Windy Flag

In continuation of exploring the cloth modifier, I decided to create a flag that reacts to the wind and hope to use it in the Finchingfield animation to add some different techniques in there.

Rather simply, it is a Union Jack bitmap applied to a plane with about 50 x 50 faces and a cylinder (the more faces, the better the cloth simulation). Both objects are selected, and a cloth modifier is applied to them. The pole is made to a collision object and the plane is made to the 'default' cloth setting.

On the little + sign next to the cloth modifier, group was selected. The column of vertices on the flag closest to the pole were selected. Clicking 'make group' added them as a selection to the box further down in the parameters. 'Sim Node' was then clicked and the flag was then attached to the pole by selecting the cylinder as the node. By clicking simulate local, the flag flops limply downward but is attached the the pole nonetheless. Ctrl+z to put the flag back as it was.

Next, adding a 'wind' space warp and pointing it in the direction of the flag nearly completes this little animation.

Going back to the cloth modifier, and clicking 'cloth forces', I then moved the newly added wind space warp to the box on the right, making it active.

Clicking simulate then creates the animation and then it is ready to render:

I feel all patriotic.