It involves everything being put into a single folder. This includes the actual character, it's bones, shades, highlights, and even a layer for when the character is over-lapped by an object.
This also includes the shadow! And that's just using the already supplied shadow script. Basically everything is put into a series of masking layers. I will post the images in a short while, to show my process.
This is how the file looks when completely finished. Notice the shade and highlights and perspective shadow that are all apart of the folder in the layers menu.
The folder that holds everything is just a regular folder with no effects at all added to it.
The folder within the Red ball folder that is called, Masks/Char(actor), is a masking folder. Set it’s settings by adjusting the settings in the masking tab of the folder properties dialogue menu. Just click on the masking tab and put the red indicator on the Hide all portion of the group mask section. Than in the layer masking section press the Mask This Layer Option.
Now everything from D’s+L’s (Darks and Lights) to Char Mask is inside the Masks/Char Folder.
I will now explain the order and settings of each layer.
The D’s+L’s are a separate vector layer that is used to imply shade and reflections on your character. All the shades and highlights are, are shapes that have the opacity of pure black or pure white lessened so that the character’s base colors are noticeable as well.
Make sure it’s masking settings are set to mask this layer.
Now the Rd Ball layer is actually associated with the actual drawing of the ball. This is so the bones and the ball can be manipulated together. Make sure that the masking settings for the bone layer are No masking in this group, and mask this layer. The masking settings for the red ball vector layer inside the bone group is set to mask this layer.
Almost done, now, the shadow was just made with the already available shadow script that can be found in the scripts section of the upper tool bar. I’m not 100% sure or remember how the shadow will follow the movement of the red ball vector, but it will still give a sense of realism when everything is put together. Make sure it’s masking settings are set to, hide all, and mask this layer.
Now this last layer, is very very important. Without it you could not see your character, or the ball in this case, at all. All it is, is a shape that completely surrounds the ball. It could be circle, or an amorphous shape that you draw around it…anything! Just make sure that you set its masking settings to add to mask but keep invisible.
That should be about it. Please let me know how this works for you, or of there’s even a simpler way to do this!