User interface for controlling animation of an object

A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon data representing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

• displaying a user interface comprising:
• a control area comprising an ellipse;
• and
• a user-manipulable control element located within the control area, and including an arrow having a curved body, a variable length specifying the rotation speed, and a variable direction specifying the rotation direction, and wherein the curved body of the arrow comprises an arc of the circumference of the ellipse, and the tail and the head of the arrow are located on the circumference of the ellipse, the arrow pointing along the circumference of the ellipse;
• receiving user input via the user-manipulable control element, the input comprising dragging the head of the arrow to set the arrow's length and the arrow's direction;
• responsive to the set length of the arrow exceeding the circumference of the ellipse, displaying a multiplier value indicating a number of revolutions of the arrow head around the circumference of the ellipse included in the set length;
• and
• animating the object based on the received input.

A system for animating an object according to a speed with which the object rotates and a direction in which the object rotates, the system comprising:

• a non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon data representing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
• displaying a user interface comprising:
• a control area comprising an ellipse;
• and
• a user-manipulable control element located within the control area, and including an arrow having a curved body, a variable length specifying the rotation speed, and a variable direction specifying the rotation direction, and wherein the curved body of the arrow comprises an arc of the circumference of the ellipse, and wherein the tail and the head of the arrow are located on the circumference of the ellipse, the arrow pointing along the circumference of the ellipse;
• receiving user input via the user-manipulable control element, the input comprising dragging the head of the arrow to set the arrow's length and the arrow's direction;
• responsive to the set length of the arrow exceeding the circumference of the ellipse, displaying a multiplier value indicating a number of revolutions of the arrow head around the circumference of the ellipse included in the set length;
• and
• animating the object based on the received input;
• and
• a processor for performing the operations.