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Change the shape of simple muscles

Creating Muscles

Adjust simple muscle parameters

 

User Guide > Rigging > Maya Muscle > Creating Muscles > 

Finalize a simple muscle

To finalize a muscle

1. Click the Finalize tab.

   

2. Select which Deformer you want to use.

   The deformers are described in more detail in the Other Muscle deformation section. Typically, you want to use the Muscle Spline deformer, as it is more powerful and flexible. This deformer alters the shape of a simple muscle with a custom spline curve, and any number of controls.

   If you select cMuscleSplineDeformer, you can define the number of control points in the Num Controls field. You need at least two, one for start and end, and typically three so there is one in the middle for jiggle. If you want to have more controls and jiggle on the muscle you can increase the number of controls.

3. (Optional) Use the Type drop-down list to select the shape of the simple muscle control objects, such as a Cube or Circle control.
4. (Optional) If you are building a simple muscle that you want to mirror onto the opposite side of the character, select the world axis to mirror across, and the name Search/Replace to be done to find the appropriate attachments and muscle naming. If you are doing mirroring, you must enter a proper Search and Replace value, and the search string must appear in the name of the simple muscle when the naming dialog appears.
   TipRight-click the Search field for mirroring to select from a number of preset Search/Replace options.
5. When finished, click Convert to Muscle.

   A dialog box appears asking you to name the simple muscle, and warning you that future cross section editing will be done. You can still edit the shape after finalizing, but if you do so, you need to reset the base for the muscle. See Reset base pose for selected Muscle Objects. Typically, you should not remodel the muscle shape after it is built.

6. Enter a unique name for the simple muscle, such as MusBicep_L, and click OK.

   

   NoteRemember, if you use mirroring, the Search string must appear in the name of the muscle. For example if you are using _L and _R naming conventions, you might name a muscle "Bicep_L". If the Search string does not appear in the name when mirroring, an error occurs and you must undo the operation.

   After a moment the simple muscle is rigged with the deformer you chose and converted to a Muscle Object. The basic rigging creates a "grpMUSCLES" null, and places a completed muscle rig inside of this group for each muscle you make. The muscles are properly constrained to the original joints.

   

After you have built a simple muscle, you can adjust the parameters.