Tradigital Maya. A CG Animator s Guide to Applying the Classic Principles of Animation

Transcription

1 Tradigital Maya

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3 Tradigital Maya A CG Animator s Guide to Applying the Classic Principles of Animation Lee Montgomery AMSTERDAM BOSTON HEIDELBERG LONDON NEW YORK OXFORD PARIS SAN DIEGO SAN FRANCISCO SINGAPORE SYDNEY TOKYO Focal Press is an imprint of Elsevier

4 Focal Press is an imprint of Elsevier 225 Wyman Street, Waltham, MA 02451, USA The Boulevard, Langford Lane, Kidlington, Oxford, OX5 1GB, UK 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. Details on how to seek permission, further information about the Publisher s permissions policies and our arrangements with organizations such as the Copyright Clearance Center and the Copyright Licensing Agency, can be found at our website: This book and the individual contributions contained in it are protected under copyright by the Publisher (other than as may be noted herein). Notices Knowledge and best practice in this field are constantly changing. As new research and experience broaden our understanding, changes in research methods, professional practices, or medical treatment may become necessary. Practitioners and researchers must always rely on their own experience and knowledge in evaluating and using any information, methods, compounds, or experiments described herein. In using such information or methods they should be mindful of their own safety and the safety of others, including parties for whom they have a professional responsibility. To the fullest extent of the law, neither the Publisher nor the authors, contributors, or editors, assume any liability for any injury and/or damage to persons or property as a matter of products liability, negligence or otherwise, or from any use or operation of any methods, products, instructions, or ideas contained in the material herein. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Montgomery, Lee, Tradigital Maya: a CG animator s guide to applying the classic principles of animation / Lee Montgomery. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN (pbk.) 1. Computer animation. 2. Maya (Computer file) I. Title. TR897.7.M '96 dc British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. For information on all Focal Press publications visit our website at Printed in The United States of America Typeset by: diacritech, Chennai, India

5 For all those new animators struggling to hone their craft, this book is dedicated to their endeavor and to the fellow professionals and academics who commit their time to supporting their dreams. I hope that you have as much enjoyment in reading the book as I had in writing it and that it stands up next to the other great references on animation out there. Special mention should also go to my friends and family who ve supported me throughout my career and particularly during the last 12 months as I worked on the book. Without the love and support of my parents I would be nowhere in my life and I hope they re as proud of me as I am of them.

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7 Contents Acknowledgments xvii Introduction Traditional to Digital xix Chapter 1: Arcs Organic Movement/Natural Motion Arcs in Object Motion Localized Arcs Human Motion Chapter 1.1 Animation Test Bouncing Ball Animation Preferences Maya Grid Display Creating the Bouncing Ball Animation Preferences Key Tangents Selection and Transformation Tools and Settings Animating the Ball Bounce Copying and Pasting Keys and Setting Height Key The Maya Graph Editor Breakdown Key (In-between) Playblast Changing Key Tangent Type Ghosted Playblack Refining the Animation Timing Key Tangents Squash and Stretch Looping the Animation Loop Animation Curve Edit Loop Animation Bounce Across Ground Viewing and Editing the Trajectory Arc Validating the Animation and Additional Edits to Refine the Motion Chapter 1.2 F16 Fighter Flight Path Introducing the Asset EP Curve Motion Path Motion Path Connecting the Model to the Curve Editing Motion Path Timing vii

8 Contents viii Chapter 1.3 Character IK Arm Swing Maya Joint Chains, Forward & Inverse Kinematics, and Additional Controls Pose Blocking, Timing & Spacing, and Motion Arcs Animating with Forward Kinematics (FK) Animating with Inverse Kinematics (IK) IK Rotate Plane Solver Blocking in the Poses for the Arm Swing In-between Pose Ease In Validating the Timing and Motion Motion Trail Editing the Arc on the Swing Shifting and Scaling Keyframes Camera Bookmarks Editing the Arm Swing Out/In Looping the Arm Swing Editing the New Motion Arm Swing Back Follow-through on the Wrist Elbow Angle (Pole Vector) Chapter 1.4 Character Run Rhythm Scene Setup and Animation Lopping the Motion Hip Sway Looping Curves and Fixing Tangency Looping and Extending the Run Animation Chapter 2: Anticipation Building the Action F16 Fighter Takeoff and Fight Sequence Head Turn Animation/Animation Appeal VFX Dynamics Rocket Smash Character Animation Chapter 2.1 Baseball Pitcher Throw Reference and Thumbnailing Character Asset and Display Modes Full Body IK Posing and Keying Modes Effector Pinning Full Body IK Effector Pinning in Action

