animating with blender topics: making a skeleton. making a skeleton. attaching the skeleton to your...

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Animating With Animating With Blender Blender Topics: Topics: Making a skeleton. Making a skeleton. Attaching the skeleton to Attaching the skeleton to your model. your model. Posing your model with the Posing your model with the skeleton. skeleton. Using key frames. Using key frames. Rendering your animation. Rendering your animation.

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Animating With BlenderAnimating With Blender

Topics:Topics: Making a skeleton.Making a skeleton. Attaching the skeleton to your model.Attaching the skeleton to your model. Posing your model with the skeleton.Posing your model with the skeleton. Using key frames.Using key frames. Rendering your animation.Rendering your animation.

Step 1: Making A Skeleton Step 1: Making A Skeleton

Open the object you want to animate in Open the object you want to animate in Blender.Blender.In Object Mode, select your model with In Object Mode, select your model with the RMB.the RMB.Press the Spacebar and select Add > Press the Spacebar and select Add > Armature.Armature.Press Spacebar again and Add > Bone.Press Spacebar again and Add > Bone.Your first bone will appear at the location Your first bone will appear at the location of the 3d cursor. of the 3d cursor.

Making A Skeleton: Boning UpMaking A Skeleton: Boning Up

Use NUM1, NUM3, and NUM7 to switch between Front, Use NUM1, NUM3, and NUM7 to switch between Front, Side, and Top views to make sure your bone is centered Side, and Top views to make sure your bone is centered inside your model. If needed, grab it with GKEY to move inside your model. If needed, grab it with GKEY to move it.it.After the first bone is placed at a location of your liking, After the first bone is placed at a location of your liking, select the node closest to your next bone position with select the node closest to your next bone position with RMB.RMB.Add the next bone by extruding with the EKEY.Add the next bone by extruding with the EKEY.While doing this, think about every point at which your While doing this, think about every point at which your model needs to bend and place nodes accordingly.model needs to bend and place nodes accordingly.Tip: Use extra bones if a model’s skin seems far from Tip: Use extra bones if a model’s skin seems far from your skeleton. This will help with attaching the skeleton your skeleton. This will help with attaching the skeleton to the model later.to the model later.

Making A Skeleton: What Bone?Making A Skeleton: What Bone?

Once the skeleton seems right, enter Pose Once the skeleton seems right, enter Pose Mode using CTRL + TAB.Mode using CTRL + TAB.Give each bone a proper name that you and Give each bone a proper name that you and anyone using your model can understand (like anyone using your model can understand (like “UpperArmLeft”).“UpperArmLeft”).To do this, right click each bone and enter the To do this, right click each bone and enter the desired name in the box labeled “BO:” in the desired name in the box labeled “BO:” in the “Armature Bones” Tab.“Armature Bones” Tab.This will be helpful later in attaching your This will be helpful later in attaching your skeleton to your model.skeleton to your model.

Step 2: Attaching Your SkeletonStep 2: Attaching Your Skeleton

To apply your skeleton to your model, press To apply your skeleton to your model, press CTRL + TAB to return to Object Mode.CTRL + TAB to return to Object Mode.

Use RMB to select your model. Under Use RMB to select your model. Under Modifiers, click Add > Armature. Then, in the Modifiers, click Add > Armature. Then, in the added box, enter the name of your armature added box, enter the name of your armature (“Armature” by default).(“Armature” by default).

Do not click “Apply.” For some reason this Do not click “Apply.” For some reason this seems to do nothing. Just let the box sit there.seems to do nothing. Just let the box sit there.

Your model should be “rigged” to your skeleton. Your model should be “rigged” to your skeleton.

Attaching Your SkeletonAttaching Your Skeleton

At this point, Blender should have made its best guess At this point, Blender should have made its best guess at your rig by attaching vertices to the nearest bone.at your rig by attaching vertices to the nearest bone.To check this, enter Pose Mode (CTRL + TAB with the To check this, enter Pose Mode (CTRL + TAB with the skeleton selected in Object Mode) and select a bone. skeleton selected in Object Mode) and select a bone. Grab it with GKEY and move it.Grab it with GKEY and move it.If the bone moves without the model, CTRL + TAB back If the bone moves without the model, CTRL + TAB back to Object Mode, use a selection box (BKEY) to select to Object Mode, use a selection box (BKEY) to select both the model and the skeleton and use CTRL + P to both the model and the skeleton and use CTRL + P to parent the skeleton to the model.parent the skeleton to the model.Once the two are attached, enter Pose Mode and move Once the two are attached, enter Pose Mode and move each bone to gauge the job Blender did with your rig. If each bone to gauge the job Blender did with your rig. If parts are moving properly, you can go on to animation. parts are moving properly, you can go on to animation. But this is almost never the case.But this is almost never the case.

Attaching Your Skeleton Attaching Your Skeleton CorrectlyCorrectly

I have explored two ways to edit how I have explored two ways to edit how your skeleton moves your model:your skeleton moves your model: Vertex Weight PaintingVertex Weight Painting Vertex GroupsVertex Groups

Vertex Weight PaintingVertex Weight Painting

In Pose Mode, select the bone you want to edit. Press CTRL + TAB In Pose Mode, select the bone you want to edit. Press CTRL + TAB to get back to Object Mode, select your model with RMB and press to get back to Object Mode, select your model with RMB and press CTRL + TAB again to enter Weight Painting mode.CTRL + TAB again to enter Weight Painting mode.With the circular brush, paint the areas you want the bone to move.With the circular brush, paint the areas you want the bone to move.Tip: Paint is only applied at vertices.Tip: Paint is only applied at vertices. Pros:Pros:

Easiest to use when starting out.Easiest to use when starting out. Easy to see how weighting is applied.Easy to see how weighting is applied. Fun at first.Fun at first.

