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parenting a path point to another layers anchor point
Hi all. So I have a character that uses his hands quite a bit.
The hand is it’s own layer.
His arm is a shape layer with a stroked path, with one point at his shoulder and the other point at his hand (see example).
What I’m wondering is if there’s a way to save time animating, by somehow parenting the arm’s path point by his hand, to say… the hands anchor point. This way I could move his hand wherever I like, and the arm would essentially stay “connected” and I wouldn’t have to animate the arm/shape layer path. Which would be dynamite!
Thoughts?
Example
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8 Replies
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andrew
Best way to do this kind of animation is to use Puppet Tool.
Check this:
AFAIK there is no way to LINK(or Parent) Path Points to some other Point or Null Object.
Check the example:
5522_puppettoolanimation.aep.zip
Vishesh Arora
3D and Motion Graphics Artist
Films RajendraBlog:
https://digieffects.wordpress.com2011 3D Demo Reel:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHPgIJU_BR8 -
What you’ve described is know as inverse kinematics. There are several good methods for making this work.
See: https://motionscript.com/design-guide/ik.html
and: https://duduf.net/?page_id=151
I use DuDuf IK all the time, it is a great free addition to After Effects.
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> AFAIK there is no way to LINK(or Parent) Path Points to some other Point or Null Object.
See the scripts by Chris Green for doing this:
https://www.crgreen.com/aescripts/———————————————————————————————————
Todd Kopriva, Adobe Systems Incorporated
After Effects quality engineering
After Effects team blog
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Todd
See the scripts by Chris Green for doing this:
https://www.crgreen.com/aescripts/I have already tried this script.
Firstly this script is for Mask Path and not for Shape Layer Path Parameter.(Yes I know that we can copy the Shape Layer Path to a Mask Path.)
Secondly this will not Parent or Directly link the Null object(position) to the Vertex of a Mask Path.By this I mean that as soon as you move the Null object, the vertex won’t move automatically, Which is not real parenting. Null object should already have some transform data which will then be transferred to the vertex of Mask Path.
Vishesh Arora
3D and Motion Graphics Artist
Films RajendraBlog:
https://digieffects.wordpress.com2011 3D Demo Reel:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHPgIJU_BR8 -
Hi all. Of course I get pulled onto another project. As soon as I can get back to this one, I’m gonna try these scripts. The puppet tool would work too if I had the arm and hand in its own comp. should’ve thought of that. You guys rock!
I was also thinking of looking into the Newton 2 plugin. Just received an email about it today.
Thanks all. Will post my findings.
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Glad we could help
Vishesh Arora
3D and Motion Graphics Artist
Films RajendraBlog:
https://digieffects.wordpress.com2011 3D Demo Reel:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHPgIJU_BR8 -
I know this is TOOOOOOO late to reply… ????
In AE CC 2018, You can parent a NULL to a point’>You can parent a NULL to a point (in your case Hand’s one end).
So that, you can parent the STICK to the NULL.
so you know…Hope it helps someone even though its too late :p
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yes its a late reply regarding the topic opener
But not too late for my life being saved, Thanks 🙂
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