9 Contents Reach T/R Character Pose Blocking Part 1 Idle Pose to Coiled Readiness Pose Character Pose Blocking Part 2 Readiness Pose to Moving Hold Character Pose Blocking Part 3 Readiness Pose to Pre-Release Pose Chapter 2.2 nparticle Rocket Launch Introducing the Asset Animating the Mechanical Motion for the Rocket Base Pivot for Pre-rocket Launch Arm Crane for Pre-rocket Launch Emitter Setup for nparticles Emitter Rate Nucleus Solver Ground Plane Setup Tweaking the Effect on the nparticles Shading and Texturing the nparticles No Smoke without Fire Enhancing the Quality of the Smoke Effect Chapter 3: Animation Editing Timing & Spacing Timing & Spacing Anticipation to Follow-through and Overlap Timing & Spacing Appeal Mood & Characterization Timing & Spacing Framing the Action Camera Cuts and Action Chapter 3.1 Timing & Spacing Analysis Timing & Spacing Pt. 1 Jump Animation Spacing Contrast Timing & Spacing Pt. 2 Walk Spacing Overall Timing for Walks Timing & Spacing Pt. 3 Run Spacing Overall Spacing Timing & Spacing Pt. 4 Run Spacing Foot/Hip Spacing Chapter 3.2 Re-timing Action Character Baseball Swing Introducing the Character Asset Timing & Spacing Object Selection Masks Editing Timing & Spacing First Half of Swing Animation Editing Timing & Spacing Second Half of Swing Animation Timing & Spacing Isolated Elements ix

10 Contents Chapter 4: Animation Editing Ease In & Ease Out x Chapter 4.1 Ease In & Ease Out Character Baseball Swing Overall Timing Edit Ease In & Ease Out Viewing Timing & Spacing Motion Trail Editing Timing & Spacing Ease In on Swing Pose Edits Ease In Editing Timing & Spacing Ease Out on Swing Post Ease Out (Lead Out) & Moving Hold Chapter 4.2 Ease In & Ease Out Head Turn Rig Setup Head Turn Animation Blocking Adding In-between Key Linear Ease In Smooth Ease In Weighted Tangency Smooth Ease In Pt. 2 Double Take on Turn Softening the Ease In Additional Edits Re-Timing the Motion Fast Turn Ease Out on Head Turn Chapter 5: Staging Framing the Action and Setting the Mood Storyboarding Animatics Framing the Action Thumb-Nailing Chapter 5.1 Thumb-Nails and Storyboards Thumb-Nails Storyboarding Storyboard and Breakdowns F16 Fighter Sequence Chapter 5.2 Camera Advanced Settings Camera Attributes Viewport 2.0 Hardware Rendering Clipping Planes Focal Length/Angle of View DOF Additional Viewport 2.0 Quality Settings Ambient Occlusion/Anti-Aliasing Motion Blur Maya Software/Mental Ray Motion Blur Rendering with Viewport

