Animating Cartoon Characters in Maya
Learn a production workflow to character animation with an emphasis on toon, squash and stretch techniques, and the principles of story-telling through movement. Software required: Maya 8 and up (Maya 2008 required for project files).
What you'll learn
Learn a production workflow to character animation with an emphasis on toon, squash and stretch techniques, and the principles of story-telling through movement. Contains over 6 hours of project-based training for animators learning the processes of creating stylized toon animation. Perfect for experienced artists. Popular highlights include: Staging; Anticipation; Follow-through; Creating Appeal; Arcs; Timing and Spacing; Pose to Pose and Straight Ahead; Adding Personality; Exaggeration; Squash and Stretch; Secondary Action; Ease in and Ease Out; Animating Cameras; Motion Trails; Working with Storyboards; Key-frame Marking Menu; Adding In-betweens; Breakdown Keys; Muting Keys; Interacting with Props; Proxy Cage for Characters. Software required: Maya 8 and up (Maya 2008 required for project files).
Table of contents
- Discussing the Storyboards and Blocking in the First Extreme 9m
- Blocking in the Second and Third Extreme 7m
- Blocking in the Fourth and Fifth Extreme 14m
- Posing the Sixth and Seventh Extreme 9m
- Adding a Switch to Constrain the Hands to the Hip 8m
- Posing the Eighth and Ninth Extreme 12m
- Finalizing the First Blocking Phase 11m
- Modifying the Character as He Is Driving and as the Cardboard Falls 14m
- Adjusting the Fingers and Adding a Little Bit of Stretch and Shock Effect 11m
- Blocking in the Character's Lower Body 7m
- Blocking in the Character's Upper Body 16m
- Adjusting the Poses in the Character's Exit 12m
- Animating a Cartoony Run 14m
- Locking Down Poses to Prevent Major Sliding 13m
- Finalizing the Fall of the Cardboard Cut-out 12m
- Wrapping up the Camera's Animation 12m
- Adjusting the Character's Head and Shoulders (Frames 1-120) 10m
- Modifying the Eyes and Facial Expressions (Frames 1-120) 11m
- Adjusting the Arms and Body (Frames 1-120) 13m
- Adding Anticipation to the Poses (Frames 40-164) 10m
- Modifying the Arm and Adding a Jiggle to the Upper Body 13m
- Adjusting the Feet, Lower Body, and Arms 16m
- Animating the Hat as the Character Leaps into the Air 10m
- Adjusting the Upper Body and Arms in the Third Polish Pass 12m
- Adjusting the Upper and Lower Body in the Third Polish Pass 13m
- Refining the Right Arm as It Adjusts the Hat 10m
- Refining the Left Arm as It Adjusts the Hat and Modifying the Feet 13m
- Finalizing the Third Pass 16m
- Refining the Final Animation Pass 8m
- Finalizing the Hat Sequence as It Exits the Shot 11m
- Finalizing the Arms as They Exit 13m
- Finishing the Animation on the Upper Body 9m
- Wrapping up the Animation/Conclusion 9m
About the author
Delano works avidly as an animation author at Pluralsight. Starting his career at animation studios like Shilo, Delano has developed a strong passion for his talents. His animation and rigging background help him teach and create some of the most-watched training on Pluralsight. A few of his favorite projects that he has contributed to include: Character Interaction in Maya and in Softimage, Rigging the Human Face in Maya, Rigging Sea Creatures in Maya, and Rigging and Animating Transforming... more