procedure for creating expressions & poses?

[MaherGBR]

Hi,

Is there a rough procedure for creating poses and expressions to add to makehuman?

I've tried creating pose files by rigging a character (default skeleton) in Blender, then exporting the BVH, unfortunately the shoulder rotation seems to go 180deg out: I suspect something isn't right with the character I'm using for the pose.

Mat

[brkurt]

Hi,

Is there a rough procedure for creating poses and expressions to add to makehuman?

I've tried creating pose files by rigging a character (default skeleton) in Blender, then exporting the BVH, unfortunately the shoulder rotation seems to go 180deg out: I suspect something isn't right with the character I'm using for the pose.

Mat

This will get you started:

http://www.makehumancommunity.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=11606

If you're interested in expressions, you can check out my viseme tutorials and works-in-progress. Visemes are much harder than emotional expressions, so once you've got them down, facial expression of emotions is a snap.

[duststorm]

We create the poses on the default rig in Blender and export them to BVH.
Interesting, I have not yet seen any issues with rotations being off...

[a.g.]

We create the poses on the default rig in Blender and export them to BVH.

I asked before, but there was no real answer - are there any basic guidelines on how some extra hip and shoulder bones in the default rig are intended to be used? I mean at least something like the intended axes and range of movement/rotation, for use of noobs who can't confidently use the 'looks about right' approach

Or maybe at least verbal explanation of the intended purpose of the two shoulder bones, the horizontal pelvis bones, and the short bones at the base of arms and legs.

[brkurt]

We create the poses on the default rig in Blender and export them to BVH.

I asked before, but there was no real answer - are there any basic guidelines on how some extra hip and shoulder bones in the default rig are intended to be used? I mean at least something like the intended axes and range of movement/rotation, for use of noobs who can't confidently use the 'looks about right' approach

Or maybe at least verbal explanation of the intended purpose of the two shoulder bones, the horizontal pelvis bones, and the short bones at the base of arms and legs.

I can help here, if you review my use of the new rig in Kung Fu Wu Bu Quan. In order for the arms to move naturally in the new mesh, you need to start from the clavicle, then to the first should bone, then to the next one. To test this, you need to know how to rotate in constrained axes.

To raise the right arm overhead--for example: (1) rotate Clavicle through the Y-axis (R Y 15); (2) rotate Deltoid 1 R through the Y-axis (R Y 30); (3) rotate Deltoid 2 R through the Y-axis (R Y 30). This will leave the pinky finger along the top of the head.

[a.g.]

I see. How are the shoulder bones supposed to move if raising the arm forward, or rotating it around its axis so the elbow stays in the same place but its bend direction changes? Also, the same question for the legs and the movement of pelvis and upperleg01 bones.

[brkurt]

I see. How are the shoulder bones supposed to move if raising the arm forward, or rotating it around its axis so the elbow stays in the same place but its bend direction changes? Also, the same question for the legs and the movement of pelvis and upperleg01 bones.

You are asking two separate questions. For the first, the clavicle must will need a constrained rotation around the z-axis, followed by the two shoulder bones. My rule-of-thumb here is: Clavicle R Z 15; ShoulderOne: R Z 30; Shoulder Two: R Z 45.

The second problem--that of forearm flexion--has a long development history in MH. Believe it or not, a biomechanical enginner from M.I.T submitted code for that back in 1998. I don't think it's still in the code base, however.

Your best bet for solving problem number two is to use a combination of bones and shape keys. The original mesh needs to be duplicated, and the duplicate needs to be subsurfaced. With that done, you can create vertex groups for the flexor muscles, and move them as necessary, fine-tuning your work with shape keys.

That second approach is the only way to solve the problem of muscular-definition-in-motion for shots such as these:

http://bodybuildersinc.yuku.com/reply/28558

[a.g.]

Your best bet for solving problem number two is to use a combination of bones and shape keys. The original mesh needs to be duplicated, and the duplicate needs to be subsurfaced. With that done, you can create vertex groups for the flexor muscles, and move them as necessary, fine-tuning your work with shape keys.

Oh, that's way too advanced. I'm more after guidelines how to achieve the best result that the existing rigging is capable of.