Cons:Cons: Clumsy – Easy to include unwanted areas.Clumsy – Easy to include unwanted areas. Tedious – Constantly having to switch between Pose and Paint modes.Tedious – Constantly having to switch between Pose and Paint modes. Frustrating – Being unable to paint vertices inside or covered by the Frustrating – Being unable to paint vertices inside or covered by the

model.model.

Vertex GroupsVertex Groups

Vertex Groups can be assigned in Edit Mode (the same mode used Vertex Groups can be assigned in Edit Mode (the same mode used to make your model). Select the area you want a bone to move. In to make your model). Select the area you want a bone to move. In the “Links and Materials” tab, under “Vertex Groups” click “New.” the “Links and Materials” tab, under “Vertex Groups” click “New.” Give your new Vertex Group the same name as the bone you want Give your new Vertex Group the same name as the bone you want to affect it. Then click “Assign.”to affect it. Then click “Assign.”Tip: It is a good idea to hit “A” to deselect all and then “Select” under Tip: It is a good idea to hit “A” to deselect all and then “Select” under Vertex Groups to reselect your area and make sure it was assigned Vertex Groups to reselect your area and make sure it was assigned and saved properly.and saved properly.Pros:Pros:

Accurate – Get all the vertices you want and none you don’t.Accurate – Get all the vertices you want and none you don’t. Fast – Easy to select what you want if you know how to use Edit Mode. Fast – Easy to select what you want if you know how to use Edit Mode.

No switching back to Pose Mode to switch bones.No switching back to Pose Mode to switch bones.Cons:Cons:

Cannot assign weights to specific vertices.Cannot assign weights to specific vertices. A lot of opportunity for human error.A lot of opportunity for human error.

Step 3: Posing Your ModelStep 3: Posing Your Model

Once all your bones are moving your model properly, Once all your bones are moving your model properly, you are ready to animate.you are ready to animate. From the screen-select box at the top of the screen From the screen-select box at the top of the screen (which most likely says “SR-2: Model) choose (which most likely says “SR-2: Model) choose “Animation” to switch to Animation mode.“Animation” to switch to Animation mode. Use your skeleton to pose your model in the first Use your skeleton to pose your model in the first position you want for your animation.position you want for your animation.Tip: If you are animating a cycle such as a walk or a Tip: If you are animating a cycle such as a walk or a sword swing, keep in mind that the last pose in your sword swing, keep in mind that the last pose in your cycle will be identical to the first. It is a good idea here to cycle will be identical to the first. It is a good idea here to click “Pose > Copy” to save your starting pose to the click “Pose > Copy” to save your starting pose to the buffer. This way you can paste it in at the end to finish buffer. This way you can paste it in at the end to finish your cycle. your cycle.

Step 4: Using Key FramesStep 4: Using Key Frames

Once you are satisfied with your starting pose, use a selection box Once you are satisfied with your starting pose, use a selection box to select all bones and hit the IKEY to insert a key frame at the first to select all bones and hit the IKEY to insert a key frame at the first point on the timeline. point on the timeline. A pop-up full of confusing options will come up. It is asking what A pop-up full of confusing options will come up. It is asking what kind of transform you want to perform between this and the next key kind of transform you want to perform between this and the next key frame. “LocRotScale” was sufficient for my walk cycles.frame. “LocRotScale” was sufficient for my walk cycles.You will see a blue line appear on the timeline at your first key You will see a blue line appear on the timeline at your first key frame.frame.Hit UPKEY to move forward 10 frames (or as many as you like).Hit UPKEY to move forward 10 frames (or as many as you like).Pose your model as you want it, select all bones, and press IKEY as Pose your model as you want it, select all bones, and press IKEY as before to insert the next frame and continue.before to insert the next frame and continue.Tip: On walk cycles, you can paste the starting pose as the middle Tip: On walk cycles, you can paste the starting pose as the middle pose and the ending pose, though it might look stale. If you are pose and the ending pose, though it might look stale. If you are confused as to how something should move, try getting up and confused as to how something should move, try getting up and acting out the motion. Also, stay organized while posing! I work acting out the motion. Also, stay organized while posing! I work from the top to bottom so I don’t forget what I’ve moved.from the top to bottom so I don’t forget what I’ve moved.

Step 5: RenderingStep 5: Rendering

Once your last pose is saved, click “Frame > Set as End.” If you Once your last pose is saved, click “Frame > Set as End.” If you are animating a cycle, set the frame before your last as the end so it are animating a cycle, set the frame before your last as the end so it is not rendered twice.is not rendered twice.Open the “Scene” panel by clicking the “Panel” icon farthest to the Open the “Scene” panel by clicking the “Panel” icon farthest to the right.right.In the “Format” tab, select “AVI Raw.”In the “Format” tab, select “AVI Raw.”In the “Anim” tab, hit “ANIM.”In the “Anim” tab, hit “ANIM.”Wait while Blender renders each frame of your animation. Scenes Wait while Blender renders each frame of your animation. Scenes between key frames are automatically interpolated.between key frames are automatically interpolated.When Blender finishes rendering, hit “PLAY” in the “Anim” tab. When Blender finishes rendering, hit “PLAY” in the “Anim” tab. Blender will automatically cycle the AVI video it has just compiled.Blender will automatically cycle the AVI video it has just compiled.Tip: It is a good idea to save before rendering animations. Tip: It is a good idea to save before rendering animations. Animation rendering has crashed Blender a few times for me. Animation rendering has crashed Blender a few times for me. Sometimes ESCKEY can break Blender out of an endless render Sometimes ESCKEY can break Blender out of an endless render loop. loop.