Moho Forum

Oh, is that what's happened? I better check my links too.

Wow this is great! I would just use multiple shapes on one line with different widths to create to the look of an arm and shape. Of course it was limited but this is better. Thanks!

Could someone explain the reason behind selecting the points and creating separate shape in the tutorial?
Thanks.

I haven't seen the video in a long while so I'm going to guess at what you're asking:

With arms and legs, I often split the shapes into upper and lower sections so I can overlap them. If I don't split them, they will create a 'hole' in the overlapping space. That's a neat effect but it's also not what I usually want.

By splitting the limbs segments, I can move the upper arm segment over the lower arm segment, or vice versa by using Animated Shape Order or Animated Layer Order. Or, if I make reference layers, I can 'wrap' arm sections around the body by switching visibility states in a Smart Bone Dial. (Which is my preferred way. I use this method for nearly all the rigs we use at my workplace. It's great if you're character turns from side to side a lot.)

BTW, if you use split layers, as I suggested, you'll want to overlap the border (elbow or knees.) Otherwise, you'll get a slight gap in the render.

(I do the slight overlap because Gap Fill only works if the shapes are in the same layer. I suppose I could alternatively place a small stroke shape that used the same fill color used in the segment. But I think creating an extra point in a joint line segment and pulling the shape over slightly is easier.)

Thanks for the reply but that’s not what he is doing in the video. When you watch it you will see what I’m referring to.
I appreciate your input.

Sure. Sorry, I'll try to watch it again tonight.

In the video he creates a rectangle and splits the rectangle and a half by welding two points in the middle. He then selects the top 2 and the middle 2 and then using the create shape tool he creates a shape. Then he selects the middle 2 again and the bottom 2 and repeats the process to create a shape. Just curious why and what the advantage is to doing this.

That is for the reason Denis mentioned above. You need those middle points to allow the joint bone to maintain the volume, but the two separate shapes is so you could have the shoulder/upper-arm behind the body with the hand/forearm in front of it.

Thanks for the answers gentlemen.