Pushing Your Character Rigs Beyond the Basics in Maya
In this set of tutorials, we will learn how to push our character rigs beyond the basics in Maya. Software required: Autodesk Maya 2014.
What you'll learn
In this set of tutorials, we will learn how to push our character rigs beyond the basics in Maya. We'll start by learning how to set up skeletons with attached twist systems that will help our characters maintain volume as they deform. We'll then learn how to create our very own cage deformer to hold volume in geometry that is challenging to skin. We'll also learn neat topics like how to setup auto clavicle systems, advanced foot rolls, dynamically-parented controls, animator-friendly hand rigs with multiple levels of control, and learn how to use both MEL and Python to create tools to help us work faster. By the end of this training, you will have the knowledge you need to produce promising results from your character rigs in Maya. Software required: Autodesk Maya 2014.
Table of contents
- Creating the Leg Bones 13m
- Finishing Our Leg Chains 10m
- Creating a Tool to Reset the Orientation of Joints with Python 19m
- Setting up a Joint Chain for the Torso 11m
- Creating a Tool That Will Quickly Segment Bones 19m
- Using Our Joint Resolution Tool to Segment the Character's Spine 2m
- Adding a Head Bone 2m
- Creating Our Clavicle and Arm Bones 12m
- Adding Hand Bones 9m
- Creating a Joint Chain for the Thumb and Mirroring the Arm 9m
- Maintaining Volume in the Knees and Elbows 11m
- Setting up Twist Systems for the Shins 7m
- Finishing the Twist Systems for the Shins 14m
- Developing Counter-twist Systems for the Thighs 10m
- Finalizing the Counter-twist Rigs for the Thighs 7m
- Adding Twist Systems to the Forearms 12m
- Counter-twisting the Shoulders 11m
- Preserving Volume in the Buttocks 10m
- Finishing Our Buttocks Systems 8m
- Twist Joints for the Neck 13m
- Binding the Character's Head 17m
- Deforming the Hair 2m
- Skinning the Arms 16m
- Creating a Proxy Cage to Skin Complex Geometry Faster 10m
- Finishing the Shirt's Proxy Cage 10m
- Finalizing Our Proxy Cage 14m
- Connecting Our Proxy Cage to the Shirt 6m
- Refining the Deformations of the Shirt 14m
- Improving the Deformations of the Shoulders 7m
- Skinning the Pants and Shoes 14m
- Mirroring the Weights of the Torso and Legs 10m
- Cleaning up Our Scene 3m
- Setting up Foot Roll Systems 10m
- Creating an Efficient Grouping Tool with Python 17m
- Finalizing Our Foot Roll Systems 6m
- Designing Leg Controls 10m
- Adding Secondary Foot Controls 10m
- Finishing Our Secondary Foot Controls 9m
- Building an Automated Foot Roll System 17m
- Knee Controls 13m
- Dynamically Parenting the Legs 8m
- Adding Connect Curves to the Knees 11m
- Controlling the Spine 13m
- Translating the Spine 15m
- Twisting the Spine 18m
- Adding a Secondary Hip Control 9m
- Creating a Control That Will Drive Both the Neck and Head 14m
- Rigging the Clavicles 10m
- Arm Controls 7m
- Finalizing the Arm Controls 18m
- Controlling the Elbows 10m
- Dynamically Parenting the Arms 4m
- Rigging Auto Clavicles 9m
- Finishing Our Auto Clavicle Systems 5m
- Creating Finger Controls 10m
- Cleaning up the Finger Controls 20m
- Finishing Our Finger Controls 14m
- Connecting the Hand Controls and Creating Signature Hand Poses 8m
- Wrapping up the Control Rig 17m
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