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The Armature

• EDIT, OBJECT and POSE mode

• Constraints
  • IK
  • Track To

Coordinate Systems

There are three coordinate systems we should be aware of when working with Armatures :

• EDIT space - when the armature/bones is created

• OBJECT space - when the armature as a whole is manipulated

• POSE space - where we will do our animating

Being aware of the differences will (hopefully) eliminate any confusion you may have when switching between the three systems.

While it's useful to know that there is a difference between object and pose space, I don't see how it's completely necessary for new users to go into much depth. You build the armature in edit mode, pose it in pose mode. Unless you're fooling around with the numbers or using Python to drive your poses, the actual space isn't of primary importance beyond sheer functionality. Sometimes precision is necessary, but most animation is done strictly visually. Harkyman

OBJECT space

When an armature is created, then switched to OBJECT mode, and an ALT-R (clear rotation) the effect depends on which view the armature was initially created in :

• TOP view - no visible effect

• SIDE view -

• FRONT view -

• USER view -

This might be confusing to new users. I think it's better to simply say that it's important to make sure that you're starting your animation from a good basic state, and removing object-level rotations either by Alt-R (before armature construction) or Ctrl-A (if you've already built the armature) is necessary before continuing with rigging constraints or even animating. Not so much even a why is needed beyond "if you try to rig and animate on a rotated object and have to correct it later, you'll be in for a world of hurt." Harkyman

POSE space

Used for most of our animating.

A bone's 0,0,0 rotation/location is relative to it's initially created orientation and depends on :

• the viewport it was creatd in
• whether an alt-r was done in OBJECT mode
• whether an CTR-A was done in OBJECT mode

• relation between EDIT / (created position) and OBJECT position (after CTR-A) and REST POSITION and ALT-G/ALT-R

• Armature Center - position is set when armature created can not be changed

• Transform Properties (RMB on middle of bone to select entire bone l.... Local properties
• Yaxis from root to tip is default

I sometimes see even more advanced Blender animators persist with misconceptions about the various coordinate systems that exist within an armature, but it's usually only when they start messing around with Python and trying to work with the numbers. I would prefer to see not much mention of numerics for character animation. Harkyman

Character Animation Toolset

_________________________________

Good day to all you character animators or wanna-be's !

Keyboard Shortcuts

• Not specific to character animation, but some indispensable shortcuts I use constantly :

• (Left)SH-SPACE -- toggles a window from tiled to maximized covered in navigation basics chapter, fine to mention as a reminderHarkyman

• NUMPAD-{period} align view to selected. Along with the ALT-mouse-view tumbling I use this all the time, as it will cause your view to rotate around your selection

• - LMB (place 3d cursor) and "c", to align the view to the 3d cursor and then have your view rotations centered around it. This and the previous are nice tricks, not mentioned elsewhere AFAIK Harkyman

• zoomable - buttons, transform properties (NUMPAD +/ -) I had no idea you could do this with the n-key panel. very cool. Harkyman

• ALT-SH-A to start an animation with the mouse cursor in any window Covered elsewhere. You can mention it in line if you use it in an example, but no need to explain. Harkyman

• SH-dwn arrow - jump to first frame in animation range Covered elsewhere. Mention for a refresher is fine, but no need to explain. Harkyman

• Alt-g, alt-r ..REST position EDIT mode, OBJECT mode - CTR-A - clear rotations Definitely mention, but also note that these are the same as for other object types. One of things I'm trying to show overall is how similar functionality in different window types often uses the same shortcuts.Harkyman

Tips'n Tricks

• Fps - (F10 Scenes panel) (to slow down an anim

Media:Upload an Image

Viewport layout

http://mediawiki.blender.org/uploads/f/fd/Mstram_book_animTools_screens_main1_small.jpg

Larger Image

Viewport configuration is covered elsewhere in the book. I see that this isn't one of the standards included in official release. That's fine, as there will be a CD accompanying the book. If you have a great animation layout that works for you, we can include it and you can just toss a reference to it. You don't need to go into how to custom config the interface -- just hit the points of the animation screen you've created: what are its elements and why are they useful. That way the user can either grab it off the CD or make their own. Harkyman

• you can save a viewport ("screen layout") with the upper left dropdown

3d views

Options

• One view - switch with (CTR)NUMPAD 1,3,7

or 2,3,4 views (TOP,LEFT,RIGHT,BACK
  -- can create 

http://mediawiki.blender.org/uploads/b/be/Mstram_book_animTools_screens_4viewsmall.jpg Larger Image

The "Blender Way" is to really work with a single view and use fast numpad view switching as needed. That doesn't mean that you can't mention other methods... but we're trying to get people acclimated to the way the Blender "pros" work with app. Maybe something along the lines of "some people feel more comfortable working with 4 3D views available, and we can do that..." Harkyman

