Rigging and Animating PSDs in Moho Pro

In this video we will overview the process used to create the character for this course. This includes exporting a PSD file through Procreate.

In this lecture we will attempt to reduce the file size of the PSD file through a nifty free downloadable script. This is useful for since Moho can't handle large file sizes well.

This is an alternate method for reducing the file size for a PSD. Only use do this if you have issue with the previous example.

Now we enter Moho to set up the document resolution, frame rate and PSD file.

In this lecture we apply the main bones that will be used to make the rig function.

Taking advantage of the raster images, we will be using Smooth Joint Binding to handle all the limb bends.

We will apply constraints to keep certain areas from over extending.

By adding Target Bones, we can anchor in the rig's feet to speed up animation and create weight.

Since we plan to create controls for the eyes, we will need to separately link each layer in the Head group to free up the binding.

To create dynamic animation based on the character's movement, we will need to add bones in the areas needed.

Since the hair is made up of images, we can use Smart Warp Meshes to help link areas of the hair to the bones.

We continue to build up the dynamic hair by adding a second mesh to the 3/4 phase.

In this lecture we continue to build up our dynamic hair using meshes.

In this lecture we add the final set of hair meshes to the rig.

While we plan to create a more complicated system for the eyes, this lecture demonstrates on optional, simplified method.

In this lecture we rebuild the eyes using vectors to gain more control.

By creating a bone for the pupils, we can control the movement of the pupils at any time.

With a bone, we can create dial which we can use to control emotion.

Like the blink dial, we can create a reusable action which allows for the opening and closing of the eye.

Here we begin our head turning journey by drawing a mesh around the 3/4 phase of the head.

Because we are using multiple meshes, we will need to be careful we ensure all layers are linked appropriately to the new mesh.

With the mesh and layers set, we can now focus on creating the tilt animations for the dials.

In this lecture I overview the work done between videos. This mostly pertains to the eyes and smoothing out the head turns.

In addition to the polishing done between lectures, here we will add some smart actions to help with some of the limb movements.

To start the animation process, we will lay down some basic poses to get us going.

Here we finish up the animation by applying lip syncing, adding blinks, head turns and other final touches.

With the animation complete, we can add any final touches, such as motion blur, and export for the world to see.

My final thoughts on what we learned throughout the course.