Keyframing the weight of animation layers

The Weight property of each animation layer determines how much of its animation plays in your scene.

Keyframing the Weight property of animation layers lets you blend the effect of the layer in and out, animating how much the layer influences the result animation at any given time.

You can set the weight of animation layers using the Weight slider at the bottom of the Animation Layer editor, or the Weight property in the Properties, FCurves, or Dopesheet windows when a layer is selected.

Note: The Weight property of parent layers affects child layers. For child layers, the final value of the Weight property is determined by multiplying the child’s Weight by its parent’s Weight, then dividing by 100.

To keyframe the weight of animation layers:

1. Click the animation layer whose weight you want to animate.
2. Place the Timeline indicator where you want to set a keyframe.
3. In the Properties window, select the Weight property. The keyframes you set for Weight only display when the property is selected.
4. Set the Weight value using the Weight slider at the bottom of the Animation Layer editor. You can also change its value using the Weight property in the Properties window.
5. Set a keyframe by doing one of the following:

• Click one of the Keyframe buttons in the Key Controls window.
• Click the Keyframe (K) option of the Weight slider in the Animation Layer editor
• Click the Keyframe (K) button of the Weight property in the Properties window.
  Note: When you animate a layer’s Weight property, the keyframes are always set on that same layer. For example, if you animate the weight of AnimLayer1, the keyframes for the Weight property can only be set on AnimLayer1.

To use an animation layer as a Relations constraint object, see Using Animation layer weight in a Relations constraint.

You can use the Transport Controls, FCurves window, or Dopesheet window to view and edit the keyframes you set for the Weight property of animation layers.