#Embossed Mesh
6 messages in this thread
I'm trying to create a flat surface with an object "pressing" it's way
out of it. Let's say that it's a table top, and the idea is to have a hand
pushing up from underneath.
I've tried using the lofter, hand on one level, quad on another, but
placing all of the extra vertices in the quad is causing almost unpredictable
results.
Any suggestions?
If you have the CD-ROM for 3D studio 2.0, there's a nice sample
animation in there (mesh) that has a face "pressing" its way out of a picture
on a wall. It was also in the 1992 SIGGRAPH demo tape I believe. I think it's
the sort of effect you're looking for. If I understand correctly, the way
"they" did that effect was to basically start with the face (or hand in your
case), make a second copy, and using that copy, move the vertices around so
that it's virtually flat (to get the flat picture or table in your case). Then
just do a simple morph. — and it sounds so simple doesn't it? <g>
— Steve
Steve
I think you're basically correct. When I poked around that mesh, and unhid all
the stuff, there was a slew of meshes in the morph sequence. But…I believe
the approach was essentially as you describe.
Eli.
It was done pretty much the way Steven described. A copy of the face was scaled
down to a flat object, and the animation morphed from the flat object to the
face. A couple of important details: 1) You must perform the scaling on the
vertex rather than the object level (do it to a selection set of vertices),
otherwise the second morph object will translate during the morph. 2) If you
want the face to be coming from a third flat object (like a rectangle or table
top) remember to assign the same smoothing groups to the table top and the
morph objects to avoid a seam. 3) (I know I said there were only a couple,
but…) It's a good idea to assign a texture map to all objects to help hide
seams.
Also, Jamie Clay, who did the animation, actually used several morph faces. He
went to the trouble of editing different sections of vertices in each morph
face so the effect was more realistic.
– Jack
>> start with the face (or hand in your case), make a second copy, and using
that copy, move the vertices around so that it's virtually flat
Hmmm. What I'm wondering is how you get the hand to become a flat surface on
the edges. If I make a mesh of the hand, it needs to become a flat surface
between the fingers, and around the perimeter. Any ideas on that?
P.S. I don't have a CD-ROM drive…
-Jason Kirtland.
Hmm, I see your point.. What I would try to do to get things simplified
a little is to make an actual flat table as well as trying to flatten out the
hand. I guess this is how I would do it:
1) Make a flat table (Create/Box/etc..) 2) Make a copy of your hand 3) On one
the copies, somehow get it to look as flat and as squashed as possible. This
is the trickiest part of the whole animation of course. Do this by moving
vertices, using 2D Scale, etc.. 4) Apply the same material and mapping coords
to both hand and table. Apply same smoothing groups too. 5) Position the
(flattened one) so that it's _just_ beneath the table. 6) Keyframer: Morph the
hand and see what happens.
I'm not sure if this will give you the desired effect but that's how I
would probably start off. Anyone else have any ideas??
— Steve