8

470 Chapter 12: Animation
Pivot
Make a selection in the viewport. > Hierarchy panel >
Pivot button
All objects have a pivot point. You can think of the
pivot point as representing an object’s local center
and local coordinate system. The pivot point of an
object is used for the following:
• Functions as the center for rotation and scaling
whenyouselectthePivotPointtransform
center.
• Sets t he default location of a modifier center.
• Defines the t ransform relationship for t he
object’s linked children.
•Definesthejointlocationfor
inverse kinematics
(IK) (page 2–417)
.
You can adjust the posit ion and orientation of an
object’s pivot point at any time using the buttons
in the Adjust Pivot rollout in the Hierarchy panel.
Adjustinganobject’spivothasnoeffectonany
children linked to that object.
Note: Yo u c a n n o t a n i m a t e t h e f u n c t i o n s u n d e r t h e
Adjust Pivot rollout. Adjusting an object’s pivot on
any frame changes it for the entire animation. Use
caution when adjusting the pivot of an animated
object. Adjusting the pivot on one frame might
produce unexpected results in another part of the
animation. You should adjust the pivot point to
the location y ou want, before you start to animate,
if possible.
Tip: Use the Link constraint (page 2–386) to
simulate the effect of an animated pivot.
The Pivot panel has two rollouts:
Adjust Pivot Rollout (page 2–470)
Adjust Transform Rollout (p age 2–472)
Adjust Pivot Rollout
Make a selection in the viewport. > H ierarchy panel >
Pivot button > Adjust Pivot rollout
You can adjust the position and orientation of a n
object’s
pivot point (page 3–1089) at any time
usingthebuttonsintheAdjustPivotrollout.
Adjustinganobject’spivothasnoeffectonany
children linked to that object.
You cannot animate the functions under the Adjust
Pivot rollout. Adjusting an object’s pivot on any
frame changes it for the entire animation.
Pivot point sets hand to the center of the clock face.
Procedure
To r epositi on an object ’s pivot point:
1.
SelectanobjectandthenturnonAdjustPivot
rollout>AffectPivotOnly.
2. Move or rotate the pivot.
Yo u c a n a l s o u s e
Align (page 1–447) , Normal
Align (page 1–450)
,and Align to View (page
1–453)
on the toolbar to align the pivot.
See
Adjust Transform Rollout (page 2–472) for
related information.