The Smart IK feature demonstrates how Reallusion made 2D Character Animation more precise, powerful, yet more intuitive. Say goodbye to foot sliding, sinking or floating problems, the Smart IK/FK system not only switches automatically, but it makes creating amazing cartoon animation so much easier. Posing with locking end effectors gives you power to precisely animate characters with scene interaction. In addition, you can perfectly adapt motion files with different body shapes from our motion library, even fine-tune the character's stride or alter its motion genre.

ENHANCED IK/FK CHARACTER ANIMATION

Smart IK (Inverse Kinematic)

Simple and functional design sets Cartoon Animator apart from other 2D Animation tools. The intuitive IK / FK system auto-switches invisibly so character posing for animation is a fluid, and logical process. Just lock the character feet to have perfect non-sliding foot contact, and lock the character’s hand to get a precise interaction with props or scene.

Easy IK Editing

  • Stretches, squatting, and hip rotation made simple by moving the hip bone.
  • Easy-locking feet and hands for unlimited motion possibilities.
  • Position character end effectors for precise IK interaction.
  • Keep or Flip Joint Bend Direction during animation editing. View Manual >
smart IK - IK animation IK/FK switch

Intuitive Auto IK/FK Switch

  • Drag-and-move end effectors for IK editing, directly rotate joins for FK editing.
  • Intuitive pose-to-pose editing without switching IK and FK modes.
  • One transform timeline track can keep End Effector Constraints and it’s Effective Range.
  • Set keys only to Selected Body Parts, or to Full Body motion layers. View Manual >
smart IK - IK animation IK/FK switch

See how Smart IK can assist your animation! Start Now!

Stretch Animation

  • Freely extend any character’s end segments - head, hands and feet.
  • Rubber-band stretch midpoint segments like elbow, waist, knee.
  • After releasing stretching, the segment can resume to its original length.
  • Stretch neck and torso parts by locking hands and feet.
  • Smoothly interpolate stretch animation, and add Motion Curve for timing control. View Manual >
smart IK - IK motion stretch animation

Precise Scene and Prop Interaction

  • Lock hands and feet to precisely interact with scene objects.
  • IK Constraints - use "Keep End Effort Rotation" to tip toe or bend wrist, or use "Keep End Effector Angle" to sustain feet angle on the skateboard or bicycle pedal. View Manual >
  • Use "Keep Bend Direction" to ensure character's elbow or knee always bend at the right direction. View Manual >
  • Lock hand and feet to make stable spider-like crawling movement.
smart IK - IK animation for all behavior

Works with All Kinds of Cartoon Characters

  • Correct backward knee bend animation for quadruped animals.
  • Use Shift+drag to alter the bone length between two bone segments producing a uniform transform effect such as the gorilla arm movement.
  • The same effect can apply to breathing or neck-stretching animation.
  • Use End Effector Rotation to easily let the dog naturally sit down. View Manual >
smart IK - IK animation for all kinds of character

Smart IK Motion Retargeting

Unique animation feature translates motions automatically to various character styles with different body scale. Smart Motion Retargeting correctly applies the collected motion files to different body shapes, automatically aligns characters to the motion’s pose regardless it’s initial pose settings, innovatively creates different motion performance styles.

Adapt Motions to any Character Scale

  • No more Foot Sliding, Sinking, or Floating problems caused by characters’ bone scale difference.
  • Library Animation applied perfectly to all types of template characters.
  • Works with all Template-based Motion - human biped, quadruped, wings, spine bone. View Manual >
smart IK - IK animation motion reuse

Creative IK Motion Varieties

  • Auto-align character bones to the Motion Data pose, regardless of the character’s initial pose setting.
  • Recalculate character’s Initial Pose Offset for accurate animation editing.
  • Change characters’ foot stride, or arm reach distance by altering the overall Motion Data Scale.
  • Adjust individual End Effector bone ratio for precise character to object interaction. View Manual >
  • Show Motion Data (blue) vs. Character Bone (yellow) for easier motion optimization.
smart IK - IK animation and IK motion variety

Create IK Rig

Generate IK-ready 2D animated characters, CTA provides standardized IK Controls for template-based characters. We’ve also added the Auto IK Rig for Photoshop Imported characters. For custom created free-bone characters, now users may create a custom GUI from the Custom Rig GUI.

Auto IK Rig

  • Auto IK Rig for Imported Photoshop Template Characters (PSD).
  • Works for All Character Templates - Human, Quadruped, Wings, Spine.
  • Default Human End Effector Presets - Toe, Ankle, Finger and Wrist.
  • Free to add IK lock to selected bone segments.
  • Auto assign End Effectors to Free Bone Characters, allowing custom IK definition. Know More >
smart IK - IK animation auto IK rig

Custom GUI

  • Snapshot a Character with a Custom Pose to create a Character Rig GUI.
  • Import an image file as a custom rig image.
  • Move and place End Effector Locks for ideal layout.
  • Specify Bone Size, Segment On/Off in the UI display. View Manual >
smart IK - IK motion custom GUI