Rigging in Maya
polycounter lvl 18
Introduction
In response to this thread: [url="http://"]Rigging in Maya: Recursive Constraints and FBIK[/url] I've written up some of my notes from my Maya rigging class to see if they help anyone. Instead of waiting to post them all at once I'll post them as I write them up. I'm also going to ask my professor if posting the rest of them is ok, or if he wants to read them over/correct certain things.
Step by Step Rigging Tutorials
This tutorial will go over rigging a character from the bottom up, step by step, and also include tips and pointers to go beyond the tutorial itself. The tutorial assumes an intermediate knowledge of Maya 7 and above, including its menu layouts.
Tips
1) Set Preferred Angle Allows ik to bend if a joint chain is straight, so long as an alternate angle is set.
2) When mirroring joints, mirror for Behavior over YX
3) Rebuilding a joint chain with snap enabled is often quicker and easier than reorienting the joints individually.
4) Always make sure that your joints are oriented properly, with each joint pointing down the chain. If you manually alter the position of a joint after its creation, remember to reorient it.
5) Name your controls, joints, ikHandles, and geometry in a logical manner. This will make editing them later, and interacting with them a lot easier, especially if you have to hand the file off to someone else.
6) Use different looking controls for different things. Intuitive looking controls are even better, but not necessary.
Creating Control Objects
1) Create the object you wish to use as a control, and edit it into the shape you want.
2) Position the control either manually or using point snap.
3) Freeze transforms and delete history once positioned.
Notes:
a) Always Freeze transforms and delete history when creating a control object. Never Reset transforms on a control object.
b) Control Objects can also be made in Adobe Illustrator as curves, exported out, then imported into Maya.
Rigging the Legs
1) Create a joint chain as shown in the figure, in the side view window. This will keep the joint chain straight along the Y-Axis.
2) Use the IK Handle Tool to make an ikRPsolver from the Hip to the Ankle
3) Again using the IK Handle Tool, make an ikSCsolver from the ankle to the ball of the foot. Re-invoke the tool and create an ikSCsolver from the Ball of the Foot to the Toe(s).
4) Then make the ikHandle running from the Ball of the Foot to the Toe(s) a child of the ikHandle running from the Ankle to the Ball of the Foot.
5) Next make the ikHandle running from the Ankle to the Ball of the Foot a child of the ikHandle running from the Hip to the Ankle.
6) Create a control for the Leg, and position at the bottom of the Foot.
7) Finish by making the ikHandle running from the Hip to the Ankle a child of the control.
8) Create a control for where the knee will aim at. Snap it to the knee using point snap, and offset it along the Z-Axis toward the positive direction.
9) Select the control, then the ikHandle running from the Hip to the Ankle. Constrain > Pole Vector.
In response to this thread: [url="http://"]Rigging in Maya: Recursive Constraints and FBIK[/url] I've written up some of my notes from my Maya rigging class to see if they help anyone. Instead of waiting to post them all at once I'll post them as I write them up. I'm also going to ask my professor if posting the rest of them is ok, or if he wants to read them over/correct certain things.
Step by Step Rigging Tutorials
This tutorial will go over rigging a character from the bottom up, step by step, and also include tips and pointers to go beyond the tutorial itself. The tutorial assumes an intermediate knowledge of Maya 7 and above, including its menu layouts.
Tips
1) Set Preferred Angle Allows ik to bend if a joint chain is straight, so long as an alternate angle is set.
2) When mirroring joints, mirror for Behavior over YX
3) Rebuilding a joint chain with snap enabled is often quicker and easier than reorienting the joints individually.
4) Always make sure that your joints are oriented properly, with each joint pointing down the chain. If you manually alter the position of a joint after its creation, remember to reorient it.
5) Name your controls, joints, ikHandles, and geometry in a logical manner. This will make editing them later, and interacting with them a lot easier, especially if you have to hand the file off to someone else.
6) Use different looking controls for different things. Intuitive looking controls are even better, but not necessary.
Creating Control Objects
1) Create the object you wish to use as a control, and edit it into the shape you want.
2) Position the control either manually or using point snap.
3) Freeze transforms and delete history once positioned.
Notes:
a) Always Freeze transforms and delete history when creating a control object. Never Reset transforms on a control object.
b) Control Objects can also be made in Adobe Illustrator as curves, exported out, then imported into Maya.
Rigging the Legs
1) Create a joint chain as shown in the figure, in the side view window. This will keep the joint chain straight along the Y-Axis.
2) Use the IK Handle Tool to make an ikRPsolver from the Hip to the Ankle
3) Again using the IK Handle Tool, make an ikSCsolver from the ankle to the ball of the foot. Re-invoke the tool and create an ikSCsolver from the Ball of the Foot to the Toe(s).
4) Then make the ikHandle running from the Ball of the Foot to the Toe(s) a child of the ikHandle running from the Ankle to the Ball of the Foot.
5) Next make the ikHandle running from the Ankle to the Ball of the Foot a child of the ikHandle running from the Hip to the Ankle.
6) Create a control for the Leg, and position at the bottom of the Foot.
7) Finish by making the ikHandle running from the Hip to the Ankle a child of the control.
8) Create a control for where the knee will aim at. Snap it to the knee using point snap, and offset it along the Z-Axis toward the positive direction.
9) Select the control, then the ikHandle running from the Hip to the Ankle. Constrain > Pole Vector.
Replies
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