Maya: Character Rigging

Rigging is a crucial step in character development and animation. A rig is the interface for your character, dictating how the character moves. Learn how to rig a character from scratch in Maya by following along with instructor George Maestri. George introduces the rules of rigging—good geometry, organization, and controls—and shows how to create joints, constraints, and connections. He then dives into a real-world project, taking a model and building out the skeleton and the leg, foot, body, and hand controls required for effective animation. He also devotes a chapter to FK/IK switching for finer control over arm movement. Finally, learn how to attach a character mesh to your skeleton with the skinning tools in Maya—and take your skills up a notch with a time-saving mirroring technique.

Topics include:
Rules of rigging
Creating joints
Creating constraints
Building the skeleton
Drawing skeleton chains
Creating controls for different bones and joints
Creating IK control skeletons
Rigging hands
Skinning your character