PROGRAM MODULE FOR INTERACTIVE HAIR ANIMATION OF 3D CHARACTERS

Abstract

This study presents the development of a software extension (add-on) designed to animate the motion of hair strands of a 3D character within the Blender software environment. The core principle of the add-on’s functionality lies in the mathematical modeling of digital hair dynamics, described by differential equations that account for arc-shaped trajectories, motion inertia, and spatial deformation behavior. The proposed user interface enables interactive communication between the user and the software, which facilitates rapid adjustment of animation parameters and real-time visual feedback. This approach ensures high efficiency in the development of complex animated scenes and allows for personalized visualization solutions.

The functional structure of the add-on comprises four main modules: Curve Creation, Curve Adjustment, Curve Animation, and File Properties. The Curve Creation module provides the generation of stylized hair strands through customizable parameters such as the number of control points, the choice of spatial axis, and the distance between points. It also supports the creation, updating, and deletion of curves. To construct stylized hair, a method of extruding the hair strand shape along a defined curve is used, allowing for the modeling of both simple and complex strand structures.

The Curve Adjustment module includes tools for updating the coordinates of curve points, restoring the original curve configuration, adding new points based on their index in the structure, and removing the last point. The animation module is based on mathematical functions that simulate natural oscillations, including sinusoidal (Wavy1) and cosinusoidal (Wavy2) motions. By combining Blender’s capabilities with the developed add-on, users can create highly detailed hairstyles with dynamic animations of various levels of complexity and visual realism. This makes the tool especially relevant for use in the gaming industry, virtual reality, and digital animation.

Keywords: animation, 3D character, animation add-on, computer-generated hair.