Description
In the subject of Character TD that is taught in the Degree in Animation & VFX, topics will be treated for the development of a rig of a character at an advanced level, providing the student with the ability and the tools to be able to apply different systems and acquire the deformation and the appropriate behavior in each situation that arises in the rig with a professional finish. The use of scripts using the Python programming language will also be promoted to facilitate these tasks.
Type Subject
Optativa que no es cursa
Semester
Second
Credits
4.00

Titular Professors

Joan Valdivielso i Llaudet
Professor
Vincenzo Leombruno
Professor

Professors

Joan Valdivielso i Llaudet
Vincenzo Leombruno
Previous Knowledge
Objectives

The student is capable of creating advanced rigs for characters and no anthropomorphic assets using
scripts automatization.
In the case of this subject, the learning results are specified in:
R1. The student is capable of building a full body rig and the variety of systems for obtaining a good
behavior on the different parts of it.
R2. The student knows the possibility for using different operating nodes in Maya and how they are being
evaluated.
R3. The student knows the basics of matrix and vector calculus and is capable applying that knowledge on
different systems in the rig logics.
R4. The student is capable of working the skinning in an optimized and clean way, using the tools that
software Maya gives and some other external utilities.
R5. The student knows about the different tools for creating the facial rig of an asset

Contents

- Body Rig
o Switch Ik/Fk
o Twist & bends systems with nurbs surface.
o Non Roll systems.
o Squash & Stretch systems for spine and limbs.
o Extra systems for upgrades.
o Correctives systems. (Pre-deformation & post-deformation)
- Evaluation systems || Rigging Nodes (remaps, multDoubleLinear, reverse....)
o Evaluation systems in Maya.
o Profiler.
o Application of different nodes for rigging.
- Rig logics with matrix and vectors.
o Basic calculus with matrix.
o Basic calculus with vectors.
o Twist & bends with matrix.
o Non Roll with vectors.
o “Movable pivot” system.
- Skinning
o Tools of Maya for skinning.
o External utilities.
o Skinning workflows.
- Facial
o BlendShapes systems.
o Multidetail workflow.
o Trigger controls for static shapes.
o Facial rivets.
o Sculptors and different facial systems.

Methodology

The subject has a weekly operation with a teaching session. Each session is divided into two parts: a first is dedicated
to solving problems done by students at home and a second master class in which the teacher explains the new
content using different active teaching methodologies. (MD 1: Master class, MD2 : Problem classes and exercises, and
MD3: seminar). Every two or three sessions, individual evaluation activities are carried out by collecting the exercises
done at home.

Evaluation

ORDINARY CALL:
4 exercises will be delivering during the course. The number of exercises and the weighing on each of them can vary
during the academic course.
- Arm Exercise IK/FK with twists, bends and nonRolls: 20%
- Can Exercise: 25%

- Final Exercise: 30%
Continuous assessment: 10%
Involvement of the student in the classes, delivery of the exercises and criteria of the teacher.
It will not be possible to pass the subject if 75% of the exercises have not been delivered (3 of 4)
EXTRAORDINARY CALL:
Delivery of the same exercises required with ordinary announcement, but the maximum achievable note will be of a
5.0

Evaluation Criteria

EVALUATION CRITERIA
All exercises Will be submitted in .zip format, and the nomenclature must follow the following guidelines:
exerciseName_nameSurname1Surname2
Each of the delivered exercises must be accompanied by a text (a notepad is enough) explaining if the student has had
problems at some point or the reasons why he has not solved a point, and attaching also of a video of a minute or two
of length in which it shows the operation of the rig.
Each submission will assess, in addition to the fact that the proposed exercise has been technically resolved, a series of
minimum / mandatory requirements that will be provided to the student in writing in the presentation of the exercise.
An exercise that does not meet these minimum requirements may never exceed 4.9.
If it is detected that the exercise has been copied, La Salle regulations will be strictly followed.
Late deliveries will be scored as follows:
- One point per hour will be subtracted late, being that if the delivery is set at 12:30, a file delivered at 13:01
would already be one point; if it is at 13:31 it would already be 2 points….
DELIVERY CORRECTION CRITERIA
- Failure to follow a clear nomenclature can reduce 1.5 points in the exercise.
- Not maintaining a clear outliner can reduce 1.5 points in the exercise.
- Replicating the exercise using python can add up to 1.5 points on the final wheel. If the final grade is already a
10, it will be taken into account when evaluating other exercises and in order to obtain an MH.
- Doing extras about an exercise will only add up if they have been previously specified in class, but in any case
it will be valued very positively

Basic Bibliography

O'Hailey, Tina (2018). Rig it Right! Maya Animation Rigging Concepts, 2nd ed. CRC Press. ISBN 9781138303164 - CAT#
K35718

Additional Material