This is a dumb question but ...

What is the difference between forward and inverse kinematics?

“The Inverse Kinematics tool allows you to pull on your character’s extremities, such as the hands and feet, and have the rest of the body follow.” That’s from the user’s guide. I’m not sure what forward kinematics is.

In 2d cut out animation with forward kinematics you animate hand from shoulder first, then elbow, palm and fingers, and with Inverse kinematics you can drag the, say, finger and then palm, elbow, shoulder folows the finger animation. It can’t be used in hand drawn character animation, as far as I know. Somebody correct me if I’m wrong.

hi,
forward kinematics is moving of the top parent in the hierarchy (usually the hips/belly/body but also the minor hierarchies, like hands, as tomicic states), resulting in the overall movement of the body, inverse kinematics is the movement of the child nodes, affecting the parents.
rob

update:
inverse kinematics is even possible in a hand drawn animation, as long as the bones structure can be implemented there. i plan to utilize this in the drawing mode (as opposed to the symbol mode) of the animate application.

Hi Gester, about inverse kinematics in hand drawn animation; do you mean something like bone system in Anime Pro (ex Moho)?

i didn’t know moho that much, but i think the division into many layers is the key: plain drawings on parented layers and bones underneath.
rob