3D Rigging: Essential for Animation & Character Design
Of all the industries, the entertainment industry is one of the biggest adaptors of innovative and technologically sound methods. Entertainment industry experts do not miss any opportunity to make the overall viewing experience better for the people.
When it comes to animation- whether, in the games or movies, rigging is the most common technique used for 3D character model. Today, in this article, we will be discussing 3D rigging and its wide use in the animation industry.
WHAT IS 3D RIGGING?
3D rigging is a technique of creating the bone structure of a 3D model. This bone structure simplifies the animation process. The technique helps in the process of creating an invisible skeleton which further defines the movement of an object. This invisible process can only be viewed during the time of rigging and not in the final render. 3D makes the model movement easier to control and distort the 3D objects as per the requirement.
This means that whenever a bone moves the other bones will move in a similar sense, for example, if a 3D rigged character moves its shoulder bone, then the forearm and the hand bones will move accordingly.
Rigging is one of the widely used techniques for animating the 3D characters that are used in TV shows, video games, and movies. By using the skeletal animation technique and assigning a rig to the 3D model, the rigger can also animate the physical objects.
FEATURES OF 3D RIGGING
There are many features of 3D rigging. Some are discussed here.
Inverse Kinematics
Inverse Kinematics is used for animation in models of living organisms. It involves recreating natural body movement such as the way living organisms move. In Inverse Kinematics, ‘child’ joint controls ‘parent’ joint. The property is mainly used when the object moves in itself. Animators prefer this feature when a character interacts with the world space object. For example, if a character is picking up an object or indulging in a fight, Inverse Kinematics will be used.
Forward Kinematics
Forward kinematics also takes into account the features of the ‘child’ joint and ‘parent’ joint where the former is controlled by the latter. These are lines connected to each other to make the movement of a body possible. In forward Kinematics, ‘parent’ controls ‘child.’ This is generally used when a living object comes in contact with a still object. For example, an animated 3D model of a bird can appear to fly as naturally as it does in real life by simulating the movement of its wings.
Driven Keys
Driven Keys, a feature in 3D Rigging, allow you to control one or multiple objects. It consists of two parts: the ‘driver’ and the ‘driven.’ The ‘driver,’ an object, controls the animation. The ‘driven,’ either object or attribute, is controlled by the driver. The driven keys speed up the rigging thus the animation process.
Blend shapes
This feature helps in changing the shapes of the object. Blend shapes is generally used in controlling or managing the facial expression of an object. From grinning, to smirking, to raising eyebrows, and the like are managed through this feature. It has a control slider, ranging from 0–1, which helps in processing the movement of facial expression.
Constraints
Constraints feature sets up the limitation in the movement of the object. It defines the movement of the parent and child feature. It helps to divide the object into different spheres of parent and child, thus either giving access or limiting the movement. Constraints also help in defining control curves.
Control Curves
In rigging, a rigger uses many overlapping joints. It becomes difficult for an animator to control all these joints. Thus, a rigger uses control curves to operate these joints. Thus, the control curve feature is used to change, move, or upgrade a joint. It eases out the process of animation for the rigger.
Dynamic Joints
Dynamic Joints are the joint feature for the inactive objects connected to the 3D model. This feature helps in the self-movement of the object when the default object moves in real-time. For example, if the main model moves, through dynamic joints, the hair or the cape or the gown moves by itself. Similarly, if there is an antenna attached to a car, it moves in real-time with the help of the dynamic joints.
SOFTWARE USED FOR RIGGING
For the 3D rigging, the following software are widely used:-
· Autodesk Maya- It is majorly used for rigging, animation, and character modeling.
· Cinema4D- It is famous for dynamics and 3dmotion graphics.
· 3ds Max- It is widely used for architectural designs, but it also helps in the rigging.
· Blender- it is mostly used for dynamics
· Hudini- it is also an animation software, generally used for dynamics.
EXPERT’S WORDS
Just like those little Viewmaster slides, there’s inherent magic that’s captured in 3D that you can’t get in drawn animation or in CG.
-Henry Selick, American stop motion director
This new generation of animators was trained in CG. They know all the fundamentals of any 2D animator, but a lot of them learned on these CG rigs. You give them a good rig, and they can make that thing sing.
-Rich Moore, American film and television animation director
3D rigging is, therefore, one of the best skeletal animation techniques that let the 3D animation artists give more detailed movements to their 3D designs or characters. The 3D rigging technique also simplifies the overall animation process and improves production efficiency.
Compelling. Isn’t it?
Written By: Ayushi Jain (ayushi@wharfstreetstrategies.com)
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