3D World

TuTorials

Model and animate in VR

frames per

second

Since Quill allows each

layer to run at its own

speed, use this to save

time when animating

layers that don’t need

as much detail. A

good example of this

is if you’re animating

rain falling. Here you

could go as low as two

frames with varying

lines representing the

falling rain. Eventually

being smart about

the fps of layers will

enable you to get

better performance and

you’ll save time.

for both pressure and size. I set the

animated brush length to a fitting

number (trial and error) and add

six frames by holding down the

left thumbstick.

I set fps to 14, and run the

animation. Now it’s just a matter of

drawing strokes until you’re happy

with the effect. I use this technique

for the wind breaking off the plane,

screen glow on monitors in the

cockpit, clouds whooshing by and

lots of other elements.

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anIMate clouDs

Since we’re currently unable

to animate groups and geometry

in Quill, we have to animate the

environment instead. To animate

the clouds flying by the plane, draw

a cloud on a new layer, and go to

the Transform tab. Make sure that

the ‘Show gimbal controls’ button

is enabled as well as ‘Animate

duplicate transform selection’.

Select the cloud, hold down the

left trigger, squeeze the right grip

button and move the cloud a bit to

the side. This will copy the selection

to a new keyframe. Then press right

on the left thumbstick a few times.

This will add additional keyframes

and will continue the movement of

the cloud.

The ‘Animate duplicate transform

selection’ function is great for quick

animation work. Just remember that

only your selection will be copied to

a new keyframe.

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cockpIt DetaIls

To add the glass to the

cockpit, I select the Line tool, find a

fitting colour, set the opacity down

and start filling out the spaces

between the frames of the windows.

Most of the time I can get away

with adding one big line, and while

drawing the line I can change the

end point by pushing up or down on

the right thumbstick. Once I finish

the glass, I add little drops of water

flowing over the glass, using the

same technique that we used on

the exhaust.

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screens In cockpIt

To make the screens in the

cockpit I have to get fairly precisely

angled strokes with the Line tool.

To achieve this I turn on the grid

under tool settings, and used that

as a guide for the lines. Since the

transform gimbal is aligned to

the scene grid, I can then copy

and transform the first line, until I

have the frame of the monitor. To

rotate using angle snapping, just

pull on the gimbal with the right

trigger instead of the grip button.

To make the screen itself I use the

same technique. I draw a line, and

repeat that enough times to make

the screen. In the end I bring it all

together with the Selection tool, by

moving the elements into place.

After that I add some glow to

the screens on a new layer, using

a brush with low opacity and a

few keyframes to make the glow

shimmer a bit.

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BlInkIng lIghts

To add the buttons in the

cockpit, I use the Square brush with

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the Line tool to draw out button

shapes. I do this on the scene

grid as well, to make sure they

are angled correctly. Then I can

duplicate them using the gimbal

and the left trigger/right grip

button copy move.

Once I’ve made all the buttons I

need for one panel, I hold down the

left trigger and push down on the

right thumbstick to copy the layer

content to a new keyframe. Since

the buttons will only be blinking

on and off, I don’t need more than

two keyframes.

Now it’s time to add the blinking

effect. I do this by selecting the

Recolour tool, and I select the

Normal blend mode. I then select a

red colour and I colour a few of the

buttons red. Then I switch to the

second keyframe by pushing right

on my thumbstick on the right hand.

Now I paint a few other buttons red.

To make the speed correct I set

the frames per second to one or two

frames per second. I’m happy with

how that looks and I can now drag

the buttons into the cockpit and

repeat the panels as many times

as needed. In order to duplicate

the buttons on the same layer I

choose the Selection tool and make

a selection while the animation is

running. I’m then able to drag the

animated buttons around by using

the left trigger/right grip button

copy function.

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pIlots

I draw a pilot sitting in the

first seat of the cockpit, and I

use mostly the Capped Cylinder

brush for this. I keep the character

pretty simple, but you could add

as much detail to this as you feel is

necessary. When I’m happy with the

look of the pilot, I hold down the left

trigger and push down on the right

thumbstick to make a copy of the

first frame. I then make a selection