Tag: animation workflow

Creating Rig Controllers in Maya

Whether you are an aspiring character rigger or an animator trying to rig a simple prop for a shot, knowing how to create rig controls is essential. In this clip from a live AnimSchool lecture, instructor Daria Jerjomina demonstrates how to create rig controls with NURBS curves, change their colors, and create attributes attached to them.

Controllers allow animators to interact with complex rigs in an intuitive and manageable way. While there are various options for building these interfaces, NURBS curves have become the standard for a number of reasons: non-renderable, easily distinguishable, scriptable, customizable, and overall easy to use.

The fastest way to create a controller is by creating a NURBS circle, which can instantly be used as a controller. However, the circle an also be further customized, or the user can draw out their own custom control using the CV curve tool. More complex and three-dimensional shapes can be achieved through creating a polygon and snapping the curve points to the vertices. These shapes are easily distinguishable from the rest of the 3D scene, which make them more user-friendly. Color coding further enhances usability—typically red for right-side controllers, blue for left, and yellow for center—allowing animators to instantly understand the layout of the rig.

Some things to keep in mind when creating a controller:

The controller should be a single object (parent shape or draw one curve)
Delete the history on the controller
Freeze transformation on the controller

Custom attributes can be added directly to curves to expose useful controls—like switches, sliders, or dropdown menus for facial expressions, visibility toggles, or rig modes. NURBS controllers also support advanced UI functionality. By locking or hiding certain transform channels, riggers can prevent users from breaking constraints or applying unintended transformations. Attributes can even be muted temporarily or add additional data with string or enum fields for scripting.

NURBS curves controllers blend seamlessly into the animation workflow by being visible where needed and invisible where not. Their scriptability, customizability, and efficiency make them ideal for building controllers that are both technically sound and easy to use.

Watch the full clip from an AnimSchool lecture here:

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Setting Up Hot Keys in Autodesk Maya

Every animator wants to have a quick, clean, and organized workflow system that helps them animate more efficiently. Hotkeys in Maya can help achieve that and save valuable time. In this clip from a live AnimSchool lecture, instructor Justin Barrett explains how to set up these hotkeys, and how to manage the hotkeys in order to animate quickly and efficiently.

The Default and Duplicate Hotkey Sets

When you first open the Hotkey Editor in Maya, you’ll notice a default hotkey set, labeled “Maya Default.” This set cannot be deleted, so you can always revert to it. However, as you interact with the interface, Maya automatically creates duplicate sets to avoid accidental changes to the default set. These duplicates copy all the hotkeys, allowing you to make changes without altering the core configuration. Be cautious—if you switch back to the default set or jump between duplicate sets, you may end up with conflicting changes across multiple sets. You cannot merge sets, so, to keep things organized, it’s best to stick with one duplicate set and make all your adjustments there.

Categories and Runtime Commands

The Hotkey Editor organizes available commands into categories, such as “Menu Items,” “Editors,” or “Custom Scripts.” While browsing through these categories, you’ll encounter runtime commands, which are essentially single commands that trigger a sequence of other actions. When linked to hotkeys, you can execute complex actions with just a key press.

Managing Hotkey Assignments

To assign or change a hotkey, simply click in the hotkey space and input your desired shortcut. Maya will warn you if you’re attempting to assign a hotkey that’s already in use. You can override existing assignments, but be aware that doing so will remove the previous function attached to that hotkey.

Maya also displays the available keyboard keys and any current assignments. You can filter these by modifier keys, such as Shift or Command, to help you find an unused combination. Once you’ve made your adjustments, remember to save your changes to ensure they’re applied.

Tips for Efficient Hotkey Management

Stick to One Duplicate Set: Avoid jumping between multiple duplicate sets to prevent confusion and conflicting hotkey assignments.
Use the Search Function: Use the search bar to quickly locate specific hotkeys or commands, ensuring you’re not accidentally overriding important settings.
Test New Hotkeys: Always test your new hotkeys to ensure they work as expected and don’t interfere with existing system-level shortcuts.

Watch the full clip from an AnimSchool lecture here: