Table of Contents

Introduction. Basic Concepts. Props, Pivot Points, Hierarchies. Deformers. User Controllers. Utility Nodes and Custom Attributes. Joints. Blendshapes and Set Driven Key. The Biped. The Biped. Skinning. Upper Body, Lower Body, Root: Always Have a Cha-cha. Feet and Knees: Simple, Group-based, and Joint-based Feet. Spines: FK, Spline, SDK (Set Driven Key). Arms, Elbows, and Clavicles: Single-chain, Triple-chain with Wrist Twist (SDK or Cluster). Hands: SDK, SDK and Keyable CNTRLS. Eyes, Blinks, and Smiles. Master CNTRL and Scale-able Rigs. Advanced Topics. Advanced Controls. Stretchy. Broken Rigs and Dangly Bits. Epilogue: Happily Ever After.

About the Author

Tina O’Hailey is the Dean of the School of Digital Media at SCAD; prior to that, O'Hailey was the Associate Chair of Animation and a professor of animation. She spent the first part of her career working as an industry trainer for Walt Disney Feature Animation, Dreamworks animation and Electronic Arts.