[Blender x Python] How to make vertex animation

table of contents

1. Move one vertex about one axis
2. Move multiple vertices about one axis
3. Move multiple vertices with respect to multiple axes
4. Shift the vertices little by little (Part 1)
5. Shift the vertices little by little (Part 2)

1. Move one vertex about one axis

import bpy
from random import random

#Define vertices and faces that form a plane
verts = [(0,0,0),(0,5,0),(5,5,0),(5,0,0)]
faces = [(0,1,2,3)]

#Define a mesh
mesh = bpy.data.meshes.new("Plane_mesh")
#Generate a mesh from vertex and face data
mesh.from_pydata(verts,[],faces)
mesh.update(calc_edges=True)

#Define an object from mesh data
obj = bpy.data.objects.new("Plane", mesh)   
#Specify the location where the object is created with the cursor
obj.location = bpy.context.scene.cursor.location
#Link objects to the scene(display)Let
bpy.context.scene.collection.objects.link(obj)

frame_num = 0
#Setting the end frame of the animation
bpy.context.scene.frame_end = 20

for i in range(0,10):
    #Select one vertex from the vertex list and decide on which axis of xyz to move
    mesh.vertices[0].co[2] += 3
    mesh.update(calc_edges=True)
    #Insert the movement of the selected vertex into a keyframe with the selected axis and the number of frames
    mesh.vertices[0].keyframe_insert('co',index = 2,frame = frame_num)
    
    frame_num += 5

Point:co[] Determines which axis to coordinate the vertices with. -1 → xyz axis 0 → x axis 1 → y-axis 2 → z axis

2. Move multiple vertices about one axis

import bpy
from random import random

bpy.ops.mesh.primitive_monkey_add()

obj = bpy.context.object
frame_num = 0

for f in range(0,100):
    for v in obj.data.vertices:
        m = random() * 0.02
        #When the number of frames is even
        if f%2:
            #Randomly move in the z-axis direction
            v.co.z += m
        #other than that(Odd number of frames)in the case of
        else:
            #Randomly move in the z-axis direction
            v.co.z -= m
        v.keyframe_insert('co',index = 2,frame = frame_num)
    
    frame_num += 1

3. Move multiple vertices with respect to multiple axes

import bpy
from random import random

#Define the vertices and faces that form the cube
verts = [(0,0,0),(0,5,0),(5,5,0),(5,0,0),(0,0,5),(0,5,5),(5,5,5),(5,0,5)]
faces = [(0,1,2,3), (4,5,6,7), (0,4,5,1), (1,5,6,2), (2,6,7,3), (3,7,4,0)]

#Define a mesh
mesh = bpy.data.meshes.new("Cube_mesh")
#Generate a mesh from vertex and face data
mesh.from_pydata(verts,[],faces)
mesh.update(calc_edges=True)

#Define an object from mesh data
obj = bpy.data.objects.new("Cube", mesh)   
#Specify the location where the object is created with the cursor
obj.location = bpy.context.scene.cursor.location
#Link objects to the scene(display)Let
bpy.context.scene.collection.objects.link(obj)


frame_num = 0

for f in range(0,100):
    for v in obj.data.vertices:
        m = random()
        if f%2:
            v.co.x += m
            v.co.y += m
        else:
            v.co.x -= m
            v.co.y -= m
        v.keyframe_insert('co',index = -1,frame = frame_num)
    
    frame_num += 3

4. Shift the vertices little by little (Part 1)

import bpy
import math

#Specify how many squares
p = 24

#Place the vertices starting from the center
verts = [(0,0,0)]
for i in range(0,p + 1):
    x = 2 *math.pi / p * i
    verts.append([math.cos(x),math.sin(x),0])

#A surface is formed by a total of 3 points, 2 points on the center and the circumference.
faces = []
for i in range(0,p):
    faces.append([0,i + 1,i + 2])

mesh = bpy.data.meshes.new("Polygon_mesh") 
mesh.from_pydata(verts, [], faces) 
obj = bpy.data.objects.new("Polygon", mesh) 
bpy.context.scene.collection.objects.link(obj)

#Put into edit mode
bpy.context.view_layer.objects.active = obj
bpy.ops.object.mode_set(mode='EDIT')

#Remove duplicate vertices
bpy.ops.mesh.remove_doubles()

#Return to object mode
bpy.ops.object.mode_set(mode='OBJECT')

frame_num = 0
bpy.context.scene.frame_end = 600


for f in range(0,600):
    #Move the vertices except the center up and down
    for i in range(1,p + 1):
        mesh.vertices[i].co[2] += 5
        mesh.update(calc_edges=True)
        mesh.vertices[i].keyframe_insert('co',index = 2,frame = frame_num)
        frame_num += 15
        
        mesh.vertices[i].co[2] -= 5
        mesh.update(calc_edges=True)
        mesh.vertices[i].keyframe_insert('co',index = 2,frame = frame_num)
        frame_num += 1

Shift the vertices little by little (Part 2)

import bpy
import math

verts = []
faces = []

#Variables related to mesh
numX = 10
numY = 10

#Generate vertex coordinates
for i in range (0, numX):
    for j in range(0,numY):

        x = scale * i
        y = scale * j
        z = 0

        vert = (x,y,z) 
        verts.append(vert)

#Generate a face from four vertices
count = 0
for i in range (0, numY *(numX-1)):
    if count < numY-1:
        A = i
        B = i+1
        C = (i+numY)+1
        D = (i+numY)

        face = (A,B,C,D)
        faces.append(face)
        count = count + 1
    else:
        count = 0

mesh = bpy.data.meshes.new("Wave_mesh")
mesh.from_pydata(verts,[],faces)
mesh.update(calc_edges=True)

obj = bpy.data.objects.new("Wave",mesh)
obj.location = (0,0,0)
bpy.context.scene.collection.objects.link(obj)

#Adapt subdivision surface
obj.modifiers.new("subd", type='SUBSURF')
obj.modifiers['subd'].levels = 3

#Adapt smooth shade
mypolys = mesh.polygons
for p in mypolys:
    p.use_smooth = True
    
    

frame_num = 0
bpy.context.scene.frame_end = 300


for f in range(0,600):
    for i in range(0,numX * numY):
        mesh.vertices[i].co[2] += 5
        mesh.update(calc_edges=True)
        mesh.vertices[i].keyframe_insert('co',index = 2,frame = frame_num)
        frame_num += 1
        
        mesh.vertices[i].co[2] -= 5
        mesh.update(calc_edges=True)
        mesh.vertices[i].keyframe_insert('co',index = 2,frame = frame_num)
        frame_num += 1