Cineversity

Hi everyone,

character rigging and animation is not my true calling, so my “issue” is probably that I just don`t know a lot about the existing tools. So, I`m sorry in advance asking about something obvious…

In my case I want to animate a cape hanging over the shoulders of a person. The mesh of the cape has a knot in the front and this and the shoulder parts shouldn`t move at all.

I place an IK joint chain on the rear part of the cape and it`s moving like it should afterwards. However, the knot (which is in the front of the person) and the shoulder parts of the cape move as well, always in the opposite direction.

What do I have to do that the knot and shoulder parts stay fixed on their position, so that only the cape on the back of the figure can be animated?

The joint chain is just on the rear side of the cape, I tried to fiddle around with weights, or started the IK chain in the middle of all available joints. In the latter case all joints which were not part of the IK chain kept their position, yet the front part of the mesh (knot) was still moveable.

Really don`t know what I am overlooking.

I appreciate any help you can give me!

Thanks for your time and best regards,

Michèl

Hi Michèl,

Each joint has a weight to the points of a mesh, anything from zero to one. IF you have the “knot” area fully weighted to the first joint and the IK starts with the second, then no movement should happen.

As usual, Images are kind of a good starting point, but most of the time, a scene file works much better.

Scene file/Screen shot.
https://www.amazon.com/clouddrive/share/pPo03aSH0corsCRZA7XhWz3OS8bnTO3dGWpmylJbvga

The red area is “ruled” to 100% by the first joint. IF you move the Goal, it will stay stable.

All the best

Hi Dr. Sassi,

thanks for your very quick and effective help! Yes, for next time I will remember your remark about a scene file…

I also appreciate the hint with the Cloth Surface setup in your attached scene!

Thanks again for your effort and best regards,

Michèl

You’re very welcome, Michèl!

Thanks for taking the time for a reply!

Here is a more detailed tutorial about weighting.
https://www.cineversity.com/vidplaytut/weight_painting_part_1

Cheers

Thanks for the Tutorial link about weighting, Dr. Sassi! Although I have to admit, it`s by far my most hated C4D discipline…

Michèl, sorry to hear about your feelings about it. Simplified said, it is just about moving points around, with a kind of specialized deformer. Of course other options to direct the points come on top of that.

I assume that the mood about it is mainly based on missing training material that would give a good base for the complete beginner? Does the given material goes too quickly too deep?

Perhaps write what you need in the Tutorial Suggestions (forum)! Thanks for considering.

My best wishes

I think the tutorial coverage is good, it`s just that rigging and weighting seems to be too technical for me. If I want to animate a character model and the left elbow is being moved while pulling around a foot controller I quickly lose patience…

But thanks a lot for your suggestion! I`m really happy that Cineversity is getting more and more tutorials about VFX work and I love the new Voronoi options.

Thanks for your advice and help!

Have a nice weekend,

Michèl

Thanks for the additional information, Michèl, as well as for the feedback.

Have a nice weekend as well.