# Rigging a Flytrap **URL:** \ **Category:** Animation and Rigging\ **Created:** [November 24, 2012, 10:35am UTC](https://blenderartists.org/t/rigging-a-flytrap/557745 "2012-11-24T10:35:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![SSimpossible](https://blenderartists.org/user_avatar/blenderartists.org/ssimpossible/32/524015_2.png) [@SSimpossible](https://blenderartists.org/u/SSimpossible)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2012, 10:35am UTC](https://blenderartists.org/t/rigging-a-flytrap/557745/1 "2012-11-24T10:35:14Z")
Well, I’m having serious problems rigging this flytrap character. I’ve attached the .blend below so you can see the rig. It’s nothing special; very, very simple. But I still can’t parent the mesh to the rig. I’ve tried almost everything, and I just can’t get it to work right. I’ve tried starting with no vertex groups, then manually inserting the groups (first via weight paint, then by assigning them manually through edit mode, then weight paint again when that didn’t work out), using Automatic Weights and modifying them to work (that didn’t work either), going back to the first idea to see if that would work, and none of it is working so far. The mesh deforms in the most ugly ways, and I have absolutely no idea what to do. I’ve always hated rigging because I can never rig a mesh. I’ve followed numerous tutorials on it, but I still simply cannot rig this mesh. I need some serious help here… Currently there are no vertex groups assigned to the mesh; trust me. It’s better that way. It’ll be much more likely for someone to be able to help without all that mess and just start from scratch. Give me a few pointers, rig part of the mesh, or explain to me how to assign vertex groups to the mesh; I don’t care. I just need some sort of help on this… Note that the textures for the flytrap won’t work properly; I didn’t think it necessary to pack the .blend file when this is just about the rig. ### Attachments [VenusFlytrapRig.blend](https://blenderartists.org/uploads/default/original/3X/c/9/c969027063b2066a90f2ed1f8763c89565efadb9.blend) (1.09 MB) ---
**Author:** ![Quandtum](https://blenderartists.org/user_avatar/blenderartists.org/quandtum/32/11040_2.png) [@Quandtum](https://blenderartists.org/u/Quandtum)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2012, 11:15am UTC](https://blenderartists.org/t/rigging-a-flytrap/557745/2 "2012-11-24T11:15:22Z")
Here, it’s not perfect but you should be able to adjust weight paint (without going insane) now. [VenusFlytrapRig-Altered.blend](https://blenderartists.org/uploads/default/original/3X/2/9/29f9a0029b0187c28c98d42ba69e50e4a1fa4722.blend) (1.28 MB) What I essentially did is started by adding vertex groups for the major pieces. This is a sanity thing to be able to pick things quick (i.e. upper teeth vs. lower teeth). Then I named the bones (again for sanity). I kept them different from the vertex groups that I had made tho, this way the bone will create vertex groups when auto’d, but I could composite the groups I made into the groups the bones made. Next (and what stumped me for a moment) is the vertex groups (in the vertex window) the weight was set to 0.000, needed that to 1.000 so the armature would adjust the mesh as expected. From there, I just exercise the rig to extremes and weight paint as it makes sense to do so. Hope that helps! ---
**Author:** ![SSimpossible](https://blenderartists.org/user_avatar/blenderartists.org/ssimpossible/32/524015_2.png) [@SSimpossible](https://blenderartists.org/u/SSimpossible)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2012, 11:25am UTC](https://blenderartists.org/t/rigging-a-flytrap/557745/3 "2012-11-24T11:25:48Z")
That does help a lot! Thank you so much 😃 Wait, one last question: How do you avoid little kinks in the mesh when deforming it, like this? ![](https://blenderartists.org/uploads/default/original/3X/1/1/1178019a480a4c0af053893fcb9148ca7eab12a2.png) ---
