An FCurve (also written f-curve) is a function curve or the graph of a function. An example of a FCurve is a spline.

In the field of computer animation and especially in animation editors, e.g. Maya, an FCurve is an animation curve with a set of keyframes, which are represented as points, curve segments between keys, and tangents that control how curve segments enter and exit a key. These keys are laid out on a graph that displays their position relative to zero. One can have keys that are either positive or negative values.[1][2]

This visual graph of keyframes allows one to see the value of the key and its interpolation to the next key, which shows the animation "ease ins" and "ease outs".

F-Curves support various interpolation methods, including:

  • Linear Interpolation: Creates a straight line between keyframes, resulting in uniform motion.
  • Bezier Interpolation: Provides smooth transitions by allowing control over the tangents, enabling more complex motion profiles.
  • Custom Interpolation: Animators can manipulate the curve manually to achieve specific motion dynamics, such as quick starts or slow finishes, by adjusting the handles of the Bezier curves [3]

References

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  1. ^ "Introduction - Blender 4.1 Manual". docs.blender.org. Retrieved 2024-04-30.
  2. ^ "What is the equation of an F Curve?". Blender Stack Exchange. Retrieved 2024-07-30.
  3. ^ "Introduction - Blender 4.2 Manual". docs.blender.org. Retrieved 2024-07-30.