Placement of animated elements using vector fields

A method of animating a first animation element in accordance with a pre-computed animation sequence of a second animation element to which the first animation element is related, the method comprising the steps of:

• moving the second animation element to a first pose that is part of the pre-computed animation sequence;
• determining one or more regions within which the first animation element is inside the second animation element;
• selecting an animation point of the first animation element that is within the determined one or more regions;
• computing a vector directionally oriented in a direction in which the selected animation point is to move to be back outside of the second animation element and having a magnitude commensurate with a distance to be traveled by the selected animation point to be back outside of the second animation element, the computed vector being exclusively associated only with the selected first animation point, to the exclusion of other animation points of the first animation element;
• generating one or more vector fields only within the determined one or more regions by repeating the selecting and the computing for other animation points within the determined one or more regions;
• simulating movement of the first animation element in accordance with the generated one or more vector fields;
• iteratively repeating the determining, the generating and the simulating until the first animation element is wholly outside of the second animation element;
• and
• repeating the moving, the determining, the generating, the simulating, and the iteratively repeating for subsequent poses of the second animation element that are part of the pre-computed animation sequence;
• wherein the direction in which the vectors of the generated one or more vector fields are oriented is determined with reference to a direction of moving of the second animation element and a shape of the second animation element.

A system for animating a virtualized article of clothing on a virtualized body comprising:

• a first computing device comprising a database of virtualized clothing and a pre-computed animation sequence of the virtualized body;
• and
• a second computing device communicationally coupled to the first computing device comprising a user interface for selecting the virtualized article of clothing to be animated on the virtualized body from the database of virtualized clothing and computer-executable instructions directed to steps comprising:
• moving the virtualized body to a first pose that is part of the pre-computed animation sequence;
• determining one or more regions within which the virtualized article of clothing is inside the virtualized body;
• selecting an animation point of the virtualized article of clothing that is within the determined one or more regions;
• computing a vector directionally oriented in a direction in which the selected animation point is to move to be back outside the virtualized body and having a magnitude commensurate with a distance to be traveled by the selected animation point to be back outside the virtualized body, the computed vector being exclusively associated only with the selected first animation point, to the exclusion of other animation points of the virtualized article of clothing;
• generating one or more vector fields only within the determined one or more regions by repeating the selecting and the computing for other animation points within the determined one or more regions;
• simulating movement of the virtualized article of clothing in accordance with the generated one or more vector fields;
• iteratively repeating the determining, the generating and the simulating until the virtualized article of clothing is wholly outside of the virtualized body;
• and
• repeating the moving, the determining, the generating, the simulating, and the iteratively repeating for subsequent poses of the virtualized body that are part of the pre-computed animation sequence;
• wherein the direction in which the vectors of the generated one or more vector fields are oriented is determined with reference to a direction of moving of the virtualized body and a shape of the virtualized body.