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Shape Animation

To animate the shape of an object, you must create keyframes with the Shape Animation controls. Each shape you define becomes a keyframe in the Shape channel of the Channel Editor. The difference between the keyframes is interpolated and the shape animation is created.

The Shape channel is used to identify the number and location of shape keyframes in a clip. Use the shape curve to control the rate at which an object changes to a new shape. The following figure shows the Shape channel for an object that changes from shape 1 in frame 1, to shape 2 in frame 8, and shape 1 in frame 15.

To animate the shape of an object:

1. Create an object.

   This original shape becomes shape keyframe 1 in the Channel Editor.

2. Advance to another frame in the clip.
3. Select the object, and change its shape.

   To change its shape, you must move, add, or delete a vertex on the object. This new shape is shape keyframe 2 in the Channel Editor.

Shape Interpolation

Use the Shape Interpolation box in the Setup menu to specify the interpolation between shapes in the animation.

(a) Shape Interpolation box

Select: | To:
--- | ---
Shape Linear Interp | Produce sudden transitions between shapes.
Shape Cardinal Interp | Produce smooth transitions between shapes.

NoteThe type of shape interpolation you use is independent of the type of polygon interpolation you use.

Moving between Shape Keyframes

Use Previous and Next to move between shape keyframes in an animation.

To move between keyframes:

1. Select the object you want to modify.
2. Click Edit and then Shapes.

   The Shapes menu appears.

3. Click Next to advance to the next shape keyframe.
4. Click Previous to go to the previous shape keyframe.

Deleting Keyframes

Use Delete to delete a shape keyframe from the animation.

To delete a shape keyframe:

1. Select the object.
2. Click Shapes.

   The Shapes menu appears.

3. Select the keyframe you want to delete.
4. Click Delete.

   The selected shape is deleted.

Adding Keyframes

Use Add to create a shape keyframe. This can be useful for creating animations that start and end with the same shape.

To add a shape key using Add:

1. Select the object you want to animate.
2. Go to the frame where you want to add the shape keyframe.
3. Click Shapes.

   The Shapes menu appears.

4. Click Add.

   A new keyframe is added to the Shape channel in the Channel Editor.