Dynamic Skinning: Kinematics-Driven Cartoon Effects for Articulated Characters

Abstract

We present an extension to traditional rig skinning, like Linear Blend Skinning (LBS), to produce secondary motions that exhibit the appearance of physical phenomena without need for simulation. At the core of the technique, we call dynamic skinning, is a set of deformers which offset position of individual vertices as a function of position derivatives and time. Examples of such deformers create effects such as oscillation in response to movement and the appearance of wave propagation, among others. Because the technique computes offsets directly and does not solve physics equations, it is extremely fast to compute. It also boasts a high degree of customizability which supports a desirable artist workflow and fine level of control. Finally, we showcase the technique in a number of scenarios and make comparisons with the state of the art.