Write On Animation Using 3ds Max

by Didik Wijaya

This tutorial will show you how to create nice write on animation, where a pen will write calligraphic letter one by one. This tutorial is divided into 3 parts. In Part 1 tutorial, you will create basic write on animation. In Part 2, you will modify the animation, so that the letter looks like written with calligraphic styles (different strokes on each letter). Last, in Part 3, you will add pen animation.

1. First, download 3ds max file here. This file contains several objects: pen, ink bottle, paper, and the important one, a line.

2. You create a line by yourself or just using line provided with 3ds max file. If you want to create by yourself, create Line with Initial Type=Smooth and Drag Type=Bezier/Smooth.

3. Let's begin. In Top viewport, create a Plane with Length=1 and Width=300. Use Width Segments=500. This plane is used as letter, so higher Width Segments value will result in smoother letter.

Then apply Path Deform modifier to this plane.In Parameters rollout, click Pick Path button and click line in viewport. Use Path Deform Axis=X. Plane will be deformed to fit the line. But its orientation is not right.

4. Move and rotate plane in Top viewport. Put it at the middle of paper. Use line as guidance.

5. To create write on animate, we need to change parameters in Path Deform (Percent and Stretch). Activate Auto Key.

Move slider to frame 0. Use Percent=0 and Stretch=0.001

Move slider to frame 200. Use Percent=50 and Stretch=1.03.

When finished turn off Auto Key. Move slider to watch the animation.

In Part 1 tutorial you have created a basic letter write on animation. But, the letters have the same stroke width. It makes the animation looks dull and boring. In this tutorial you will modify the letter to create calligraphic looks.

1. Make sure Plane01 (letter) is selected. Go to Modify tab. In Modifier Stack highlight Plane row, and in Parameters rollout use Lenght=2. You'll have wider letter.

Then, in Modifier stack highlight Path Deform row. In Parameters rollout, use Rotation=76 and Twist=553.5. You'll have something like image below.

2. But, unfortunately the letter is now have height. Use Select And Uniform Scale Tool to scale the height of letter object along vertical axis. Scale down as thin as possible until you have a thin letter object (like a plane). You may need to move it up a little bit (position this object above paper).

3. Next, we need to give material to letter. Open Material Editor (press M in keyboard). Select one of unused material slot. In Shader Basic Parameters activate 2-Sided. And in Blinn Basic Parameters change Diffuse color to black. 2-Sided is used to give both sides of polygon the same material.

Make sure letter object is selected and press Assign Material to Selection button. Now, letter object is applied with black material.

In Part 1 tutorial you cerated a basic write on animation, then in Part 2 tutorial you modify the letter to get calligraphic looks. This time you will create pen animation. Creating pen animation is simple. You can easily create this kind of animation using Path Constraint animation

1. First, select pen object. We need to move its Pivot Point first. Go to Hierarchy tab. Click Affect Pivot Only button. In Top viewport move Pivot Point to the tip of pen. When finished turn off Affect Pivot only.

2. Make sure pen is still selected. Go to Motion tab. In Assign Controller rollout, highlight Position: Bezier Position. Then click Assign Controller button (small button above). In opened dialog box choose Path Constraint.

In Path Parameters rollout click Add Path button. Press H in keyboard and choose Line 01. Now, if you scrub slider, pen will move along a path (Line01).

3. Move slider back to frame 0. We need to modify pen orientation. Rotate to any direction you wish, just make sure pen is in position like writing on paper.

4. Srub slider to wath the animation. Notice that pen animation is not aligned with letter animation. To fix this, activate Auto Key. Move slider to frame where the animation is not match and in Path Options change % Along Path value until pen is aligned well with letter animation. Repeat this process several times on many frame position untill you have perfect animation. When finished turn off Auto Key and play your animation.

source from: escalight