Learn how to pose characters using pre-rigged models in Maya.
This Maya class covers rig controls, character manipulation, and creating dynamic poses.
Join our class as we delve into the art of character posing using pre-rigged models.
Discover the secrets of manipulating rig controls to breathe life into your characters
- Workflow
Switch to the ZooToolsPro tools and open the Scene Browser.
Double-click on the crocodile rig to Import it into the workspace.
There are 3 layers for each part of the model, one for the geo which is for the mesh, one for the control rigs, and another for the rig proxies.
This is so you can hide any of these elements at any time if they get in the way.
There are many controls on the model that let you pose the character easily in any pose as well as making the process smoother.
There are controls on the leg, toes, entire torso, arms, fingers, head, jaw, tongue, face and belt.
If you pose a character with a rig and want to re-do the entire pose, select the entire rig, select all of the Translate Axis on the right side of the workspace inside the Channel box, and write 0.
Doing this will reset all the movements on the joints back to the beginning.
For this tutorial, we will pose the character in a flex pose.
Have the reference image on the side to look at while posing the character.
Start posing the torso and arms first.
In this pose, the torso and arms are the ones that are going to be the most noticeable and will immediately capture the eye of the viewer in those specific parts.
Slowly work your way up the torso controls.
After the torso is in position, move onto the arms.
If the torso needs to be adjusted more, you can do so at any time.
Even though the reference image doesn’t include a tail, we need to pose that as well.
Don’t forget to move and pose the character’s shoulders.
You can lower down the entire body slightly so that the legs will fit the pose on the reference.
In the image we can see the person slightly bending their knees, therefore the body needs to be lower so we can bend the knees.
Rotate the ankle of one of the feet, then rotate the toes forward to support the kneel.
After the legs have been posed, the last thing we need to do is move the fingers in place.
Select all of the finger controls and rotate them together.
After that, fix their position if they are clipping into each other.
End Result.
