How can I make cel-animated walk cycles feel more grounded without tweening?

[Mark16]

I’ve been trying to get my cel-animated walk cycles to feel less floaty and more grounded, but I’m struggling with the timing of the contact positions. How do you handle the subtle weight shift and foot placement to avoid that sliding look without relying on digital tweening?

[Stephen.H]

I used to dial in the contact frames with a tiny weight dip in the pelvis just before landing, then a crisp transfer as the weight shifts to the new foot. Keep the knee bent a touch and land the heel first, then roll to the toe so it doesn’t feel like sliding.

[Ryan_J]

I found it helps to hold midstance a fraction longer, letting the hips settle and the torso lean into the weight, then the leg comes through. It’s not dramatic, but the audience notices when the timing is slightly off.

[Samuel24]

I tried drawing a quick test where the pelvis stays over the support foot for two frames, then the stepping foot lifts with a clean arc. It created a clear weight transfer without extra tweening, at least in a quick test.

[WilliamMJ]

Do you think the problem is the weight shift or the way the contact frames line up with the center of gravity?