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Annoying circle thing

Posted: Wed Jan 20, 2016 6:21 pm
by creeper8789
Hi everyone.

For a while now i've been trying to get a ball to Squash and Stretch. However, when I try shrink the ball down vertically, the middle would get smaller and the sides would get larger. Is there anyway I could stop this from happening?

-Thanks, Creeper8789

Re: Annoying circle thing

Posted: Wed Jan 20, 2016 6:47 pm
by Greenlaw
If you're just selecting the points and using Transform Points, the top and bottom will appear to pinch and make the sides look bigger. This is just how this tool normally interpolates the curves between points.

I think what you're looking for is the Transform Layer tool, which is the first tool in the third tool box. This changes the shape of the entire layer itself. You'll probably want to position the Pivot point in the center of the circle if it isn't already there. Or you may prefer to place the pivot at the point of impact. Actually, you may want to nest the layer in a group so you have multiple pivot points to work with. Hmm...I guess it really depends on how you want to animate it.

Alternatively, you can animate the points directly to get the most 'realistic' squashing and stretching shapes. Embed the animation in one or more Smart Bones for better control and easier keyframing during animation.

There are other ways to squash a circle like a ball but this should get you started.

Re: Annoying circle thing

Posted: Wed Jan 20, 2016 7:27 pm
by creeper8789
Greenlaw wrote:If you're just selecting the points and using Transform Points, the top and bottom will appear to pinch and make the sides look bigger. This is how this tool normally interpolates the the curves between points.

I think what you're looking for is the Transform Layer tool, which is the first tool in the third tool box. This changes the shape of the entire layer itself. You'll probably want to position the Pivot point in the center of the circle if it isn't already there. Or you may prefer to place the pivot at the point of impact. Actually, you may want to nest the layer in a group so you have multiple pivot points to work with. Hmm...I guess it really depends on how you want to animate it.

Alternatively, you can animate the points directly to get the most 'realistic' squashing and stretching shapes. Embed the animation in one or more Smart Bones for better control and easier keyframing during animation.

There are other ways to squash a circle like a ball but this should get you started.
Thank you, it helped me out. :D

Re: Annoying circle thing

Posted: Wed Jan 20, 2016 7:41 pm
by Greenlaw
Oh, and adding more points to the circle might help too--but this really depends on how much you want to change the shape during the animation.

And, actually, you could use Tranform Points tool for the main 'squashing'--you just also need to change the 'sharpness' of the side curves so they can get, well, sharper.

As you can see, there can be many ways to essentially do the same thing. The best method depends on your intended goal, and the best way to figure that out is to have fun with the program, and experiment...a lot. :)