Deformation Skeleton (in Blender / 3D animation)
A Deformation Skeleton is the part of an armature (skeleton) that is responsible for deforming the mesh of a character or object.
👉 In simple words:
It’s the set of bones that actually bend, stretch, and shape the character’s body (the mesh), as opposed to helper or control bones that only make animation easier.
🔑 Key Points
Deformation Bones
These are bones marked as “Deform” (enabled in bone properties).
They directly influence the mesh through vertex groups & weight painting.
Example: thigh, shin, spine, arm, hand bones.
Control / Helper Bones (Non-Deform)
These bones don’t deform the mesh directly.
They’re used for easier animation (like IK handles, controllers, or pole targets).
Example: an IK controller for the foot, or a master controller for the whole rig.
Why Separate Them?
Keeps rigs clean and organized.
Animators usually work with control bones, while deformation happens behind the scenes with deform bones.
Prevents accidental distortion of the mesh.
🔹 Example
A character’s arm bone chain has:
Deformation bones → upper arm, forearm, hand (actually bend the mesh).
Control bones → IK handle at the wrist, a pole target for elbow direction (make animating easier, but don’t bend the mesh).
âś… In short:
A Deformation Skeleton (or Deform Bones) is the part of the rig’s skeleton that actually influences the mesh and makes it move or bend, while non-deform bones are just helpers for animation.
