okay i have never done this before...hence looking for some tip before i spend 2 days and realize it was a waste of time…

is it at all a good idea to go about to skin multiple objects for your character?...or is it better to make it a single mesh?

if its practicable whats are the “things to do” to go about it in the right direction…
...instanced skin modifier? OR unique skin for each objects?

does it make any difference if i attach the objects? or keeping them separate as far as instanced skin mofier is concerned?  (not making single mesh by welding vertices)

specifically speaking about the character i am working on ...it has:

a. head mesh
b. a scarf mesh
c. hand mesh (till their elbows)
d. body/ trenchcoat mesh
e. trousers
f. shoes mesh
g. shoelaces and eyehole rings mesh

NOTE:
i at least need the trenchcoat to be a seperate mesh as i want to apply APEX on it later. (the APEX tut on youtube indicates the trenchcoat is a seperate mesh.)

PROBLEM:
i tried to use a instanced skin modifier, however the scarf head and trenchcoat and the head where they should be together gets messed up when i check with some basic check poses.

i hope i made sense and dearly wish that someone will show me some light! :)

thanks
D.

The answer is yes!

Just kidding, big question. Seperate objects can make it easier to work on one object at a time without messing with weights on another part but makes it harder to transfer weights from one part to another. Some times, like you pointed out you might not have much choice as you want to do cloth sims or the like and you really need the parts as seperate objects.

I usually start with instances skin modifiers how ever you should make them unique when done as they calculate faster that way.

Working with Skin takes a lot of time and knowledge as it isn’t just about skin but how you rig system that will aid skin in deforming the mesh. There is also skin wrap and skin morph that need to be use as well.

Paul Neale
PEN Productions Inc.
penproductions.ca / paulneale.com
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