Head cutaway animation - possible?

Support Animation and Rigging
1

Hey there,

I’ve got a possible job coming up for our university for the language department where they’d like a cutaway of a head to see how the mouth and tongue work with word sounds. Kind of like this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gsgv1m1a0Sc&index=3&list=PL5FCB12D7F83D2133 but in 3d so that the camera can rotate around the head but keep that simple cutaway look (ie solid walls and empty space not like this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KPEBlP2cbIQ&index=4&list=PL5FCB12D7F83D2133 since it’s way too busy in look). I know the camera clipping plane kind of does this but doesn’t keep that walled look.

This would maybe be the most detailed look I would be after http://www.3dscience.com/Resources/3d_Heart_Model_anterior_cut.php but if the camera rotated then that cutaway on the heart would also move with the camera.

Not sure how to approach this, any tips?

2

I’ve tried a cube and boolean modifier cutting into the BlenRig model but if I move the cube closer to the front of the face then the boolean stops working see images…

cutaway_001.jpg800×774 24.4 KB


cutaway_002.jpg800×774 24.5 KB

3

Boolean will be too messy, you can make a section view with texture and texture animation:

Here is other example: http://www.blenderartist.org/forum/showthread.php?282319-How-to-Render-a-cross-section-in-CYCLE

Aside from creating section view, are you thinking of animating the mouth geometry as sound are made?

4

I don’t think you are going to find a simple solution to this. It is possible, but you’ll have to model all the insides of the mouth, throat, tongue, sinuses and so on in a ‘cut-away’ style (ie: only half there) and then animate your model. About all you’ll get from MakeHuman or similar is the outline of a face and some decent teeth and a tongue. Cut those in half, fill in the gaps, and then start modeling the other things you’ll need to show.

5

Nice links ridix,

I gave that first youtube a go and looks like it might work…


I’d like to use the Cycles version but instead of using texture co-ordinates I’d rather use the camera or a plane to control it, but my feeble brain can’t fathom it atm.

6

Ok got it, but it took 2.5hrs to render!!!