How to Animate a Basic Walk Cycle 🚶

Follow along to this basic tutorial on how to animate a basic walk cycle.
No bells and whistles on this first version, just a vanilla walk cycle to get you started.
I animate this in Adobe Animate, but this can be done in any animation software.
Thanks to my Patrons for supporting this episode!
If you're doing your fist walk cycle, export a GIF and send it to me on Twitter!
@DanRoot_VGAS
#AnimTute #AnimationTutorial

[@Phroggster]

When you talked about starting a second channel where you'd focus more on the "how to do it yourself" instead of the post-hoc analysis of "what had already been done," I wasn't sure that it'd really be content for me. Having watched this, I'm glad that I subscribed here. You've got such a calming demeanor, are very clearly both knowledgeable and skilled in what you do, and have an excellent ability to communicate and share that knowledge with others. Bravo!

[@DanRootAnimTute]

Thanks so much, it's good to hear feedback like this so I can improve and adapt to what works for most people!

[@ObaREX]

The art of animation is so underappreciated

[@locochavo4560]

This is the most organic walk cycle tutorial I've seen! Wonderful work!

[@DanRootAnimTute]

Thank you!

[@PO1PLE]

As someone who loves animation, experimentation has always been my way to learn, but finally, I've found a good tutorial that doesn't just tell you "draw your key poses, those are the most important and exiting poses, and then do your in-between and clean up", thank you for a wonderful tutorial. (:

[@DanRootAnimTute]

I'm glad you enjoyed it! Glad to help!

[@Zenlore6499]

This was really calming. You’re such a good teacher!

[@DanRootAnimTute]

Thanks so much!

[@ElTaitronAnim]

Very simple and straightforward, well done :) Personally I would start with the contact and passing positions before doing the up and downs, but that's just another option.

[@DanRootAnimTute]

Thanks, and yeah everyone has slightly different ways of setting it up, it's just whatever works.

[@toadboydude5015]

I love these videos, they're nice and slow-paced but not boring. Thank you Dan.

[@DanRootAnimTute]

Thank you, you're totally welcome!

[@downspiral]

Thank you for the tutorial! This was a great help for me starting out in 2D Animation!

[@Leblancandrew]

This is a wonderful video.
Delving into animation currently and you couldn't have uploaded at a better time.
Forever grateful!

[@DanRootAnimTute]

Hey thanks, glad it's helped!

[@okjeffy6581]

Thanks. Very helpful. I’m gonna be animating my Characters soon.

[@thedishonorablewizardthorn2486]

Thank you!! I was really hoping you would do a walk cycle early on and this was better than I could have asked for, thanks!

[@TheChair399]

Interesting as always my dude, very glad you decided to do this

[@Donotaro22]

Saved this to my art tutorial playlist, thanks Dan. Love your videos!

[@DanRootAnimTute]

Thank you!

[@Cerberus-Viper]

Thank you so much this helped me with i a project im working on and i really couldnt get this walk cycle down, but with this video it explained all the stages well .

[@jenychavez9189]

This video is great. It is a very organic walking cycle and will be useful for my project! Thx

[@yurei6028]

This was amazing and really good help for my portfolio 😁 could you also by chance do one where something heavy is being thrown?

[@arjay7780]

Thanks Dan. Great video.

[@DatBiBish]

Amazing! Thank you ❤

[@jamesscourtos3583]

More of these please!

[@TIH-2024]

Thanks
Edit: this animation that I'm making looks great now, it is tried cats

[@SarkyGacha]

Thank you, this was very helpful.

[@sawyerscoding900]

I used this video to make my first walk cycle and don't have twitter to say thanks so I came here. It helped a ton! Thank you!

[@DanRootAnimTute]

You're totally welcome!

[@BoogieDraws]

OMG THIS HELPED ME SO MUCH TYSM!!!

[@GalabuziX]

Thank you!!

[@tyrannt3402]

Thank you so much Dan! I'm currently working on a game rn (for personal project) and I really needed a walk and run cycle, Thank you for making a good tutorial for walk! Really helpful 😸

[@DanRootAnimTute]

I'll be sure to do a run cycle soon! Good luck with your game!

[@jammydinos5479]

Thank you :D

[@rishvanthnandagopal8484]

Dude, your tutorial videos are epic. When is the new video going to come out? PS: I watched all of your videos by the way.

[@danielmaki5250]

Thank u 😢 so much I’m trash at that u made it best

[@reenchanted]

This is great! Any chance you’d be able to do one like this but with an old-school 3-frame cycle a la Megaman?

[@sujalsawardekar6331]

love it!!!!!!!! ihave only question that why my edges are breaking in adobe animate while drawing please answer it!!

[@powerbolt7508]

Hey can you tell me some tricks for animating with your finger? I have been drawing on an ancient galaxy J5 with my finger for over 1 and a half year and it's still so hard because my phone doesn't support stylus so please give tricks

[@DanRootAnimTute]

Oh boy, umm. That's a tricky one.
All I can suggest is trying to invest or save up for hardware which supports styluses, I think it'll be tricky to get the right accuracy using finger drawing.

[@powerbolt7508]

It's even harder thank you think because I have crippling OCD

[@AP-jx3fm]

Is XP PEN compatible with Adobe animate??

[@zainii2086]

can you attach a source file with it ?

[@pooruanimations]

After making the 4 steps of the walk cycle should i add the inbetweens?

[@DanRootAnimTute]

Yeah do it!

[@agustinriverus]

Does it work in orher animating programs?

[@DanRootAnimTute]

It should do

[@xDevLarsh]

can i have a template of this?

[@DanRootAnimTute]

I'm afraid I didn't make one - sorry!

[@victoriajohn7079]

The onion skin is not working for me

[@qassim1233]

this isnt dan bull