Suggestions to make a "uwrap" animation with this ball model I would like to convert my ball model into a 2d-ish model with an animation. Already tried to find some tutorials or materials presenting ways to do that, without success.



I would like to animate the ball into something like this:



I believe this is a hard thing to do, specially cause I don't have too much experience with Blender (started to model with 3Ds max) or animation, but I would like to try even so. Any ideas or tutorials?
If you are looking for result like in your second image - ready to use file (print-cut-glue), use build in "Paper Model Export" addon by Emu.

But for unfolding, use his "Convert to Armature" addon - download version for 2.8x. More info here.



Unfold Animation


download-install-enable addon
select object, go to edit mode (Tab), select edges you want split
Ctr+E > Mark Seam
search Split Seams
additionally select one face you prefer to start generate bone tree
search Convert to Armature


That's all ... to be precise, object is not animated yet. Script generates Armature object with bones assigned to faces and creates unfolded Pose. To animate unfolding - go to Pose Mode (Ctrl+Tab), select all bones, add Keyframe (I) > Rotation, move on Timeline, Clear Rotation (Alt+R), add second Keyframe > Rotation.



If you have more complex mesh you can let "Export Paper Model" script to Mark Seams for you (3Dview > Properties Panel (N) > Paper > Unfold). Continue as described above - search Split Seams ...