Introduction to Maya - Modeling Fundamentals Vol 1
This course will look at the fundamentals of modeling in Maya with an emphasis on creating good topology. We'll look at what makes a good model in Maya and why objects are modeled in the way they are.
# 1 16-08-2004 , 06:37 PM
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Rigging

Hey Guys

Thought I'd post this of the rig I'm nearly finished with on my girl character. Just weighting the hands and its done. It has a couple of good expressions on the neck, body and hip area to allow for nice deformation and simple but effective movement. Done some driven blend shapes too for her jacket.

_J

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# 2 16-08-2004 , 06:48 PM
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Whats driven blend shapes? Maybe could you make a rigging tutorial on your site?

Anyway. Great rig dude!


Imagination is more important than knowledge.
# 3 16-08-2004 , 08:42 PM
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Hey Peltra

Driven blendshapes? Well I hope you know what a blend shape is. Basically I using blend shapes and the Set Driven Key attribute to control the deformation of an object.

For example: The Jacket is a Sub D surface but, heres the trick: Using the Proxy version of the Jacket I bind that to the skeleton and paint the weights until I'm satisfied with the deformations.

Then by selcting the Proxy object and the Sub D Jacket ( which incidently is not bound at this point) I create a deformer called a wrap. This then uses the weights that I've just painted on the proxy to deform the Sub D.

But....prior to this I have created several copies of the proxy Jacket are then fed into the original as blend shapes with the right naming conventions such as 'Left Sleeve Correct', you can then use the Joint Rotaion to drive that particular shape in the blend shape editor.
I hope this is clear. I could show you but you're a bit far away.

Perhaps a tutorial is in order!!
_J

# 4 16-08-2004 , 10:25 PM
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Only basically on the other side of the world :p. Any way thanks. Thats really helpful. Oh and yeah. Can you post a front and side view of this girl character? I would like to have a go at modeling it. But if not. Thats fine also.


Imagination is more important than knowledge.

Last edited by NextDesign; 17-08-2004 at 10:09 PM.
# 5 20-08-2004 , 08:36 AM
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Originally posted by Jango
Perhaps a tutorial is in order!!

--((you heard it here first folks LOL user added image ))--

do you have your site up yet jango?


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# 6 20-08-2004 , 07:08 PM
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Hey Murph

I'm still waiting for my friend to finish, I'm not sure if hes on hols at the moment. I sent him some extra stuff but have had no reply as yet. I hope hes not done a bunk!!!

Peltra
It was kinda modelled on Natalie Portman crossed with a girl I know!!


_J

# 7 20-08-2004 , 10:57 PM
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Looks like some cool little controls you got there. I really enjoy the setup of the rig process but not the skinning!!

# 8 21-08-2004 , 01:48 PM
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Hey Tim_T

Thanks, it only took about a day to do the rig with the controls and redirect axis etc, plus a couple of expressions. It it probably took about 2 days to skin it (softbind) and paint the weights.

I've really got into it as I was a bit unsure at first as a guy I know would make out to me it was like doing rocket science, which it isn't. Its probably one of the most enjoyable parts of rigging as I find it quite relaxing, sometimes its a bit tricky in areas but otherwise.....

I'm just finishing the facial expressions now which has taken me a couple of hours over a couple of evenings so once its done I'm gonna do some poses and pop those in the finished section.

_J

# 9 21-08-2004 , 01:55 PM
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so confusing

i was that confused with everything you said on this thread, i went out and brought maya 6 complete referance guide, (for £35 from all good book stores! user added image ), and i skipped all the way the rigging section, and i am still none the wiser and £35 lighter user added image, long nights reading ahead,

but on a better note (lahhh) what a fantastic book i recomend to anyone who's in the dark, it has a cool cd with rigged "bi-peds" (that also work with Maya 5 too) (can't afford upgrade yet - wife still frowning from maya 5)


MURPH
# 10 21-08-2004 , 01:57 PM
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and a newer all singing & dancing computer i am just about to purchase!!! he he he he he user added image user added image user added image


MURPH
# 11 21-08-2004 , 02:01 PM
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Oh Bugger!!

Hey Murph

Its not all bad. I saw that book today too along with another called Using Maya and Photoshop for Advertising or something like that. Its pretty good.

As for rigging, if you want a safe start to it I recommend Alias's own book on Character rigging, it guides you thru the basics of it,
it gets a bit frustrating when you just start it as you start to learn another side of Maya!!! Almost like lifting the bonnet in someways cos it gets more techy.

As for my explanation above, check this link out it has some diagrams and then see me in the morning if it hasn't cleared up. https://optidigit.com/stevens/

My wife urged me to upgrade!! I nearly died!!!

All the best
_J

# 12 21-08-2004 , 02:14 PM
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thats a cool link with some fantastic stuff, i like the blow up doll images user added image, he certainly has the female form down to a "T".

the more i think i know about maya - the more i know i don't & the more there is to know...

hmm perhaps that could be my new signature!

later mate


MURPH
# 13 21-08-2004 , 04:25 PM
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Hey Murph

Yeah hes cool. I've admired his stuff for a long time. He recently did the ad stuff of the girls for the Need for Speed PS2 game along with Habib Zargapour (StarWars:Episode 1 and Perfect Storm) who did the car models.

_J

# 14 21-08-2004 , 04:48 PM
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Yeah thats a great game! I have it for the PC. The cars kinda slip and slide on the road, which makes it very hard to controll the cars.


Imagination is more important than knowledge.
# 15 06-09-2004 , 02:53 AM
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question for jango.

hey jangs.. im new here.. user added image

thats a very nice rig..

i a character rigger and an animator too.. but im not very good in mel and expressions.. my question is.. when you are rigging a human character.. when will you use expressions and what part of the body will i use them? tnx alot.. user added image

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