( turn on English subtitles )
Hello. In this tutorial, I will explain how to:
- pose a custom MD avatar;
- replace an existing avatar with it without having to adjust the garment manually;
- transfer weights from non-default pose the right way.
WRITTEN TUTORIAL:
PLEASE DO NOT REPOST
When making coats, jackets, oversized or off-the-shoulder tops, you will encounter the issue where some parts of the garment ride up or/and pull the rest in an unwanted way. Fortunately, it can be easily resolved.
Let’s start by preparing the avatar. Remove unwanted parts ( 1 ), make the rig visible and selectable ( 2 ), select each shoulder bone ( 3 ), enter desired values under Rotation ( 4 ), and export the mesh in .obj.
Either start a new scene or import the modified avatar as a morph target. To do the former, go to File – Open – Avatar ( 1 ), ( optionally ) adjust bounding volumes and arrangement points, hide them ( 2 ). To do the latter, RMG – Strengthen / Solidify ( 3 ) on the sleeves or any other area that has folds/wrinkles you want to preserve, then File – Import – OBJ and choose Load as Morph Target in Object type ( 4 ).
Let’s prepare the reference mesh. Change rig’s pose position by rotating bones. “Bake” the change into the mesh by copying ( 1 ) Armature modifier and applying it once ( 2 ). Then change rig’s rest position by selecting it and going to Pose – Apply – Apply pose as rest position ( 3 ).
If we were to transfer weights the usual way, arm bones would affect the back of the mesh and spine bones its the sleeves. To avoid it, we should select ( Select – Select linked ) ( 1 ) and separate the body part of the garment ( P – Selection ) ( 2 ), do the same to the parts of the reference mesh that said body part covers ( 3 ) and transfer weights from the later to the former.
Once done, combine all parts ( Ctrl J ) of the reference mesh, select arms and separate them ( 1 ). Transfer weights from it to the sleeves. Combine the garment again.
Let’s prepare the mesh for manual editing of weights under armpits. Add Armature modifier again and pose the rig. In Edit Mode select everything ( A ), Remove doubles ( 2 ) in Tools – Remove. Select the body part of the garment again and manually paint or smooth weights in Weight Paint mode with Face selection masking for painting on ( 3 ).
Once you’re done editing weights, change the pose to default T-pose and repeat the “baking” process.
THANK YOU FOR READING.
If you have any questions or suggestions to improve this workflow, please leave them under the video / in replies to this post / in the ask box or message them privately on tumblr / via e-mail ( [email protected] ).