I want to create tentacles like that in Elephants Dream.
Namely, I want to know how to model and animate things that “grow”.
The reason: so I can render them and create animated .GIFs for website graphics.
I assume I would use the array modifier for this affect, but I haven’t been able to produce consistent good “skin-like” results that can be rigged to grow.
I think the files that were used to create the movie are available as a download from probably the main site, blender.org. so the thing to do would be to download and examine the files. I will take a wild guess though, and guess it was done with using curves to deform the mesh, and keyframing the curves. i have not actually seen the movie yet though, so I am just guessing.
Really, Modron!!!
Actually I would think that the curve modifier could do a good job here, as Modron stated already. Look here for more infos:
http://wiki.blender.org/index.php/Manual/Curve_Modifier
(make sure to follow the link to its predecessor as well, since there are a lot of useful informations as well).
I personally have not yet animated something with it, but for stills the curve modifier is a wonderful and great tool - I have also done tentacles with it already 