animating butterfly wings...?

[deserata]

I first built the parts (right wing, left wing, body) on three separate vector layers, because I had noticed that I might get the effect I was going for by moving the wings with the "Rotate Layer Y" tool.

The only problem with that was that there was nothing to keep the wing attached to the body when I moved it. The only way (in my highly limited knowledge of this program) I knew how to attach the wings to the body was to bind the points of the shapes together where they touched, although that required them all being on the same layer. And then, predictably, with Rotate Layer Y the whole butterfly would spin around like a coin.

I know there's a way to keep the wings anchored to the body so they could operate more like a hinge (and maybe that Rotate Layer tool isn't even the best way to move the wings), but I'm still a complete newb. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[heyvern]

Two choices:

Use layer rotation as you did but change the center point of each layer so it is at the correct location for the body. For instance move the registration point of the wing layer so it is at the body. The rotation is around that point.

Second and in my opinion the better option, is to use bones. Put all the layers in a bone layer. Draw bones and bind the points to the bones. For example there would be a body bone, with 2 children that have their base at the body. This way you don't have to switch layers to flap the wings. You can just rotate or possibly scale the bones.

Without seeing how the butterfly is set up it is hard to tell you anymore about how this should be done. Is the butterfly viewed from the top? The side?

-vern

[J. Baker]

Is this what you're trying to do?
http://flashpulse.com/moho/catch_me.html

[deserata]

Is this what you're trying to do?
http://flashpulse.com/moho/catch_me.html

Yes! Yes, that is what I'm trying to do!

@Vern: Right now I'm not doing any fancy angles for the butterfly; it's just a straight-on view where you can see his body and his full wingspan.

I grouped the layers under a bone layer like you said and rigged it with the body bone as the parent, and then bound the points of the wing shapes to their respective bones. However, rotating the bone in one of the wings only stretches it in odd directions (pulling it too far makes the butterfly crumple over itself) -- is it possible to rotate a bone on the Y-axis?

[J. Baker]

I don't believe I used any bones when I made that. It was all done using rotation. Just make sure to set rotation pivots properly.

[fiziwig]

I asked almost the same question two weeks ago. Here are the solutions I got: viewtopic.php?t=10134&highlight=wings

--gary

[J. Baker]

Here you go...

butterfly.zip

[funksmaname]

the problem with using bones is that they dont rotate in 3D space, so essentially you are skewing your drawing which might sort of looks right to a point, but if you go too far it gets flattened...

[heyvern]

Scaling a bone can "fake" a "3D" distortion.

-vern

[Laminar]

I'm having this exact same problem. Oddly enough on a butterfly as well.

I am using layer rotation with limited success although I wasn't aware that I could change the rotation point. I can't seem to find anything in the manual on how to do this?

Could someone please enlighten me on how to change the rotation point?

Cheers...Paul.

[slowtiger]

Hm - that's going to be a very slow butterfly. I remember having done lots of them for some "Benjamin Blümchen" a decade ago. It was just 2 frames up, 2 frames down position (at 24 fps). This is not much work even in points animation.

http://www.slowtiger.de/examples/butterfly_slow.zip

[deserata]

I see, so with rotation it's important to set the origin right between the wings.

Awesome. I have a competent butterfly now.

The files/suggestions were extremely helpful -- thanks, guys!