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[cosacam]

Hi guys, I began using anim8or just a week ago. Nice program.

I started by making a guy-model (non-realistic, rather a puppet). I have several questions, of course:

I made a very simple shape for the head with a spline and lathe (it looks like an egg, funny) Then I tried to make another object for the nose, by Object->New, but then the head is hidden. I need to see it to locate the nose propperly and make it in proportion to the head.

1) How can I see previous objects while I'm creating a new object?

Anyway, I decided to make all the body parts in the same object (naming the parts propperly: head, eye_ball_right, nose, forearm_left, foot_right, etc) Ok, I did my first model! Then I went to Figure mode. The manual says you make & link the bones,  you add the objects later. Again, I can't see the objects while building the skeleton, I need that for proportions, bone positions, etc.

2) How can I see the objects while adding bones? (Yes, I know there are those two buttons to show bones+objects, but you can't see objects until adding them to the bones. What I mean is to see the object before creating the bone. Is it possible?)

Well, I did my skeleton anyway, but when I try to add the objects to the bones, there's only one object to add, of course! (the full body of the guy)

3) How can I add every body part to the individual bones?

That's all so far. Thanks in advance. Sorry for my english, I speak spanish.

PS. An idea, maybe there's some script out there to turn the body parts (messhes) into objects. It would be easier than making the body parts again.

[Pincho]

In Objects you get a list, you can copy/paste one object onto the next. The animated bird tutorial tells you the rest.

[cosacam]

Sorry, I've been away.
Pincho, thanks for your answer but what do you mean with "copy/paste one object ONTO the next". I followed the bird tutorial but I still can't see the other objects while I'm making a new object. What I'm looking for is a visual clue so I can see how my new object looks (size, proportion, etc) respect the other alreay-made objects.

Isn't it possible in Anim8or?

Thanks

[johnar]

 Hi there cosacam, 
 To clarify: you're building all your seperate objects in 'object01', so that you can position and proportion things like nose etc...
 Thats cool. Once you're done there you can select each object and make them seperate objects. eg: select nose -> cut -> object - new -> edit -> paste.
 Now your nose is a seperate object, named object02. (rename it 'nose') .
 So now in figure mode, when you go to add an object, there will be a list of your seperate objects.

 As far as building the skeleton, (called a 'rig'), theres a few different ways of getting the rig the right size for your objects.
 (note: bones can be added, deleted, lengthened, shortened, and thickened all in fig mode 'after' you have added an object.)

 One way to make your objects the right size is to make your first object, (eg: -head), and then build a basic beginning to your rig.
 Select the bone which you want to add the head to, and add the head. If the head turns out to be too big, go back to object mode and scale a bit smaller. Keep going back and fourth until you have the right size. Now you know that you can build the rest of your objects to suit the head, and the size on your rig should be ok.
 Another way is to render an image of your completed character, or nearly completed, make a flat plane, (new object) and add the rendered image as a texture to the plane.
 You can then add the plane to your figure and use the pic as a ref image. Just use any bone in figure mode, add the plane which has the image on, and position it where you want it. Use front view to begin, and remember that the plane, (ref pic) that you add is only temporary, and needs to be deleted later on.
 Hope that helps a little.

[cosacam]

Thanks johnar, nice explanation and the reference plane is a very good idea. Thanks a lot