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get a boned PNG to cast a local shadow.

Posted: Tue May 18, 2010 8:25 pm
by 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.

Image

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

+ get a boned PNG to cast a local shadow

Posted: Tue May 18, 2010 8:36 pm
by ktron
I realize I can animate the hair and then re-import it but I'm trying to find a more elegant/interactive approach . . .

Posted: Wed May 19, 2010 10:52 am
by 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.

Posted: Wed May 19, 2010 11:25 am
by Uolter
I agree with slowtiger, also hairs are usually drawn with locks, have a look at classical sculptures

Posted: Wed May 19, 2010 2:46 pm
by 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.