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I can't find any solid documentation on it but the technique is:

Instead of building the entire mesh like you normally would, you would model the muscles and bones only. Then you would use a cloth to cover said mesh and it is now the skin for that character. All animations would need to be baked with the cloth simulation... Is this a myth? I don't see why this wouldn't work, (I plan to try it now). Is there a name for this technique or is it an urban legend? If so, are there any big benefits to using it?

I've heard a folklore Kong from the Skull Island movie was made this way. Not sure about the lizards or Brie Larson though.

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  • $\begingroup$ Blender does not have a native muscle-skin workflow. To workaround it, you would use helper bones, shapekeys and lattice deformers. You're thinking of 3D applications like Maya or Houdini, but the skin isn't represented by cloth simulations there either. $\endgroup$
    – Leander
    Commented Jun 16, 2020 at 6:21
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    $\begingroup$ In addition to @Leander 's comment: There is an add-on called X-Muscle System on blendermarket which does exactly what you are looking for. It's a bit on the pricey side and you have to pay extra for the professionally made skeletons but it seems to do a good job. $\endgroup$
    – metaphor_set
    Commented Jun 16, 2020 at 11:50
  • $\begingroup$ So it's possible through simulation with shape keys an just all around meddling static animations to ensure everything flows smoothly. But what are the benefits of using this system though? $\endgroup$
    – Jimmy Lin
    Commented Jun 16, 2020 at 14:05
  • $\begingroup$ youtu.be/higGxGmwDbs $\endgroup$
    – Allen Simpson
    Commented Aug 27, 2021 at 17:51

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There are two ways I know of. 1: Using Mesh-deform with "muscles" 2: Using shrink-wrap with "muscles"

Start with X-muscle

The muscles themselves are based on bones and a shape that deforms based on the distance between the 2 attachement points.

To make the skin of your character move according to the muscle-movements, you need to: 1: Bind the "body" of the muscle to the skin of your character, using either shrink-wrap or mesh-deform, 2: Apply a vertex-group with weight-paint to isolate the effected areas to the muscles (otherwise your character will wrap around the muscle, or de deformation will affect more than you want / need

For shrink-wrap, use "project" and "outside", so that when muscles "shrink" below the skin, the skin is not pulled inwards.

One disadvantage with shrink-wrap is that any sculpting on the affected area is flattened, as volume is not preserved.

As for deformation: it will keep the sculpting on that area, but the effect is not really predictable or linear. Areas that should bulge out due to bulging muscles, are drawn in, instead.

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