Rig for hardsurface deformation

I’m trying to build a simple rig in order to deform a rectangular prism (simple mesh for the time being), but it needs to have its deformation locked to just one an axis. The resulting mesh should be as if we had operated in a mesh level using a shear operator.

How should I build the rig to accomplish the resulting deformation using armatures? I’ve tried with all kind bone and object modifiers but none gives me a precise deformation.

2 bones, one at each end. Weights are just a normalized linear gradient from one end to the other. Parent one bone to the other; manipulate the child bone by translation. Give it a transform lock to translation in only one axis if you want.

I cant figure how you painted the weights, when i try to use the gradient tool I get a smooth interpolation between the two bones, can you develop on this?

thank you

Change the falloff to linear in sidebar/tool/falloff.

Or, heck, it might be easier for you to just copy weights from a cube with manually painted sides, via data transfer modifier. More perfect.

I’m trying to use the data transfer modifier as you mentioned (I need a lot o precision and this seems the best method), but somehow weights aren’t transfered correctly, only one of the bones behaves as expected. Can you please confirm this?

1 Like

Just select the vertices and tweak their respective weights, there doesn’t seem to be so many of them

Don’t try to use a data transfer modifier to copy weights from something being deformed by an armature. Either apply the data transfer modifier in rest pose, or don’t deform the target of the modifier.

I’m also not in the habit of using projected face interpolated, although it might be fine here (I don’t know)-- I would use nearest face interpolated in this situation.