Constraints Animators Should Know


The basic definition and usage of constraints that every animation beginner should know.

Point Constraint - Point constraint constrain an object's position to the position of one or more objects.
Eg: Constraining a button to characters shirt.

Aim Constraint - Aim constraint constrains an object's orientation so that it always aims at other objects.
Eg: Constraining eyes of a character so that they always look in a particular direction.

Orient Constraint - Orient constraint causes an object to follow the orientation f one or more objects.
Eg: A crowd scene may require all the character to look in a particular direction at the same time, to achieve this we can orient constrain all the heads to one main character.

Scale Constraint - Scale constrain causes an object to follow the scaling of one or more objects.

Geometry Constraint - Geometry constraint restricts an object to a NURBS surface, NURBS curve or polygon surface.
Eg: Constraining a drinks glass to a characters hand.

Normal Constraint - Normal constraint constrain an object's orientation so, that it aligns with the normal vectors of a NURBS or polygon surface.
Eg: Constraining a spider (your character) to a character to get it walk over the surface exactly.

Pole Vector Constraint - Pole vector constraint constrains an IK rotate plane handles.
Eg: Controlling things like knee and elbow movements.

 
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