How to work from last shape key object shape.

Hi folks.

I might be missing something obvious here, but I’m a bit confused with adding/editing shape keys.

I set my Basis key, this is fine, then I add another key (1) and move the parts I want to grow. This looks ok and I can move my slider from 0 to 1 to see the changes. Then I add another key (2) but I can’t edit from the new shape of key 1. If I move the parts of key 2 to match key 1 the vertices grow more in key 2.

I guess I’m looking for a way to lock in the changes on each key iteration of the animation, otherwise I’m always guessing from the Basis key.

Thanks.

There is the AnimAll adon or this. If this is what you want.

  1. With your object selected, add a shape key (basis) and then change to absolute keys (deselect relative). Mouse over evaluation time and press I to insert a curve and then go to frame 100 (or however long your animation will last - this can be changed later in the graph editor) and set evaluation time to 100 and add a keyframe.

  2. Go to frame 20, for example, and add another shape key (Key1) and change the shape of your object in edit mode. Return to object mode and add a keyframe for Evaluation time.

  3. Go to frame 40 and add another key (Key2) by clicking on the black arrow instead of the + sign and selecting New Shape from Mix, change the shape and add a keyframe for Evaluation time.

  4. Repeat step 4 for all subsequent shape keys.

Now if you run the animation (Alt-A) your object will change shape. The timing of changes is altered in the graph editor.

I’m not sure if this is exactly what I needed. I may not have explained it well.

Imagine a very simply low poly plant growing.
Starting from a cube I create the basis.
I create a shape key and elongate the cube.
I create another shape key for the next step, but when I enter edit mode I just see the cube, not the altered shape. So I can’t grow a branch as the next step of the animation.

Basically when I create a shape key I want the object to be displayed in edit mode with the last changes applied.