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276 Chapter 12: Animation
first, (ext remes and breakdowns), and then the
intervening frames are filled in later.
Once a character has been correctly drawn for a
specific frame, pose-to-pose animation requires
that all the keyable tracks needs to be keyframed.
This creates a p o se of the character that will not be
affected if animation for the character is edited at
other points in time. If all the animatable tracks
are keyed in the extremes, the in-b e tweening work
w i ll not destroy any of those poses.
S et Key a nd Pose-to-Pose A nima tion
The number of objects and tracks that require
key ing for a character, even a simple character, is
not something that can be easily handled manually.
Set Key makes this process easier by listing a ll the
tracks that are parts of the character that have to
bekeyedwhenyouwanttofixaposeandcreatea
snapshot in time. Keyable tracks let you determine
which tracks can be keyed, then Key filters let you
work on them selectively, placing keys on only the
tracks you want.
Dif feren ces B et ween Set K ey and Auto
Key Modes
Set Key mode differs from Auto Key in a number
of ways.
InAutoKeymode,theworkflowisto
turn on Auto K ey, move to a point in time, then
transform objects or change their parameters. All
changes register as keyframes. When you tur n off
Auto Key mode, you no longer are creating keys.
Changes made to objects when Auto Key mo de is
off are applied globally to the animation. This is
referred to as
Layout mode .
In Set Key mode, the workflow is similar,
but the behavior is fundamentally different. Turn
onSetKeymode,thenmovetoapointintime.
Before you transfor m or change object parameters,
you determine the t racks you want to set keys on
usingKeyableiconsinTrackViewandFilters.
Once you know what you plan to key, you try
out poses in the viewport (transform the objects,
change parameters, and so forth).
When you like what you see, click the
large Set Keys button or press K on the keyboard
to set a key. If you don’t do this, no keys are set.
If you move to another point in time, your changes
are lost and have no effect on your animation.
For example, if you find that you have a posed
character, but
at the wrong frame in time, you c an
hold down SHIFT and the right-mouse button and
dragthetimeslidertothecorrectframewithout
losing your pose.
Using Set K ey with Invers e Ki nemati cs
Choosing IK Paramete rs in Key Filters allows you
touseSetKeytokeyframeinversekinematics.
This lets you set keys for IK goals and end effectors
usingSetKeyaswellasotherIKparameterssuch
as Swivel Angle or Twist.
Asalways,whenusingSetKey,youcanselectively
keyf rame tracks by combining Keyable icons in
Track View with Key Filters.
SetKeydoesn’tcurrentlysupportIK/FKEnabling,
so don’t try to keyframe the Enable button using
the Set Key button or the keyboard shortcut. Use
the Auto Key met ho d when you want to work with
IK/FK blending.
Using S et K ey with Materials
If you select Materia ls in Key Filters, you can use
Set Key to create keys for materials. Be forewarned
that you need to use Keyable Icons to limit the
tracks which get keyed. If you simply tur n on
Materials and set a key, you will place keys on
every Material track, something you probably
don’t want to have happen.