What's the best setup for making controls for facial expressions from smart bones that have been animated into an action? For example, happy, sad, angry, etc.
I want to be able to smoothly change from one expression to another (not jump instantly from one to another) and have them stored in some sort of control for easier and quicker animating - what would be the best way? One dial for the expressions? Multiple dials?
Best way to setup controls for preset saved facial expressions?
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MrMiracle77
- Posts: 189
- Joined: Mon Jun 24, 2019 2:30 am
Re: Best way to setup controls for preset saved facial expressions?
You can move your smartbones using Regular Actions, which are created using a similar process. The Regular Action will change your bone positions from wherever they currently are to a position chosen by you, after a number of frames also chosen by you.
Regular Actions can be assigned to any layer, including a bone layer, which is probably what you want to pursue. Make sure you have your bone layer selected in the layer window, but also ensure that *no bones are selected* when you click the 'create action' button on the Action window. The timeline should turn red, indicating 'Regular' (instead of blue, indicating 'Bone').
You can now advance the time line based on how fast you want the expression to change. Move the bones to the desired positions, then return to the mainline. You can now add the Regular Action to the timeline from the Action window (and can narrow down your selection by choosing the 'Regular' tab).
An important note on Regular Actions: Any bone not manipulated to a new position (or clicked on in the timeline to indicate the same position) in the Regular Action will also not be moved when the Regular Action is added to the timeline while you're animating. So if 'Action A' moves the jawline down with a smartbone, but 'Action B' doesn't indicate a jawline move to a new position, the jawline position from 'Action A' will be retained. This can be used to your advantage, though. When I make an animated mouth, I have a smartbone that turns it left and right. However, my lipsync phonome positions are all performed independent of that bone. This allows me to make lipsync poses that can manipulated to face different directions.
Regular Actions can be assigned to any layer, including a bone layer, which is probably what you want to pursue. Make sure you have your bone layer selected in the layer window, but also ensure that *no bones are selected* when you click the 'create action' button on the Action window. The timeline should turn red, indicating 'Regular' (instead of blue, indicating 'Bone').
You can now advance the time line based on how fast you want the expression to change. Move the bones to the desired positions, then return to the mainline. You can now add the Regular Action to the timeline from the Action window (and can narrow down your selection by choosing the 'Regular' tab).
An important note on Regular Actions: Any bone not manipulated to a new position (or clicked on in the timeline to indicate the same position) in the Regular Action will also not be moved when the Regular Action is added to the timeline while you're animating. So if 'Action A' moves the jawline down with a smartbone, but 'Action B' doesn't indicate a jawline move to a new position, the jawline position from 'Action A' will be retained. This can be used to your advantage, though. When I make an animated mouth, I have a smartbone that turns it left and right. However, my lipsync phonome positions are all performed independent of that bone. This allows me to make lipsync poses that can manipulated to face different directions.
- Dave
(As Your GM)
(As Your GM)
Re: Best way to setup controls for preset saved facial expressions?
Awesome! That is very helpful. Can regular action frames be inserted from a smart bone?
Also, this.. https://youtu.be/GlRPAzu6Khc?t=15
Would it be possible to have each expression around the circle or on a slider, and when dragged to it it will activate the respective regular action which then can be applied to the timeline?
More inspiration: https://dribbble.com/shots/6121763-Head-Rig-Duik-Bassel
Also, this.. https://youtu.be/GlRPAzu6Khc?t=15
Would it be possible to have each expression around the circle or on a slider, and when dragged to it it will activate the respective regular action which then can be applied to the timeline?
More inspiration: https://dribbble.com/shots/6121763-Head-Rig-Duik-Bassel
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MrMiracle77
- Posts: 189
- Joined: Mon Jun 24, 2019 2:30 am
Re: Best way to setup controls for preset saved facial expressions?
For the face/eye movements in that video, I think they're using some 'shy' smartbones that are set to target the moving pin bones.
This is the video that inspired a lot of my face/eye controls:
The magic trick is to set your left/right and up/down smartbones to the same radius as the control circle, then limit their travel to 30 degrees in each direction. Move (transform) the bones outside the circle so that their points contact the outer edge, then set both to target your controlling pin-bone.
I recommend no-fill for your circles. Otherwise if you have multiple characters on the screen, their control circles will cover each other.
This is the video that inspired a lot of my face/eye controls:
The magic trick is to set your left/right and up/down smartbones to the same radius as the control circle, then limit their travel to 30 degrees in each direction. Move (transform) the bones outside the circle so that their points contact the outer edge, then set both to target your controlling pin-bone.
I recommend no-fill for your circles. Otherwise if you have multiple characters on the screen, their control circles will cover each other.
- Dave
(As Your GM)
(As Your GM)