Indicators

First and foremost, Indicators are how you tell Limber where the start, joint and end of a new limb should go*. We call these 'pivot points'. Other rigging tools might require you to move Anchor Points and parent layers to one another to do this, but our method is quicker and easier.

There are two types of indicator:

• A single shape layer which only contains a Path with three points.

• Three layers - typically three colored Circles.

The Limber panel has buttons to generate indicators…

… or you can make them yourself, in After Effects, Illustrator, or whatever application your limbs are designed in.

Path Indicators

Path indicators must be shape layers, and they always assume that their first vertex is the start of the limb (where it joins the body), so make sure you draw paths starting with the end closest to the body, since AE has no way to reverse path direction natively.

Most of the time, you'll just need to select your Pen tool (shortcut G), make sure you have no layers selected (so you don't draw a mask by mistake), and click three times in the comp window to draw a new path.

If you import a three-point path from Adobe Illustrator, you'll need to convert it to a shape layer by right-clicking on it and going to Create > Create Shapes from Vector Layer.

Draw a three-point path with your Pen tool to quickly indicate where you want a limb to pivot.

Artwork by Troy Brown

Circle Indicators

Technically, Circle indicators don't have to be shape layers, or circular. But they are most reliable when they're a shape layer containing a single, flat-colored, circle.

You can paint indicators

If you are making raster art in, say, Photoshop or Procreate, you could make three small dots, on separate layers, and use those to indicate the pivots of a precomp limb (with the artwork on two other layers).

The easiest and quickest way to make Circle indicators is by using the Circles button. You can then re-position them around in your comp, and drag out from one corner to scale them to the right size.

If you want to draw them yourself using After Effects' Ellipse tool, you'll want to make sure your Preferences > General > Center Anchor Point in New Shape Layers is checked on, and you'll need to make sure you de-select each layer after you draw it, so you don't accidentally make two circles in the same layer.

If you import layers with circle shapes from Adobe Illustrator, it's best to convert them to shape layers before using them to indicate a limb. Select them all, right-click and go to Create > Create Shapes from Vector Layer.

Next-level Indicators

You can use either type of indicator to make any* type of limb, but there are three special combinations that will transfer the appearance of the indicator into the limb:

When you use a path indicator to make a Path limb, the indicator layer's Stroke Width, Color and so on will be transferred in to the limb. You can add bezier handles to the middle point of the path, and Limber will do it's best to emulate that curve with the Path limb's Curvature property.

When you use circles to indicate either a Taper or Circles limb, the colors and sizes of the circles will be transferred into the limb.

A path indicator can become a path limb with the same appearance.

* except for…

Puppet limbs and Limb Library limbs are the exception when it comes to indicators: they cannot use them.