SimpleFemaleHairModel

[RS3D]

Here is a very simple female hair model I use for test-rendering female characters. I thought maybe someone else could also use it as a quick and dirty model. It includes the cookie cut decals (2) and both the basic model (the 4 x 4 grid expanded) and a version of the shaped basic model to fit the Hash supplied Gala character. Just be sure to put the cookie cut decals in the same sub directory as you have for the models. It looks a lot better when you apply bump maps and specular maps, but I am usually not concerned with that level of completion when I use it.

HashSend.zip

[robcat2075]

Good 'do!

[Rodney]

Nice hair!

 

I adjusted the mesh to make the hair longer and played with the Ambiance Color settings to get something of an Anime hair styling.

I like!

 

P.S. Please forgive the nasty pass through of the hair through her shoulder. Gulp. I didn't notice that until after the render.

I've also added two more normal renders of the hair prior to getting distracted by the ambiance color adjustment.

hairdo test.mov

[ludo_si]

is that it would be a good idea to use simcloth to animate hair?

[Rodney]

is that it would be a good idea to use simcloth to animate hair?

 

That's certainly an option.

The difficulty with that would be control.

If the hair movement you need can easily be keyframed (say, by posing three or so key positions and then inbetweening those) then simulation is probably overkill.

Another concern with Simcloth hair would be the penetration of the meshes which would often either 1) keep hair from animating appropriately 2) keep the simulation from working.

 

 

An argument could be made also that if that much complexity is required then the better option would likely be particle hair.

 

I believe folks tend to overthink these things and in many cases should consider a more classical animator's approach:

(Note that this approach also works well with Particle Hair and Simcloth so that is yet another good reason to start with a more classical non-fully-simulated approach).

 

- Set the key poses you want the hair to hit (Do this via pose to pose, straight ahead animation... or both)

- Inbetween those key poses (when in doubt favoring the key pose the movement originated from*)

- Consider Overlap and Follow Through (so that the hair has weight in its movement)

 

*Inbetweening is something computers do without thought and thought is exactly want we want to get into our animated movement.

Consider, for instance whether the object (hair strand or group of hair strands) is slowing down or accellerating.

If inbetweening exactly half way between two keyframes we get a steady motion with no change in speed (this not very entertaining... and works against the principle of Exaggeration).

If inbetweening via thirds then we might choose the 1/3 point in our inbetween to create a Slow Out of the first pose... thereby creating acceleration in the movement.

Choosing the point at 2/3 as or breakdown point would create a Slow In to the second key pose... thereby creating the effect of deceleration.

 

Simulation is one of those 'you get what you get' things.

When using simulation I generally use that as only a starting point.

- Save prior to simulation

- Simulate

- Save under a new filename (that way you can return to the original or this one later as necessary)

- Identify Key Poses (those worth keeping)

- Delete all the unnecessary keys

- Finish by finessing those Poses

 

All of this to say, 'Use Cloth Simulation for hair'? CERTAINLY!