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Animation > Shape animation > Example: animating a drop of water

Example: animating a drop of water


In this example, you animate the shape of a water drop falling from a tap.

Animate the drop falling from a tap:
  1. Choose Modeling > Preset Surfaces > Sphere.
  2. Turn off Play and go to time 0.
  3. In the Front viewport, translate the sphere 4 units in Y.
  4. Turn on the Record button ( ).
  5. Since the Translate tool was active when you turned on Record, an animation sequence is created for the position parameter. In the Sequencer, notice the key at time 0.

  6. Go to time 3 and choose Animation > Add Key or press Ctrl+K.
  7. A second key, with the same position value, is added at time 3.

  8. Go to time 4.5, then, in the Front viewport, translate the sphere to -8 units in Y, so that it is off screen.
  9. Since Record is turned on, moving the sphere automatically adds a key to the position animation sequence.

Create an animation sequence for the shape of the sphere:
  1. Select the sphere, switch to Point mode (press 4) and then select all the points on the sphere.
  2. Return to time 0, then press Ctrl+K.
  3. A geometry animation sequence and one key appear in the Sequencer.

  4. Since the drop should return to a spherical shape after it is released from the tap, create a key for the spherical shape at time 3.2. Go to time to 3.2 and press Ctrl+K.
Stretch the shape of the sphere so that it looks heavy as it leaves the tap:
  1. Go to time 3.0 and select the points on the bottom half of the sphere.
  2. Translate them down about two units.
  3. Translate any other points of the sphere until you have a drop that is about to break away from the tap.
  4. Turn off Record to avoid saving keys by mistake.
  5. Go to time 0 and turn on Play to preview the animation.
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