This week we looked into shape keys, this is one of the features used to give smaller motion to the model. Mainly the face to create expressions. I’m not sad that I won’t be using a lot of this in my module as my characters are incredibly simple. With the tutorials given, I tried following along and again, a collection of images of the process.

 

MONKEY EXPRESSION

This was the easier part of the process where we changed up the face, the more difficult part was being introduced to the drivers which I had used for my ‘cake.’

How to copy keys is by having them turned on and then from the arrow, new shape from mix. If I didn’t like it on one side I can also just mirror shape key. The last part here shows that we can use weight paint to affect the keys as well which is useful for deciding what parts of the subject should be altered.

I didn’t rig the left eye but overall it was pretty easy to understand how to use the driver after doing this, I’ll most likely go back to my character and apply some of this to my own model if it allows it. This was completed in class, there are other videos in the folder so I planned on going home and having a look at them.

 

BODY DEFORM

I don’t even think it’s the right title but here we use the drivers and shape keys to do something like an arm.  My automatic weights had problems but it’s an easy fix with the weight paint. Here’s what the driver looks like and the overall result after applying it.