**Author:** ![Quandtum](https://blenderartists.org/user_avatar/blenderartists.org/quandtum/32/11040_2.png) [@Quandtum](https://blenderartists.org/u/Quandtum)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2012, 11:33am UTC](https://blenderartists.org/t/rigging-a-flytrap/557745/4 "2012-11-24T11:33:52Z")
Awesome! I been keeping an eye on your thread, your ideas are fun and am curious where you’re going =D ---
**Author:** ![SSimpossible](https://blenderartists.org/user_avatar/blenderartists.org/ssimpossible/32/524015_2.png) [@SSimpossible](https://blenderartists.org/u/SSimpossible)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2012, 11:42am UTC](https://blenderartists.org/t/rigging-a-flytrap/557745/5 "2012-11-24T11:42:59Z")
Thanks 😃 I’m glad you like my ideas! One other thing, though; do you know how I would go about fixing these kinks in the mesh when I move some of the bones? ![](https://blenderartists.org/uploads/default/original/3X/1/1/1178019a480a4c0af053893fcb9148ca7eab12a2.png) ---
**Author:** ![Quandtum](https://blenderartists.org/user_avatar/blenderartists.org/quandtum/32/11040_2.png) [@Quandtum](https://blenderartists.org/u/Quandtum)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2012, 11:53am UTC](https://blenderartists.org/t/rigging-a-flytrap/557745/6 "2012-11-24T11:53:19Z")
Should be able to fix those with weight paint. From Object Mode, select the mesh and ALT+TAB (or pick it from the combo box). When it buckles like that usually something is red/yellow that should be. Before doing that tho, in weight paint mode, you can also select your bone (make it in pose mode) and then Weight-\> Assign Automatic from Bones (the bottom of the two). For some reason for me “W” doesn’t bring it up, but it’s suppose to be there too. Tip: For best results make sure the armature is cleared and mesh is relaxed. Something like this (sorry, is the window I had up at the time, doing this exact same thing btw): ![](https://blenderartists.org/uploads/default/original/3X/f/0/f01a2ac2d4f194a35933737f2976f835180e4c54.jpg) The upper left corner then is the weight paint brush to change up what you need. I still have your model here too so if you still have problems I can pull it back up. ---
**Author:** ![Quandtum](https://blenderartists.org/user_avatar/blenderartists.org/quandtum/32/11040_2.png) [@Quandtum](https://blenderartists.org/u/Quandtum)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2012, 12:08pm UTC](https://blenderartists.org/t/rigging-a-flytrap/557745/7 "2012-11-24T12:08:36Z")
There is more (I looked again, I should have just done that to start). For the bones in the stem, this is a good thing for bone segments. Tab into Edit mode on the armature, select a bone from the stem and in the Bone Panel under Deform, is segments. Kick it up to like 5 or so. This turns the bone more into like a human spine then a human femur so to speak. It allows the bone to gradually bend in progression w/o adding lots of complexity. If you turn the armature to boxes you will see the actual segments to get an idea of what your setting should be. ---
**Author:** ![SSimpossible](https://blenderartists.org/user_avatar/blenderartists.org/ssimpossible/32/524015_2.png) [@SSimpossible](https://blenderartists.org/u/SSimpossible)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2012, 12:23pm UTC](https://blenderartists.org/t/rigging-a-flytrap/557745/8 "2012-11-24T12:23:18Z")
Thank you so much, again! The first tip you gave me worked pretty well, but adding more bone segments fixed it completely! You’ve been extremely helpful on this 😃 ![](https://blenderartists.org/uploads/default/original/3X/8/f/8fd05251cbae688e90f2a9448d2351c2c63113db.png) ---
**Author:** ![Quandtum](https://blenderartists.org/user_avatar/blenderartists.org/quandtum/32/11040_2.png) [@Quandtum](https://blenderartists.org/u/Quandtum)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2012, 12:27pm UTC](https://blenderartists.org/t/rigging-a-flytrap/557745/9 "2012-11-24T12:27:39Z")
It’s good to be able to help. It looks fantastic!