Main Character – Eyelids

After receiving feedback on the formative assessment, I received a comment regarding the importance of eyelids in preventing the scene from appearing unnatural. Since I had already completed rigging in Unreal, I couldn’t replace the original model. Therefore, I decided to add hemispheres to the eyeballs and proceeded to add joints for each upper and lower eyelid, followed by binding.

As the previous rigged model could not be reloaded with the new file, I created a new rig set and duplicated graphs from the original. Fortunately, this approach worked well, and I successfully added controllers for the eyelids. While the process went smoothly, I encountered an issue: the eyelids did not turn with the head. If this becomes noticeable, I may need to make further edits.

09.01.2024 added

Regrettably, the cat’s eyelids became noticeable when it turned its head. Despite it worked well in the skeleton mesh, the issue only surfaced when manipulating the control rig. Seeking a solution, I consulted Emily for assistance. She suggested an alternative approach: animating the cat using FK controls. Given the relatively the uncomplicated animation, I delved into how to achieve this without relying on the control rig.

During this exploration, I discovered a method that allowed for the integration of both control rigs and bones. I decided to remove the animation on the head and converted it into an FK Control Rig. Subsequently, I added another FK Control Rig, providing the flexibility to manipulate the bones. Upon testing, the eyelids followed properly, and all other components functioned as intended!