Rigging Quadrupeds in Maya 8.5
Learn time-saving rigging techniques and the principles of building solution-based rigs and controls for more efficient animating. Software required: Maya 8.5 or higher.
What you'll learn
Learn time-saving rigging techniques and the principles of building solution-based rigs and controls for more efficient animating. Perfect for intermediate artists. Popular highlights include: Constructing Effective Hierarchies; Broken Hierarchy Systems; Building Rig from Reference Skeleton; Building an FK Spline System; Incorporating MEL for Speed; Custom Shelf for Tools; Characters Sets; Sub-Character Sets; Set Driven Keys; IK Solvers for Proper Limb Functionality; Constraints; Advanced Hip Control; Painting Weights; Connection Editor; Reverse Lock System; Muscle Deformation with Influence Objects; Corrective Shapes for Mesh Deformations. Software required: Maya 8.5 or higher.
Table of contents
- Setting up a Display Layer and a Custom Shelf 7m
- Wrapping up the Custom Shelf 5m
- Ironing out a Solid Naming Convention 2m
- The Use of Groups for Scene Cleanliness and Organization 8m
- Beginning the Construction of the Skeleton 11m
- Mirroring the Joint Chain of the Left Pelvic Limb 5m
- Building the Thoracic Limb Joint Chain 7m
- Creating the Bones for the Upper Body 7m
- Examining the Local Rotation Axis of the Upper Body Joint Chain 3m
- Working on the Ears 6m
- Building the Tail 3m
- Bringing the Rig Together- the Pelvis 4m
- Setting up the Tail to Help Avoid Counter-keying 5m
- Finishing Joint Connections and Cleaning up the Scene 2m
- Binding the Horse 5m
- Exploring Wire Frame Coloring 5m
- Using Maya's Paint Weights Tool to Edit Influences 11m
- Painting Weights Around the Thorax 11m
- Working on Completing the Top of the Thoracic Limb 8m
- The Effectiveness of Maya's Component Editor for Modifying Weights 5m
- Fixing the Deformations of the Left Fetlock 3m
- Weighting the Pastern 4m
- Finalizing the Deformations of the Thoracic Limb 3m
- Bringing Our Attention to the Left Pelvic Limb 2m
- Adjusting the Pelvic Weights 5m
- Working on the Hip Bone 4m
- The Stifle Joint's Influence 3m
- Focusing on the Tarsal Joint 3m
- Utilizing Corrective Blend Shapes 8m
- Using Set Driven Keys to Tie Attributes Together 3m
- Weighting the Fetlock of the Pelvic Limb 5m
- Finishing up the Left Pelvic Limb 5m
- Exploring Maya's Time-saving Mirror Weights Tool 5m
- Starting the Process of Building Control Objects 6m
- Setting up the Reverse Lock Feature for the Phalangeal Joints 5m
- Working on the Connections of the Reverse Lock Joints 8m
- Building the Curves to Control the Horse's Legs 8m
- Continuing the Work of the Control Curves 4m
- Finishing the Set up of the Limb Control Curves 13m
- Adding the Carpal and Tarsal Controls 7m
- Finishing the Connections of the Knee Controls 7m
- The Thoracic Shoulder Controls 8m
- Creating the Bones for the Spline FK Back Vertebrae 4m
- Connecting the Spline IK 6m
- Constraining Clusters to the FK Driver Joint Chain 5m
- Starting the Controls for the Back Vertebrae 7m
- Joining the Upper Body Controls 3m
- Adding the Broken Hierarchy System 7m
- Setting up the Hips 7m
- Commencing with the Neck Rig 5m
- Constraining the Neck Clusters to the Neck Driver Chain 3m
- Setting up Control Curves for the Neck 3m
- Continuing the Set up of the Control Curves for the Neck Joints 8m
- Adding Custom Attributes to Control the Base of the Horse's Neck 5m
- Troubleshooting Techniques 4m
- Working on the Head 4m
- The Ear Controls 6m
- Starting the Tail Rig 4m
- Working on Control Curves to Drive the Tail 12m
- Finishing the Set up of the Tail 3m
- Adding a Visible Global Control 9m
- Cleaning up the Display of the Scene 4m
- Character and Sub-character Sets 11m
- A Concept for the Jaw Control 16m
- Establishing Influence Objects for Muscle Jiggle 13m
- Using Influence Objects to Get Rid of Unwanted Deformations 8m
- Conclusion 1m
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