Crazy 8's

Step 1: Create a curve on Translate Y (your up/down movement) with 3 keyframes. Put some value on the middle keyframe to offset it's value from the first and last keyframe.



Step 2: Do the same with Translate X (your side to side movement)



Step 3: Grab one curve (doesn't matter which one really) and offset it's time, making sure that the beginning key of one curve lines up in the middle of the other curve. This will make a criss-cross shape.

Select both curves in the graph-editor.
Go to:

Curves>Pre-Infinity>Cycle

and then:

Curves>Post-Infinity>Cycle

This allows your animation to repeat itself indefinitely.

Play your animation. The movement on your object should be a circular motion. Pat yourself on the back. Now you know how to make circles! :)




Step 4: Delete the last key on your Translate X curve. You will now have only two keyframes here.

Select the Translate X curve and in the graph-editor go to:

Curves>Pre-Infinity>Oscillate

then do the same with:

Curves>Post-Infinity>Oscillate

Now look what happens to the curve when you do this and compare it to what happened when you did the Infinity Cycle. This isn't a critical step, but is a good thing to know about.

Next, offset the Translate X curve so that it looks like it does in this picture. This will give you a figure 8 motion.