Learn how to create a stylized walk cycle in Autodesk Maya with this step-by-step animation tutorial.
Explore character rigging, fluid animation techniques, and tips for adding character and life to your animations.
- Workflow
In the ZooToolsPro sub menu, open the Scene Browser and Import the Moustache Man animation template.
For this tutorial, we’ll be working with 24 frames.
Select the entire rig and add a keyframe on the first frame.
On the same frame, adjust the legs to fit the first step fro the walk cycle.
You can use an illustration of how a walk cycle looks like with the main and in-between frames.
Copy the first frame and paste it on the 12th frame.
Copy and paste the first frame on the last frame.
This ensures that the animation will be perfectly loopable.
In this frame, pose the legs the opposite way than before.
Now that all the keyframes have been added, start adding the in-betweens and perfecting the animation, specifically the feet since they are clipping in the ground.
We want to avoid parts of the model cupping or going below the ground since it will be noticeable in a game or animation movie.
Curve the toes of the feet using the blend shapes on the side.
Do this for both feet.
To add more movement and character to the walk cycle, make the head/the body of the character bounce up and down while the hat bounces slightly back and forth.
For the moustache, since it has controls all across it, it can unfold and fold in on itself.
Animate the moustache folding and unfolding as the character walks.
Don’t forget to make slight movements to the eyes and eyebrows.