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straightlife
Inspiring
August 2, 2020
Question

How do a save a puppet I've created so that I can use it again

  • August 2, 2020
  • 2 replies
  • 576 views

I've spent two days modifying a puppet. I'm a newbie! 

and I've even rendered out a short movie.

I've exported the puppet (I think) though I wasn't sure where to export it to.

How do I find that puppet to reuse it in another project?

I can find it in the media folders as a psd but it's dimmed and I can't access it.

I've really searched the help files and ccan't find an aswer. I could plow through a ton of tutorials and maybe find an answer but I just want to reuse the same puppet in a new project.

This topic has been closed for replies.

2 replies

alank99101739
Legend
August 3, 2020

When you export your puppet. take note of the filename and location you gave to it. Your puppet will not appear in the home page list of sample puppets - they are built into CH. You need to import your *.puppet file you exported into your new project.

 

A few concepts to help you get started

  • You don't have to start a new project for each video you make - you can create multiple scenes in the one project. You can create folders ("bins") in the project panel if you want. Don't use one project for everything, but don't feel each new short video needs a new project. Starting a new scene might be enough.
  • Puppet files are artwork + rigging information. You do not want to import the PSD file into your new project as that will not have all the rigging you did (triggers, visemes, etc). You want the .puppet file which contains the artwork AND rigging.
  • You can use the menus to import a puppet file, or drag it from windows explorer into the project panel.
  • The puppets loaded into your project are in the project panel. Double click there to edit and open in rig view.
  • Characterizer you probably don't want if you created a psd file. It is a way to turn your face into a new puppet. If you have an existing puppet this tool will not be useful to you.

 

So, create a new empty project, then import the .puppet file you exported into that project. The puppet should appear in the Project panel. Then create your scene and load the puppet into the scene timeline.

straightlife
Inspiring
August 5, 2020

Thanks so much. I've figured a lot of this out. I have more questions now to post! 

alank99101739
Legend
August 3, 2020

Congrats on your progress! Puppets are not stored in a separate file. Instead you use "Export Puppet" from the menus to create and it will create a <name>.puppet file. You can then import that file into other projects.

straightlife
Inspiring
August 3, 2020

Thanks, but I DID export the puppet I've been working on. And then I wanted to start a new project. With the "home" screen I got the images of the usual suspects. The "sample" puppets. The puppet I created was no where to be seen and On the "rig" screen, under "puppet" it says "none." If I go up to the menu and select characteriser, I see the initial capture of my face. Where it says, "create new style" it opens my browser. It will let me import jpegs but not that elaborate psd I made.  So how do I get MY puppet into the new project?????????