Final render (Patreon)

I fixed + re-rendered the problem frames and now I've begun improving the donkey characters. (also for the record this animation with the phat unicorn asses with rainbow musk is something I'd love to do a follow up of later!)

I'm torn between just redoing a lot of the rig/mesh and worrying less about salvaging animation or changing not a lot. I think I can find a happy medium. For example, here I've added mouth bones +controls:

Instead of using shape keys. This gives more control and allows for a larger range of expressions. I also added some bones to the nostrils so they can flare a bit for that added, tiny detail when needed.

And also a proper tail hole. It was a bit of a hassle to add in and actually why I did a new mouth setup (I had to get rid of the shape keys so I can fix the butt shape after messing it up adding the hole >_>)

I might just go ahead and redo the underlying body shape all together, like add more detail to the chest, fix a few more things I would do differently now, that sort of thing.

I will say that, if I do end up changing things enough to where the previously made animations won't work too well, I might just scrap it all and start over but with a small scope in mind. I do *like* working on an ambitious, longer animation, but I don't think I'm skilled enough right now to tackle that effectively and my time would be better spent doing shorter, smaller animations and continuously improving my skills all around that way.

Plus I might try adding fluids- possibly. I need to get a better idea of how those work but I'd so much love to add them. (Or, if anyone knows someone who's skilled with fluid sims in Blender, point me in their direction!)