In this course, we will cover tools and techniques for setting up character rigs in Maya.
Step by step, we'll construct a control rig that is robust and animator-friendly. We'll learn everything from proper joint placement and techniques for correcting a joint's orientation to learning fun ways we can preserve volume as our mesh deforms and how to make our controls efficient and easy to comprehend. We'll also learn how to build some fun MEL tools that will help speed up our workflow, bringing that time back into constructing our control rigs with the best methods.

A quality character rig is a must for any successful animation production. The rig must be stable, and have the controls and flexibility needed for an animator to tell their story. In addition the rigger must be able to make changes quickly. In this set of lectures, Axel will effectively demystify the “art” of character rigging as well as provide a production-like set of scripted tools to work with. Using the provided scripted tools, Axel demonstrates the benefits of a multi-pose approach to skeleton setup.

Discover the concepts and techniques required to rig engaging CG character models with Maya in this unique book. The stunning color images show just what you can achieve, and the detailed step-by-step tutorials show exactly how to achieve them.

 

Digital Tutors - Character Rigging for Production in 3ds Max 2010

In this collection of lessons we will learn the foundations of rigging characters in CINEMA 4D. This course will provide you with a foundation for rigging characters in CINEMA 4D. We will take a step-by-step approach, constructing a control rig that is solid and animator-friendly.