Skinning

When skinning in is computer animation the assignment of a wireframe referred to a motion skeleton. Skinning is the logical next step after rigging , which defines the basic motor skills of an animated character. Skinning, on the other hand, defines the actually visible deformation of the body, which essentially follows the motion specifications of the rig and, especially in "problem areas", the influence of which can vary in order to achieve natural motion sequences.

By weighting individual parts of the wire mesh when linking, the influence of the skeleton can be adjusted and, for example, "buckling" can be avoided, especially at the hinge points. It is also possible to superimpose further movements. This can be necessary, among other things, to simulate the associated muscle swelling when bending an arm or a leg or to compensate for undesired influences of the rig.

Due to the increasing importance of the animation industry, skinning has practically completely displaced the outdated synonym for texturing in its current meaning .