BodyPaint, now included with C4D (in both the Core and Studio systems), instead of being a separate program, is a painting and UV tool (texture map coordinates for your objects). It’s interface/tool window has been updated to align with workflows in Photoshop. Additionally, BodyPaint supports Photoshop layer functions, blending modes and alpha masks. New to version 4 is the ability also to import paths and adjustment layers. BodyPaint doesn’t allow you to use the paths and adjustment layers, but their information is retained if you find yourself moving between the two programs for various needs. Also, you can now paint/apply blur, sharpen and colorize. A nice little nuance is that each tool you use in BodyPaint retains its own individual settings. There are new options for Jitter and Airbrush which behave in the same fashion as their Photoshop counterparts.
Oh, do you have some favorite Photoshop brushes in the .abr format? No problem, BodyPaint can use them. But it doesn’t stop there. Wacom Tablet support respects the typical parameters of the tablet but also the pen rotation feature of the 6D pen. Still not enough? You can now sample a texture, load in a brush profile, enable the rotation feature and create complex painting capabilities difficult to achieve any other way. Just as important as using a custom brush is saving it. New Save options now provide control over how and where you’d like the info to be saved. Nice.
Tons of modules
So, what’s the deal with all of these optional Modules that you can either order a la carte or get with the full C4D Studio? While the Studio version is the whole shebang, you may not need everything. And if you don’t, you can choose to only pay for the parts that you’ll use. Here’s the total list of modules that are separate from the core C4D software:
The Advanced Render module provides for realistic lighting and reflection interactions.
Advanced Render: Realistic, real-world lighting is enabled with this module. It includes bounced and reflected light; global illumination (GI) from your scene including special High Dynamic Range Imagery (HDRI) for spectacularly realistic lighting; subsurface scattering for translucent things like milk or wax; and atmosphere creation. Caustics, the way reflective and transparent surfaces interact with light, is also included with the module. If you don’t want the whole Studio edition, this module is really a must-have.
Dynamics: Essentially, real-world physics. Gravity, collisions, friction, wind, springs and more. All with a high degree of customization. There are also “Solvers” which accelerate the on-screen workflow plus the ability to “bake” the physics into the animation so render farms that don’t have the plug-in can still render the results.
Hair: Indulge your inner stylist. Fuzz, fur, feathers and hair are a snap to create and very fast to work with. They are all controlled/styled with such exotic tools as brushes, combs, curls and cuts.
MOCCA: This is a complete character animation toolset with morphs, specialized deformers, squash and stretch, and other tools.
It offers some nice speed advantages and greater reliability. Cloth simulation is also part of this excellent module's calling card.
