Unit 5: Animation - Maya Exercises, Week 1 & 2 - Introduction to Rigging

Hello Everyone,

Just thought I would drop in to finally post my Maya stuff. I have to say I am having fun doing the rigging, something I never thought would be possible. Maybe its because I can see myself getting closer and closer to rigging my little caveman :P

I took a little breather earlier to get the piston rigged too which I also found quite fun. The process is a little complicated & I'm quite sure I have lost some of it to my memory already. But I'd like to think that I'm gradually getting the mind for it. I love doing it I know that...

Anyway lets get down to the work.

Figure 1 (above) shows the starting point which was the leg rig. Very basic to look at but very complicated to come to terms with anew. Once it was done I couldn't help but smile, I also felt a yearning to bring my mesh in and just have a look sadly I didn't get around to that on week 1.

Figure 2 (above) shows my leg rig in single perspective view (SPV). This was just to show a close up the joints were worked out due to spacing which required us to count the squares on the grid. I am going to have to align the legs to my mesh when I get a chance.

Figure 3 (above) shows further development on week 2 of our Maya class. As you can see Cogman is in, I could not resist specifically when Simon told us this was to be aligned with the neck and spine of a mesh. I felt much more excited once he was there, I am working toward him becoming animated.

Figure 4 (above) shows multiple views (MV) of cogman with the rig inside. I'm glad I put him in, the rings have to be adjacent to the body. The spine goes finely up the centre of his back to the top of his head. His jaw is in place & so are the eyes. All of these areas are defined by the points on the spine.


Last but not least my piston leg video (shown above). This is my first official rig with a mesh attached & you heard it here first! I'm just hoping that Cogman will be my second, will be nice to finally get a character moving. Especially since I've been watching my business partner do this and think wow, now its my turn :P

Anyway that should be it for this post, I have another couple to go including the green light & a possible little revision of my script & my initial character sketches.

Could be another late one, oh well.
Take it easy!

Over & Out,
xXStItChXx