Blender Envelope Suite

Setting up envelopes

Single envelopes are set up in two steps:

  1. Create a Mesh object and deform/position it so that it encloses all the vertices that should get influenced by this envelope.
  2. Configure the envelope by attaching it to a bone and giving it a weight.

An envelope is configured by giving the Object (not the Mesh) a name with a special syntax:


<bone name>:<weight value>


Whereas <bone name> is the name of the attached bone (e.g. "ArmUp.R") and <weight value> is a float value defining the weight. Both values are separated by a colon. This is important, because the suite detects envelopes by this seperator character. It can be changed in the configuration if desired.


Pic.1 shows an envelope object that is attached to the bone "Head" with a weight of 1.0.


Pic.1: A sphere configured as envelope attached to bone "Head" with weight 1.0


Take care all four-edged faces are plain. If they are not plain, it is recommended to convert them to three-edged faces.


To be continued...