
when does it move quickly and when more slowly? The next step is to identify
the various actions that make up the sequence. Try to notice how these
actions link with one another. Are there smooth transitions from one action
into another? Do they suddenly change from one action to another? Is there
a discrete linking action that sits between two or more fundamental actions?
It is perfectly possible for each of these transformations to occur in a single
sequence.
Once you have got a feel for the individual actions, start to look at the
pauses or spaces between the separate actions. These are just as important
as the actions themselves. Rarely are the periods between the actions
completely without a motion of their own. Although they might not
be as dynamic as the main actions, they do need to be identified and
understood as actions in their own right. Look for any shifts in emphasis in
actions throughout the sequence. It is these shifts that give a sequence a
choreographed feeling.
