How to get those eyes blinking

Rasheed · Post by **Rasheed** » Sat Dec 16, 2006 5:11 pm

If you want to have eyes blinking, like this:

You could use a group layer with the following setup:

The group layer is masked as invisible, and the eye white layer is added to the mask. All other layers are just masked. The switched layers are interpolated and each contain four layers with the points slightly rearranged for smooth switch interpolation.

Here are the layers in exploded view:

The layers in the top of the screenshot are the poses of the outlines of the white of the eye only, and in the bottom are the poses of the white the eye, with outline and fill. In the center there is the pupil and highlight.

If you didn't use the outline on top of the pupil, you would get something like this when the eye closes:

The mask at the bottom of the group layer will only hide what is outside the mask, but if lighter parts are present in the layers above, those will be visible. To correct this, the outline of the eye is the top layer in the group, and will cover any lighter parts:

Of course, now you have to switch two switch layers, and if you have many keys, it can be a bit of a hassle to do it all correctly. Therefore, I have written a master-slave switch layer synchronization (abbreviated as switch sync) solution.

The solution consists of two layer scripts, which should be embedded in the switch layers. The zip archive contains an explanation and a file to test the layer scripts. The scripts are for editing purposes only. You should install them, run your animation, and uninstall them. They are simply meant to copy the keys in the Switch Layer animation channel from one switch layer to another. If you leave them in, synchronization errors will occur between the switch layers, because the display sometimes lags behind to the action of the scripts.

So, only to be used for editing your files, not to render your animation.

sync_switch.zip

I hope this helps.

GCharb · Post by **GCharb** » Sun Dec 17, 2006 1:36 am

Nice, thanks for the tip, I do my blinking in an action though, then just insert the action where I want it.

Any suggestions as which of the two is best?

Rasheed · Post by **Rasheed** » Sun Dec 17, 2006 9:24 am

I believe you can use layer switching in actions as well.

But I guess you mean that you could use pure point animation, instead of this switch layer interpolation. I think it's a different approach with roughly the same result.

However, I like the control and flexibility of the switch layer approach, because you can change the animation on the fly if you have enough breakdowns. With point animation in actions, you'll need to change the complete action if you need a different type of blinking. This isn't too difficult, but it involves rearranging keys in a copy of your action, which is sometimes confusing to me.

Genete · Post by **Genete** » Sun Dec 17, 2006 12:52 pm

And what about make a good rigging of the eyes and animate only with bones? Then put bone animation into an action and control is easiest.

Click here to watch Golden-dog-eye-blink

And if you want to tweak with the speed then just put a copy of the action instead of a reference. Then translate the eye control keyframe at desired position. Actually I control the eye blink with only one bone.

Rasheed · Post by **Rasheed** » Sun Dec 17, 2006 4:49 pm

It is possible, but then you have even less control over the shape of the eyelid than with pure point animation, either with actions or with switch layer interpolation.

The eyelid in your example resembles that of a doll. There is nothing wrong with that, but I think a more believable eyelid moves asymmetrically, and therefore the rim (where normally the eyelashes are attached) changes shape while the eyelid moves over the eye. That is hard to accomplish with bone animation only. You will need to include some points animation as well.

Then the question of efficiency arises. What is the most efficient way to animate, what gives you the most control and the least amount of work? I really don't know: bones, switch layers, actions, or a combination?

Who has enough experience to tell us?

slowtiger · Post by **slowtiger** » Mon Dec 18, 2006 8:46 am

For main characters, I'd do blinks with point animation, because they are shown in close-up, and I need flexibility for some different expressions.

For background characters a simple approach is OK, they just need to blink to show from time to time that they're alive.

heyvern · Post by **heyvern** » Mon Dec 18, 2006 9:29 am

I have been using bones for eye blinks.

I set up a small chain of bones (3 for each lid) with translation constraints to a main control bone.

By dragging just one bone down or up I can do a great blink with control over all the points of the eyes. Using gradated values for each bones constraints I can close the eyes "flat" the same as using point motion.

I usually have eyes in a sub bone layer so the bone animation there doesn't get mixed up with everything else.

-vern

dreeko13 · Post by **dreeko13** » Mon Dec 18, 2006 11:46 am

example files please

heyvern · Post by **heyvern** » Mon Dec 18, 2006 3:38 pm

Well...

Keeping things simple I didn't need as many points as I use to. I think I am learning.

Anyway, this file only really has one bone for each lid. There is a lid control bone that moves both lids together vertically and also left to right for adjustments. There is one little extra bone that controls the tiny little highlight on the lower lid. All the lid bones are constrained to the lid controller bone. There is one bone that moves the eyeball.

The lid bones move the eye shading layer and the mask and the lids. This way I can have a nice shadow on the eye whites that moves with the lids.

http://www.lowrestv.com/moho_stuff/eye2.mov

http://www.lowrestv.com/moho_stuff/eye.moho

-vern

Rasheed · Post by **Rasheed** » Mon Dec 18, 2006 4:49 pm

I'm glad I started this thread. That is a really convincing eye blinking animation, Vern. Good work!

heyvern · Post by **heyvern** » Mon Dec 18, 2006 5:37 pm

I'm glad I started this thread.

Me too!

I stole the blink "timing" from yours! I think I may have been doing blinks incorrectly.

I plan to use this eye set up for my current project. I kind of slapped it together to post a sample... and it turned out kind of cool!

I realize now, a lot of my older files had way too many points for eye lids and I was using WAY too many frames for a blink.

-vern

Rasheed · Post by **Rasheed** » Mon Dec 18, 2006 6:39 pm

The art of animation will probably always be a trade-off between what can be done and what must be done. Finding the right balance without compromising quality is the trick of the trade.

dreeko13 · Post by **dreeko13** » Mon Dec 18, 2006 7:45 pm

heyvern wrote:Well...

Keeping things simple I didn't need as many points as I use to. I think I am learning.

Anyway, this file only really has one bone for each lid. There is a lid control bone that moves both lids together vertically and also left to right for adjustments. There is one little extra bone that controls the tiny little highlight on the lower lid. All the lid bones are constrained to the lid controller bone. There is one bone that moves the eyeball.

The lid bones move the eye shading layer and the mask and the lids. This way I can have a nice shadow on the eye whites that moves with the lids.

http://www.lowrestv.com/moho_stuff/eye2.mov

http://www.lowrestv.com/moho_stuff/eye.moho

-vern

cheers for the files ..very nice to be able to play about with them

Gnaws · Post by **Gnaws** » Mon Dec 18, 2006 8:39 pm

Thanks Vern. I always learn alot from your clever Control Bone rigs.

Genete · Post by **Genete** » Mon Dec 18, 2006 10:42 pm

Thanks for share heyvern, Like always you are a knowledge mine.

Only a remark. In eyeball layer you have three shapes with same name (name is "2") It makes unable to select the shapes with same name that are behind only with normal clicking or selecting from shapes list at style window.. I have to use this from AS help:

After clicking on a shape to select it, you then have the option to select shapes lower in the stacking order. Just hold down the <ctrl> key and press the down arrow key to select the next shape lower down at the point you clicked the mouse. Hold <ctrl> and press the up arrow key to select the next shape higher in the stacking order at that same point.

It is a normal way to you to put same names to shapes or simply was a... mistake?

the masking and shading of the eye is superb!!!