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enter image description here

What I am trying to do is an animation exactly like the shown above, which is captured from YouTube. For the sake of simplicity let's talk about the far left split cube.

So as little as I know I thought so far the only way to do it, preferably in python, is to successively add and apply a boolean modifier in difference operation with object set to the sphere, after that adding a shape key to allow me to keyframe the cube's mesh shape, meanwhile changing sphere's location in this direction in small increments, and repeat. To put it clear all of that successively in each iteration of a for loop.

So here is the problem, applying a modifier for a shape keyed object is not even supported in blender. Moreover, I intend to use this in a far more complex animation, and I am not sure will that be reliable, or will it freeze when I execute that script?

So I wonder what is the best way to do it, and how is it made in this video?

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  • $\begingroup$ Shapekeys work on objects with unchanged geometry, I would suggest using an object on another layer that will have a shape of the sphere and a cylinder to do a boolean operation. $\endgroup$
    – Denis
    Commented May 11, 2017 at 18:41
  • $\begingroup$ thanks for your suggestion. the point is, as i said, i intend to make a more complicated, even though similar animation. and it will be a long detailed curve $\endgroup$
    – user8844
    Commented May 11, 2017 at 19:22

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I think this would probably be a lot easier if you made a dummy object used as subtraction for the Boolean Operation.

Just model a pill-like cylinder object ending in a spherical cap, possibly starting from a UV sphere, then use that in the Boolean operation.

enter image description here

You can then hide it, make it unrenderable, possibly even parented to the real sphere, and use it instead as the Boolean operand, and it should easily simulate the desired effect.

enter image description here

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  • $\begingroup$ first of all thanks for your time. but i intend to make a kind of similar animation, but with a detailed curve $\endgroup$
    – user8844
    Commented May 11, 2017 at 19:17
  • $\begingroup$ @user8844 its exactly the same, just add more geometry to a dummy object and make it follow the curve. $\endgroup$
    – Denis
    Commented May 11, 2017 at 19:24
  • $\begingroup$ i just tried it before i just read your comment, and yeah it worked! thanks, i appreciate your help $\endgroup$
    – user8844
    Commented May 11, 2017 at 19:34
  • $\begingroup$ Brilliant suggestion. I must borrow this technique. :) $\endgroup$
    – Rita Geraghty
    Commented Oct 21, 2019 at 15:11
  • $\begingroup$ really good idea! $\endgroup$
    – Chris
    Commented May 13, 2021 at 20:02

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