Bear head turn

[Genete]

Just for fun!
Done by point motion on the fly,
It is a preparation for a 3D rig of a head with for turning. I'm planning to rig only the central points of the main shapes (eyes, nose, ears, mouth) The rest done with point motion (maybe actions)

Lessons learned:
1) For shadows insertion it s good to plan them before you draw your shapes. FOr example the lower shadow of the bear face is very bad. I should have added some points between the main ones. But now the poitna nimation is done and don't want to redo it. For the same reason I have not added shadows to the ears. Plan before draw. Perhaps a raster drawing would have helped.
2) Point motion gives a lot of control. It joined with basic bone motion is the best way to animate such kind of head turns and so on. I think that switch layer for head turns is ok but direct point motion gives you more feshness to the animation.

http://amanoalzada.iespana.es/Mohostuff/bear-head.anme
http://amanoalzada.iespana.es/Mohostuff/bear-head.swf




Enjoy
Genete

[Nephilim]

Looks real good to me!

Although, the right ear looks a little 2D, at first I didn't notice but then I looked closely and noticed that it didn't turn.

[rplate]

Just for fun!
Done by point motion on the fly,
It is a preparation for a 3D rig of a head with for turning. I'm planning to rig only the central points of the main shapes (eyes, nose, ears, mouth) The rest done with point motion (maybe actions)
Point motion gives a lot of control. It joined with basic bone motion is the best way to animate such kind of head turns and so on. I think that switch layer for head turns is ok but direct point motion gives you more feshness to the animation.
http://amanoalzada.iespana.es/Mohostuff/bear-head.anme
http://amanoalzada.iespana.es/Mohostuff/bear-head.swf

Genete

3 Cheers for point motion.
Yay, Yay, Yay

[Genete]

Looks real good to me!

Although, the right ear looks a little 2D, at first I didn't notice but then I looked closely and noticed that it didn't turn.

Yes the right ear need some adjustment.
Thankyou for your observation and comments.
Best
Genete

[Genete]

3 Cheers for point motion.
Yay, Yay, Yay

Hahaha. Not everything can be done only with bones. Thanks.

I'm planning to rig only the central points of the main shapes (eyes, nose, ears, mouth) The rest done with point motion (maybe actions)

I think this is the way GreyKid, artfx, Touched and other(*) experienced animators do the right job.
So I will add my 3D bones setup!!!!

Cheers!
Genete

(*) Also heyvern, Brent Lowrryt, peeg, selgin, Barry Baker... forgive me if someone else is missing ...

[Touched]

You're pretty close on how I'm currently handling the face, but I'll explain more in detail. I've tried a variety of different methods for different characters...essentially every character I've rigged until now I've used a different method to see what would be most efficient. Right now I'm settled on a more or less stable solution, but of course if I find something more efficient I'll try that.

I'm using bones for the hair, eyebrows, pupils, and mouth. One main bone to control the whole head, dynamic bones for the hair, movement control bones for moving the pupils around, a fine chain of bones for moving and creating expressions with the eyebrows, and a movement/distortion control bone for the mouth (which is a switch layer). I use point animation for the head turn, mouth shapes (via switches and actions), blinking, and other expression changes (except for changes that involve the eyebrows). It all depends on what seems most flexible and most efficient at the time. Well, flexible and efficient only insofar as it achieves the visual result I want. It means that I have to animate the blinking and other expressions for every perspective pose I want, but that's no big trouble and I consider the results worth it.

I also use layer depth for placing elements like the ears for the head turns, controlled with actions. I haven't tried the "flip by bones" script yet, but when I have time, I will.