Morphing between two geometrically different objects

[mef]

What software are you using?

[SteveMiddleton]

Sorry, forgot to mention I'm using Maya and ZBrush.

[Crocodilian]

Hi,
For example, I need to morph from 3D text into a character. I can hand-manipulate the character mesh into the shape of the 3D text point by point, but it seems like there should be a faster way.

Nope, there isn't. There are some applications that will attempt to compute morphs between geometries with reasonably congruent topologies (usually badly), but your example isn't one of them. Mathematically, there's no "natural" mapping between something solid and something "holey" -- for example, between a letter "B" and a human face. There are lots of aesthetically plausible ways to go, but math doesn't know anything about "aesthetically plausible"

An algorithm needs to be given more information in order to make good decisions about what points go where, and you've got to supply that "more information" yourself to get anything that's going to be acceptable

[robcat2075]

Your most likely solution is to use a 2D morphing app to transition between renders of your two shapes.

That would give you the most control in deciding what features of the first shape correspond to the second shape.

[John Keates]

You may be able to use a particle solution where the first object is re-created as a particle volume and each particle finds a bit of the second model to go to. That would solve the problem of having to fill holes.

Combining 3D morphing with 2D morphing/blending of footage is probably the way to go.

To be honest, morphing from text to a person is always going to look ugly, even if done really well.

Best to do it as fast as possible with maybe a flash of light over the top to hide the seam.

Perhaps find an intermediate stage like mercury blobs.

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