Skeletal animation

Overview

A hand rig used in skeletal animation

Skeletal animation is a technique in computer graphics and animation that allows for the creation of complex and realistic movements by using a hierarchical structure of interconnected bones or "joints". This method is widely used in video games, film, and television to animate characters and creatures.

Structure

Skeletal animation involves two main components:

• The Skeleton: This is a hierarchical set of interconnected bones. Each bone can be thought of as a transformation matrix that affects the position and orientation of the mesh vertices attached to it. The skeleton defines the structure and movement capabilities of the character.

• The Skin: This is the visible surface of the character, often referred to as the "mesh". The skin is deformed by the skeleton's movements, allowing for realistic animation of the character's surface.

Process

The process of skeletal animation typically involves the following steps:

1. Rigging: This is the process of creating the skeleton and binding it to the mesh. Rigging involves setting up the bones and defining how they influence the mesh.

2. Animation: Once the rig is set up, animators can create animations by manipulating the bones. This is often done using keyframe animation, where the animator sets key positions for the bones at specific times, and the computer interpolates the positions in between.

3. Skinning: This involves attaching the mesh to the skeleton. Each vertex of the mesh is assigned a weight that determines how much it is influenced by each bone.

Applications

Skeletal animation is used in various fields, including:

• Video Games: Characters in video games are often animated using skeletal animation to allow for real-time interaction and dynamic movement.

• Film and Television: Animated films and TV shows use skeletal animation to create lifelike characters and creatures.

• Virtual Reality: In VR, skeletal animation is used to create immersive and interactive experiences.

Advantages

Skeletal animation offers several advantages:

• Efficiency: It allows for complex animations to be created with relatively few keyframes, reducing the amount of data needed.

• Flexibility: Animators can easily modify animations by adjusting the skeleton, without needing to reanimate the entire mesh.

• Realism: By simulating the way bones and joints work in real life, skeletal animation can produce highly realistic movements.

Related Pages

• Computer Animation
• 3D Modeling
• Keyframe Animation
• Motion Capture