Introduction

A typical 3D character can be made up of many surfaces and components. To ensure that the character animates in the way that you want, it is important to carefully plan the process of character setup.

Character setup or rigging is the general term used for the preparation of 3D models with their accompanying joints and skeletons for animation.

Depending on the model to be animated, character setup can involve the following techniques:

• Creating a skeleton with joints that acts as a framework for the 3D character model. You set limits on the joints so they rotate in a convincing manner. When you animate the character, you position the character’s joints using either forward or inverse kinematic techniques (FK or IK).
• Binding the 3D surfaces to the skeleton so that they move together. The process of binding may also include defining how the character’s joints bend or how the skin surfaces bulge to simulate muscles.
• Defining and setting constraints for particular animated attributes in order to restrict the range of motion or to control an attribute based on the movement of another.
• Grouping surface components such as CVs into sets called clusters so that parts of the character can be animated at a more detailed level.

This chapter introduces you to the most common character setup features:

• Lesson 1 Skeletons and kinematics: Introduction
• Lesson 2 Smooth skinning: Introduction
• Lesson 3 Cluster and blend shape deformers: Introduction

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