Question About Gradient

Thrashador · Post by **Thrashador** » Sun Dec 04, 2011 10:30 pm

Hi all,
I applied a nice gradient to the pupils of my character's eyes, but I noticed that when I move the pupils around in his eyes, the gradient changes and looks bad. Is there a way to "lock in" the gradient effect on this vector layer?

It seems like it would be rather useless to have a gradient effect that could only work while the layer is standing still... in an animation program.

Thanks,
Thrashador

Post by **Víctor Paredes** » Mon Dec 05, 2011 3:56 am

Gradients works like an image. To move them, you will need some strength on your bones.

funksmaname · Post by **funksmaname** » Mon Dec 05, 2011 11:32 am

you could also manually key it... but to move the pupil and the gradient use a bone with some influence as selgin suggested.

Thrashador · Post by **Thrashador** » Mon Dec 05, 2011 6:10 pm

Hey guys,
Thanks for the reply. I increased the strength on the head bone (which covers the pupils), and it seems to work like I wanted!

I thought you might be implying that I should add bones for just the pupils, which I suppose would be one way to manipulate them... But I've been just translating the layer instead. Are there any difficulties with that approach?

Thrashador

funksmaname · Post by **funksmaname** » Mon Dec 05, 2011 6:52 pm

personally i bone pupils as i like to have many shapes on a single layer - it also means each pupil can be parented to a 'look' bone which can control them both together, but you still have control over each pupil if you need it... There's no advantage or disadvantage to either method if it does what you need it to - which is the only way to judge if you are doing the right thing

Thrashador · Post by **Thrashador** » Tue Dec 06, 2011 9:41 pm

Thanks, Funk.

I have my pupils on their own layer, so I can select the layer and then translate them wherever they need to go. If I need one to move independently of the other, I can just translate the points (hmm... maybe one of my characters needs a lazy eye!).

It's good to know that I've got one thing working!

Thrashador