get a boned PNG to cast a local shadow.

[ktron]

Trying to get a PNG of textured hair to animate while dropping a shadow only onto the face, not onto other elements in the scene.



Is there a sane way to get the hair-shadow to match the hair-animation?

Example scene "HairAnimateShadowLocal-1a.anme" has two hair levels, one animated, one masked but not animating:
http://www.leaping.com/HairAnimate/Hair ... wLocal.zip

[ktron]

I realize I can animate the hair and then re-import it but I'm trying to find a more elegant/interactive approach . . .

[slowtiger]

If the hair images is animated with bones, I'd try something like this:

- bone layer
- - hair image - is unmasked
- - hair shadow vector or image layer - gets masked
- - face (image or group/bone layer) - is mask

I'd advise against having too much detail in the hair shadow, it's not realistic and even distracting.

[Uolter]

I agree with slowtiger, also hairs are usually drawn with locks, have a look at classical sculptures

[ktron]

Thanks slowtiger (post 2400!).

The trick is that the hair is a PNG image (with alpha), which casts the shadow, so the only way to mask the shadow is to mask the hair, hence the double layers (as in the sample)

Uolter, in this case the type of look will be from a pre-existing style which needs to animate.

One major advantage of ASP over most of the other 2D apps is reasonable handling of textures and alpha channels. Makes it great for animating existing artwork.