3d Manipulator

• no effect on keyframes always local/normal, so use NORMAL to eliminate confusion

Personally, I think work is faster with the manipulators off. What I've been doing in other chapters is to say: you'll work faster with G/R/S keys, but if you feel more comfortable with the manipulator, make sure you use NORMAL to eliminate confusion. Harkyman

Camera View

Passepartout  .6
click on solid border in camera view to select the camera
ctrl-ALT-NUMPAD-0 set camera to current view orientation

Outliner

(CVS / 2.43. find function) - lockable meshes)

== Layer assignments --

Layer         Descrip
-------       -----
 1 		- Main character mesh   (CVS/2.43  (non selectable option in Outliner)
 2		- Scene objects (floor, furniture etc)

11 (ALT-SH-1)	- Armature  (body)
12 (ALT-SH-2)   - Facial  (if seperate  (AJ / Ludwig)
13 (ALT-SH-3)	- lights
14 (ALT-SH-4)	- Cameras

The outliner is covered elsewhere. If it's very functional to what you're doing, just show how you use it in relation to the work at hand. No need to re-explain. If you were mentioning it as just a generally useful thing, you can cut it. Harkyman

EDIT buttons

• • X-Ray

• • Auto-IK

• • Draw Names
  • Ghost / Step

Bone Layers

SH-M - Bone layer menu + "top" keyboard numbers (SH-M 1, SH-M SH-{1-0) 
       (SH) ALT-{1-6) (11-16) to add

• 1 - torso, IK FEET,
• 2 - IK hands, upper arms / elbow targets
• 16 - non Animatable "structural" bones

"Selected Bone Ob:"

• create an object (layer 8)
• resize in EDIT mode

• • RED = right
  • YeLlow = Left

   * It is a bone object, just appears to be an object (IPO / Action editor behavior as per bones)

IPO Editor

• CTR-LMB (move left to zoom horiz, up/down for vertical
• HOME view all curves
• select chanels in right border

• PIN icon for multiple IPO windows / associated bones
• Quaternirions

Ipo functionality is covered elsewhere. I'd avoid doing anything indepth with quaternions, as not even that many advanced users really get them. Just a mention that bones use something called quaternions to store rotation, and that it's not very user-friendly/human-readable should suffice. If you need to make an adjustment to a bone, roll that darned thing in the 3D view and set a new key. Harkyman

Using dummy objects to use Euler indirectly

• rotation constraint

If you're not messing with quats directly, you won't need to do tricks to get around them. Besides, there are noted bugs when using copyRotation constraint and going from Euler to Quat -- it's not a foolproof solution. Harkyman

Action Editor

Transform Properies Dialog

• (local space for Pose bones ("Pose space" ?)

Without an in depth knowledge of the numbers behind the bones, I think the transform panel for posing is begging for confusion. I've written armature and bone code in the sources, and I don't even completely grok what's in the Transform Panel sometimes. Harkyman

NLA Editor

• Action / NLA mode
• resize strips to change speed
• Add Mode versus regular Blend mode Harkyman
• How strips blend if overlapping strips address completely different bones versus addressing the same bones Harkyman

TimeLine

• Markers
• Lock Time to other windows
• Auto record

Shape Keys

Shape keys are getting their very own whole chapter, so you can skip them here. Harkyman

Editing Buttons Shapes

Relative

Vgroup

Ipo Drivers

Useful, but really out of scope for this. I think new users are going to have enough to handle already. Harkyman

hmm I think maybe it should be covered, but perhaps in shape keys? Since they are primarily used for driving shapekeys anyway... LetterRip 06:08, 4 December 2006 (CET)

Harkyman thinks that LetterRip reads absolutely everything in existence about Blender, the moment is it published.

Second Armature

Techniques

Picking up an Object

• "HRH", "HLH" bones

• • move them layer 5 or any other layer on it's own

• • copy location, rotation constraints
  • Interpolation mode constant
  • keyframe the object (putting it down)

• • • Ortho view (NUMPAD 5)
    • SH-S cursor to selection
    • positio bone to cursor

Extras

Game engine phyics - recording to IPO

This has it's own chapter. Harkyman

MIDI

Are you referring to the scripts that allow MIDI control of animation? If so, I'd say that is way past basics. Wouldn't hurt to mention in passing that such things are possible though. Harkyman

Real time mouse recording

• - empties (proxies)

(2.43?) NEW Walk Features

I'll ask Ton if he thinks the offset bone and new walk tools are in-scope or out.Harkyman

• Offs bone
• paths