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Directing Hair Motion on Tangled

Maryann Simmons, Kelly Ward, Hidetaka Yosumi, Hubert Leo, Xinmin Zhao

SIGGRAPHIndustrial3 cites1 descendantCFX

Hybrid simulation and keyframe approach for art-directing Tangled's hair to match story-driven 2D draw-over targets during complex character interactions.

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Abstract

We describe the hybrid approach used to direct hair motion on Disney's feature film Tangled, where physically plausible simulation alone was insufficient given the high degree of art-direction and hair-character interaction conveyed through detailed 2D drawovers. The system interleaves custom hair dynamics with rig-based keyframed animation on a shot-by-shot basis, classifying shots as passive, animation-driven, or simulation-driven. A two-tiered hair rig provides global and per-subgroup IK, FK, twist, and pinch controls for posing and keyframing, while simulation properties are controlled locally through override sets and curve maps. Rig-animated curves are enhanced with a simulation layer via targeting forces, and simulation-driven shots can be edited post-simulation through deformers that ride along with the simulated hair.

How to read this

Category: Production talk / system breakdown: art-directed hair
Contributions: A hybrid simulation-plus-keyframe workflow that classifies shots as passive, animation-driven, or simulation-driven to hit 2D draw-over targets
A two-tiered hair rig with global and per-subgroup IK, FK, twist and pinch controls, with simulation properties controlled locally via override sets and curve maps
Layering simulation onto rig-animated curves through targeting forces, plus post-simulation editing via deformers that ride along with the simulated hair
Context: A companion production account to the earlier 'Simulating Rapunzel's Hair in Tangled', focused on directability rather than the underlying solver.Builds on: Simulating Rapunzel's Hair in Disney's Tangled
Correctness: Studio practice, not peer-reviewed; results are production-proven on Tangled, and the workflow exists precisely because physically plausible simulation alone could not meet the heavy art direction, so it is a control framework rather than a validated dynamics model.
Clarity: Accessible; a single pass conveys the shot-classification scheme and the rig/override/targeting toolbox, with no heavy math.
How to read it: Read once for the directability workflow (shot classes, two-tier rig, targeting forces, ride-along deformers); pair it with the 2010 Rapunzel hair talk for the simulation side underneath.

Builds on

Simulating Rapunzel's Hair in Disney's Tangled 2010

Built upon by

HairControl: A Tracking Solution for Directable Hair Simulation 2018

Related work

Simulating Rapunzel's Hair in Disney's Tangled 2010 / SIGGRAPH
Simulating Wind Effects on Cloth and Hair in Disney's Frozen 2014 / SIGGRAPH
Gravity Preloading for Maintaining Hair Shape Using the Simulator as a Closed-Box Function 2022 / SIGGRAPH
Scriptable Character FX Solution 2019 / DigiPro

Keywords

hair motion hair simulation art direction hair rig keyframed animation 2d drawover simulation targeting inverse kinematics forward kinematics break-up controls override sets curve maps collision tangled per-vertex control shot classification

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