Hello everyone!
The next animation is nearly complete. There are still a few minor tweaks left to make, but fortunately, it looks like I’ll be able to upload it within this month!
To show you an even more improved and high-quality animation this time, I’ve experimented with a few new techniques.
1. Realistic Fur Simulation
The most satisfying result came from the fur simulation. In my previous animations, the fur was static and didn't move, which lacked a bit of realism. This time, I tried various methods to achieve natural, realistic fur movement. Despite my initial worries, I was able to implement it much faster than expected.
2. Modified Shading & Textures
I made some adjustments to the model's textures. Umbreon is a gorgeous and cool model, but I always felt it was a bit of a shame that the rendered look turned out so different from the viewport (pre-rendering) look. Honestly, I always thought the viewport version looked much cuter. So, I tweaked the shading style so that the final render looks closer to the viewport. Personally, I'm quite happy with how it turned out, but I'm also a little nervous to see what you all think.
3. Adding Actual Clothing
I’ve wanted to try this with Umbreon before, but back then, I had to settle for just using a towel. This time, I went all out and made proper clothing for the scene. To be honest, I completely underestimated this task. I thought it would be a breeze, but it ended up giving me the biggest headache. I wanted the waistline of the clothes to fit Umbreon perfectly, but using the pinning function didn't look quite right, so I had to find an alternative. On top of that, the fur kept clipping through the clothes. Fixing this required a ton of brainpower. I have discovered a truly marvelous solution to this clipping issue, which this margin is too narrow to contain... so I’ll leave it at that.
Thanks to these new attempts, I was able to achieve a much more satisfying result. Once I fix a few very minor details, I’ll start rendering right away. I can’t wait to share the final product with you all!
While these new experiments might not drastically change the overall look at a glance, this project represents a huge personal milestone and growth for me, which is why I wanted to share this long update with you.
As always, thank you so much for your incredible support!