Creating Free Bone Characters

In addition to use or create template bone characters, you are allowed to create free bone characters manually. The bone structure can be built without any limitation. Almost everything in your custom image thus can be animated with this feature.
( Watch Tutorial - Creating a Simple Free Bone Character )
( Watch Tutorial - Creating Multi-Sprite Free Bone Characters )
( Watch Tutorial - Morph-based Heads for Free Bone Actors )

  1. Click the Create Free Bone Actor button on the Toolbar.

    Alternatively, you can start the procedure from the Main menu.
  2. Load a custom image.
    ClosedNote:

    The bone-rigging function is only available for bitmap images: JPG, BMP and PNG.

  3. Cartoon Animator will automatically switch to the Composer Mode.
  4. Press down the Bone Editor button on the Toolbar.

    Alternatively, you can launch the editor by the Main menu.
  5. You will see the Bone Editor panel show on the screen, and the Add Bone button On.
  6. Click on the image repetitively where you want it to be controlled by the added new bones. Right-click elsewhere to stop adding bones.
  7. Press down the Preview button on the Toolbar or the Preview button on the Bone Editor panel.
  8. Select a target bone.
  9. Rotate or drag it to view the animation result by FK or IK methods.
    FK methodIK method
    ClosedNote:

    The bone turns hollow, and red is the start bone for the IK chain.

  10. Adjust the bone structure with the Bone Editor.
  11. Switch back to the Stage mode and the new character is ready to be animated by key-frame animation with the Motion Key Editor panel.