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Limber 1 User Guide
Limber 1 User Guide
  • Welcome
  • Introduction
  • Installation
  • Limber Lite
  • The Limber Panel
  • Getting started
    • A note about expressions
    • Limb anatomy
    • Controllers and limb layers
    • Default and custom limbs
    • Naming Limbs
    • Settings Panel
    • Limb properties
  • Managing Limbs
    • Duplicating, copying and pasting Limbs
    • Replacing Limbs
    • Orphaned Limb Layers
  • Animating with Limber
    • Forward Kinematics
    • Adding controllers
    • Managing controllers
    • Scaling and 3D Space
  • Custom Limbs
    • Rigging and posing limbs
    • The Limb Library
    • Path to Bone
  • FAQ
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  1. Getting started

Controllers and limb layers

PreviousLimb anatomyNextDefault and custom limbs

Last updated 2 years ago

For each new limb, Limber generates three layers, which we call a set of layers: The limb layer itself, and two controllers that correspond to the position of the start (shoulder or hip) of the limb, and the end (wrist or ankle). The controllers are so that they don't appear in your final render. For simple IK animation, you’d parent the start controller to one of your character's body layers, and keyframe the end controller's Position property to animate that limb.

By default, controllers are shaped like a teardrop 💧 so that they are easy to grab in After Effects' composition panel, whilst displaying direction -the pointed end of the controller aims towards where it is rotated. You can choose a different controller shape from the settings panel if you prefer.

Many of the operations in Limber require you to select a limb. Most of the time, it doesn't matter which of the limb's layers you have selected. You can select the limb layer or any of the controllers.

There is an called Limber on every limb's end controller that gives you to determine the appearance and behavior of that limb. Some of those properties control aspects of the underlying, dynamic skeleton. Some of them control elements of the style of the limb layer.

You can use buttons in the to add two other types of controller to a limb set - and . These types of controller should not be parented to other layers or have their Position animated by the user. Instead, they provide a layer in the timeline to which you can parent other layers, such as hands or feet, or… kneepads.

guide layers
effect
properties
Limber panel
Two sets of Limber layers, including FK and Joint controllers
FK Controllers
Joint Controllers