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reference materialUsing Morph Mixer for Facial Expressions |
Spring 2006ss |
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The morph mixer is a great and easy way to create facial expressions. It makes them easy and convenient, rather then using a whole bunch of different layers. Using the morph mixer it allows you to save multiple facial expressions and to access them in layout very easily. Step 1-Getting Started |
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| Create your model and zoom in on the face (Figure 1). Down at the bottom tool bar click on the tiny square with the letter “M” on it (Figure 2). Much like the weight mode, once you click on the “M” you can create, add, delete, and name different morphs for the face. They are all then saved along with the model in modeler and will be loaded into layout when you load the character into layout. |
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 Figure 2 |
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Step 2- Creating the Facial Expressions In morph mode, click on the far right tool bar and then select “New”(Figure 3). Here you can name the morph in which you are about to create. Let’s call this one Character_One_Smile. From there select the polygons around the mouth and move them around to form a smile (Figure 4). |
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Figure 3 |
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| Modeler will save this as the character’s smile under the morph mode. Click on the far right tool bar again and select “Base” this will take you back to the original form of the model (Figure 5). |  Figure 5 |
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You will want to click back to the base every time before you start another morph. To make a new one you simply select “New,” (See Figure 3) name it then move the polygons around to the facial expression you want. Lets make a frown now. Click on “Base” and then “New” and name it Character_One_Frown. Move the polygons around to create the look you want (Figure 6). We can do one for the eyes as well. Click on “Base” and then “New” and name it Character_One_Eyes open. Move the polygons around to open the eyes (Figure 7). Save the character and your ready for Layout. *Note: It’s a good idea to have symmetry on when moving the polygons, that way both sides of the face or expression is moved. You can use the mixer to move facial expressions, eye lid movement, ears, tails, etc. You can use it to morph what you want just make sure and keep a proper naming heiarchy or you’ll get lost in your own morphs.* |
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 Figure 7 |
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Step 3- Using the Morph Mixer in Layout Load your object into layout. On the bottom toolbar select “Object,” then your character “Raccoon,” and then the object “Properties” (Figure 8). Then go to the object properties and select “Deform.” Under the drop down tool bar called “Add Displacement” find and select “Morph Mixer.”(Figure 9). |
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 Figure 8 |
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“Morph Mixer” is now loaded and should give the number of morphs (called endomorphs in the box) that were created in modeler (Figure 10). From there it should appear as “Morph Mixer” under the “Add Displacement” tool bar. Double click on it and it will load a whole other tool bar full of scrubby tools (Figure 11). There will be each morph in this tool bar that you created in modeler. From here you can scrub the bars to mix different facial expressions throughout the time line (Figure 11).
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 Figure 10  Figure 11 |
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They go all the way up 100% and -100%. From here you can control all the morphs you created and it even allows you to mix then to get totally new facial expressions (Figure 12, mixture of facial expressions that were created). |
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web page contact: Vonda Yarberry |
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