Im wondering how to create accurate high detail feathers that move with the model, any ideas. I was thinking about some sort of static particle system but im not sure how to do it? Helps appreciated! The feathers are for Phoenix.
-Shaun
PS If you got lots to say or a pic of what you mean send it to my email. ([email protected])
Mmmm…
Difficult!
I’ll try to duplivert a base simple mesh with a nice feather texture comprehensive of an alpha map.
Stefano
Sorry. If you want real individual feathers with dynamic motion a la the birds in Stuart Little 2, then you’re really asking for a complicated implementation of dynamic hair. Blender does not have a solution for this yet. I’ve been interested in this for a while and read a number of articles about it by people who have done it. It seems to be one of the more complex problems to solve.
I thought this would be difficult but is there not a sollution? Im not really sure what im talk about but could you somehow re-orient the particle feathers? Maybe with an empty? I was thinking along the lines of a hair tutorial but then realised that the feathers would not hold there specific placements with animated movement and they would “cross” each other making them look even less real. Will anything better than this be implimented in the new versions of blender? I’ve heard rumors but nothing else.
-Shaun
PS. It would also be nice to have varied feather size. Belly feathers are not as big as wing and body feathers.
Once again, no. Nothing is forthcoming. Realistic dynamic feathering requires some heavy duty calculations. First you have the root movement with the skin (not doable in Blender in the foreseeable future). Current “hi-end” apps have this level of things with integrated or plugin hair solutions. Second, you have internal collision dynamics, which aren’t as necessary for thin-strand hair. As you have realized, they are essential to something bulkier like feathers. So that’s the second things against it. Third, you have atmospheric and flight-speed effects on the shapes of the feathers.
You can read this article:
http://www.cgnetworks.com/story_custom.php?story_id=104&page=1
It’s a short overview of what you’re up against. I’m not trying to burst your bubble or anything, but I spent much time looking into this very topic, and I’m neither an easy quitter nor a slouch at these sorts of things.
I would give alpha mapping a try. You could fool with the shape and angle of the feathers to see what worked best, and if you got frames with crossed feathers, you could always remove those frames or GIMP the individual frames. Check out Landis’s Peach Fuzz tutorial in WorksInProgress.
Here are some possible solutions:
Blend File:
http://www.sfsierrasingles.8m.net/blender/feathers.blend
animation from Blender screen view:
http://www.sfsierrasingles.8m.net/blender/feathersSCREEN.avi
animation using simple wood texture with an alpha setting:
http://www.sfsierrasingles.8m.net/blender/feathersWoodTexture.avi
This is just a starting point, which addresses several approaches, made in less than an hour while at work.
I used duplverts and made them real meshes.
Hope you have fun with them.
Thank you to all of you for the much appreciated help 
I’ve started to create various feathers, very time consuming. Any other tips are appreciated.
-Shaun
PS
Thanks for the vids’ Pam very helpful. :o