Making a tail using extrude?

[mattdleonard]

Hi,

I am trying to create an animals tail.

I have a path showing the shape of the tail and a circle at the butt end and a smaller circle at the other end.
What I want to do is extrude the tail using these shapes, but every time I try it I get 2 tails. A fat one and a thin one.

Please help !

Many thanks

Matt D. Leonard

Digital Dreams & Visions Ltd
Animation & Digital Effects

Website at http://www.ddv.co.uk
E-Mail at animation@ddv.co.uk
Tel. : +44 (0)1772 717-515
Fax. : +44 (0)1772 717-516
ISDN : +44 (0)1772 717-521

[jhgiii06]

Hey Matt

Create one curve for your tail path; create a circle for your profile and place it at one end of the path. Do the extrude and scale points of the new object.
OR
Draw half the profile of the tail in a straight position and revolve it. You should have a cone like object thats round at the end. Then apply a NON LINEAR DEFORM>BEND on the tail and it will curl. By deleting the history you essentially set an enitial state for the object. Apply more bends to certain areas to get diffrent results. Remember that your original tail section needs enough isoparms in it to get smooth bends from a non linear deform.(ANIMATION>DEFORM>CREATE NON LINEAR>BEND). If you originally create a nurbs cylinder, the FLARE deform will point it but it wont have a round tip.

Cheers
Whiskey

[tron]

Here is another way. Go to Modify/Animated Sweep. You can start out with a thick end of the tail and end up with a smaller end.

[naythen]

If you want to do it with the two circles, then perhaps try a loft. In the case that your curve is for giving the tail an appropriate curl for your animal, it's usually best to model it in the most nuetral default pose (i.e. straight) and then use a non-linear deformer (or even IK if you will be animating) to add the curl.

"The Geek shall inherit the earth."

"The Geek shall inherit the earth."