All in one "head turn" mouth rig with one bone

[rplate]

Yes, but by keeping as much as possible in the bones, it makes for a much tidier timeline. If you use bones *and* point motion, the keys are scattered all over the place and making timing adjustments can be tedious depending on the complexity of the rig. You don't have to go hunting on all the different layers to move point motion key frames with Vern's method.

If I was a BONE specialist like Vern, I'd see your point. In my point motion I didn't use any bones, or switches for that matter. I just don't have the hang of it yet. So for me searching for a few key frames is easy compared to searching and naming and keeping track of all those nested bones.
I watch FOX news. I'm just trying to be fair and balanced. ASP is a very diverse program and point animation is good too. Everybody has a nich. I wish I knew all that, Vern, and others, that have been around ASP or Moho for a while. I'm learning though. It's just a retirement hobby with me. Keeps me out of my wifes hair.

[heyvern]

I just want to make it clear...

I'm not suggesting this is better than point motion. Probably isn't. And it is a LOT of up front work. The work is relative though. Many animators LOVE point motion in AS and wouldn't do it any other way. Each animator has their own way of working. One person's choice of technique isn't a jab at anyone else's. (some people think point motion is the ONLY proper way to animate).

I like bones. I can use this rig like a puppet. I don't have to "draw" the key frames. I just drag bones till I like the look. If the head is turned left and looking a little downwards during dialog and I want it turn right and up, just drag one bone. If he is smiling and I decide he should frown... rotate two bones.

In this animation:
http://www.lowrestv.com/moho_stuff/ISA_ ... c_test.mov

I did the lip sync straight on first. Then I went back and did the eyebrow bones. Then I went back and did the head turns. It took about 45 minutes. At the end I hadn't put in bones for the eyes. So I stuck a couple in there and added that wide eye look.

Yes you can do this moving points and it would look as good if not better. I happen to like bones (I've been using Animation Master for 10 years). And if anyone else likes bones they might like this technique as well.

Point motion is absolute and total control over every single aspect of the animation. I give up some of that control with this rig. The time I spend up front with the bones could be used during animation to create the point motion. That is much harder for me and I can't change my mind easily.

This is not my argument for or against anything. It is me sharing the fun I'm having. I am really just having a bunch of fun and I'm really excited by the results. I am amazed by the results. I can't believe I created it. I can't believe the bones are doing what they're doing. It feels like magic.

p.s. Of course... when it comes to new features in AS... that is where the fighting might start between the "Pointers" and the "Boners".

I just called myself a "Boner"... <sigh>

-vern

[Rasheed]

I hope that the book GreyKid productions is writing will shed some light on a combined bone and point motion animation workflow. I think for fast animation production (which is a prerequisite in professional animation), this is the best method: use bone animation for the big gestures and rough poses, and use point animation for refinement. Of course, having a few years experience as a professional digital animator helps too.

[heyvern]

Oh boy!

I read that post and really got excited. I just started experimenting with adding point motion using actions to my bone movement. It works GREAT. I can add things like... puffing out the cheeks... squinting the eyes, extreme poses I wouldn't need to use all the time and would be extremely difficult to do with bones.

The face I am using for development is all one layer. I finally figured out how to do the teeth without using a mask. Genete suggested I could use a switch for the ears on head turns.

I have two identical layers. One layer the left ear shape is on top, the other one the right.

When the head turns past center I just switch the layers. Works like a charm. I still have to add a few more bones to push the ears into the right shape.

If anyone is curious, I used a text editor to change my existing bone layer to a switch layer. It requires copying a few lines of code and changing the layer type... still way faster than doing it all over again.

-vern

[Genete]

Genete suggested I could use a switch for the ears on head turns.

I have two identical layers. One layer the left ear shape is on top, the other one the right.

When the head turns past center I just switch the layers. Works like a charm. I still have to add a few more bones to push the ears into the right shape.

I'm glad my suggestions were useful.