Flower Petals Animation, Blender 2.73 Tutorial and Script
This is a spin-off of my Pop-In Pop-Out Text script.
The final result looks better than the opening example, because the example had to be adjusted to a mere 15 fps to match the screencast. Also, there's no fancy artwork here, just a demonstration of the script.
The Python script is posted in the comment section. Sometimes it takes a few seconds for the comment to load. Or you can download the flower_petals.py script from Google Drive here:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B9o...
Here is the download link (Google Drive) to the flower_petals.svg file I created for this tutorial (using Inkscape):
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9ol...
Question: Can I have a flower with DIFFERENT petals, because this script just replicates the same petal?
Answer: Yes. Select the substitute petal, and Ctrl + A-key / Scale (apply the scale, something the script does quietly in the background so you don't have to). Select the petal you want to replace. In the Properties editor go to Material context / Transparency panel. Right click on the Alpha control / Copy Driver. Now go to Data context (should be between the wrench and the material icons). At the top, from the drop-down menu on the left (has a curve icon if working with Curves) choose the Curve (or Mesh) Data to be linked to this petal Object. To the right of that same text control click the number to make it single user (not shared). Because you're changing the DATA information, rather than the OBJECT information, you do NOT need to add Scale drivers to the replacement petal (Scale is OBJECT info, rather than DATA info). However, the Transparency / Alpha of the Material is a different story (that's DATA info). Go to Material context. Click the Single User number (near the top, across from the material selection drop-down icon). Transparency panel. Right click over Alpha control again / Paste Driver. Now the Alpha has the right driver.
GOTCHA: If you save the .blend file, open it up later to find all the petals are gone and can't get them back, you probably forgot to check the "Register" check box when you clicked the "Run Script" button of the Text Editor. Don't panic.
SOLUTION: Shift + A / Empty / Plain Axes. Move it well out of the way. Make sure the name of the text block has a '.py' extension to enable Register. Check Register checkbox this time. Click Run Script button. Delete the nonsense just created. Save the file. Reload. That's happened to me too.
The Register checkbox is so you do not need to run the script again when reloading the .blend file.
The script should work on any whole object. You could have automobile flowers popping up everywhere. :)