11 Contents Online Chapter 5.1: Animatic Camera Setup Online Chapter 5.2: Maya Camera Sequencer Chapter 6: Follow-Through and Overlapping Action Follow-Through and Overlap Object Animation, Simulation, and Dynamics Squash and Stretch Maya Muscle Setup ndynamics Rocket Smash Chapter 6.1 Baseball Pitcher Throw Pt. 2 Follow-Through Pose Blocking Character Pose Blocking Part 1 Pre-Release Pose to Step Character Pose Blocking Part 2 Foot Plant Re-Timing the Motion Weight Shift Throw Readiness Throw Pose Corkscrew Follow-Through Throw Pose Corkscrew Follow-Through Chapter 6.2 ncloth Cape Follow-Through Modeling the Base Mesh for the ncloth Cape Nucleus Space Scale Attribute nrigid Adding the Character Mesh to the Simulation nconstraint Connecting the Cape to the Character Previewing the Simulation ncloth Rest Pose Collision Thickness Attribute Geometry Cache Adding the Character Animation to the ncloth Setup ncloth Attributes and Presets Pt. 1 Leather ncloth Attributes and Presets Pt. 2 T-Shirt ncloth Attributes Refining the Simulation to Improve Quality Increasing ncloth Mesh Resolution and Fixing Collision Thickness Final Tweaks to the ncloth Simulation Chapter 6.3 Prop Follow-Through and Overlap Character Baseball Swing Full Body Major Weight Shifts on Swing and Arc of Bat Upper Body Torso Coil Rotation and Arm/Bat Follow-Through Start Pose to Swing Pose Swing Pose 1 to Swing Pose xi

12 Contents Swing Pose 2 to Swing Pose Swing Pose 3 to Swing Pose Swing Pose 4 to Swing Pose Chapter 7: Secondary Action Enhancing the Shot ncloth Simulation/nDynamics Layered Animation and Supporting Action Detail Animation Chapter 7.1 Hand Animation Rig Setup Introducing the Hand Rig Attribute Connections for Finger Joint Rotation Working With the Finger Controls Animating With the Rig Clenching Fist Online Chapter 7.1: F16 Plane Landing Mechanism Chapter 8: Straight Ahead Action and Pose to Pose Pose to Pose Walk and Run Cycles and Video Game Straight Ahead Action and Combining Both Methodologies Chapter 8.1 Pose-to-Pose Run Cycle Leg and Hip Pose Mirroring the Pose across the Character (Left <> Right) Copying Pose from Frame to Frame Foot Plant Centre of Mass Weight Rise and Fall Editing the Motion Curve Through the Graph Editor Cycling the Motion Curve Hip Rotation Upper Torso Main Pose Torso and Head Follow Through Torso Counterbalance Rotation Part One Torso Counterbalance Rotation Part Two Head Counterbalance Arm Swing on Run Mirroring the Arm Pose Hip Weight Shift Chapter 8.2 Dynamics Rocket Smash Rigid Body Dynamics Scene Setup and Attributes Rigid Body Dynamics Refining and Directing the Effect Dynamics Scene Setup and Elements xii

13 Contents Chapter 9: Solid Drawing and Design Form Meets Function Thumbnailing, Draughting, and Traditional Modeling Dynamic Posing Twinning Character Rigging Chapter 9.1 Dynamic Posing Leg/Foot Angle and Pose Hip Tilt Spine = S-Curve Spine Twist Hand Posing and Finalization Finalizing the Pose Action Pose 01 Gunplay Blocked in Posing Action Pose 01 Gunplay Refined Posing Action Pose 02 Swing Blocked in Posing Action Pose 02 Swing Refined Posing Chapter 9.2 Twinning Twinned Motion Gestural Step Refined Motion and Posing Gestural Step Additional Edit Timing Offset on Arm Swing Online Chapter 9.1: Character Rigging Chapter 10: Appeal Appeal in Character Design and Animation Production Design Lighting Performance Appeal Chapter 10.1 Production Design Character Female Heroine Male Athlete 1 Baseball Pitcher Male Athlete 2 Baseball Batter Chapter 10.2 Lighting and Mood Viewport Renderer and Lights Viewport 2.0 and Lighting Lighting Three-Point Lighting Lighting and Mood Chapter 10.3 Character Performance Scene Setup and Rig xiii

14 Contents Surprise/Shock Austere/Aloof Dejected/Subdued Bright/Chatty Chapter 11: Squash and Stretch Manual Squash and Stretch and Deformation Character Posing and Squash and Stretch Facial Animation Blend Shapes Setup Dynamics Dynamics Maya Muscle Chapter 11.1 Animation Test Flour-Sack Squash Stretch Twist Follow-Through and Overlapping Action Ease In & Ease Out and Timing Appeal and Performance Chapter 11.2 Character Hero Jump Online Chapter 11.1: Facial Animation Blend Shapes... Online Chapter 11.2: Maya Muscle Chapter 12: Exaggeration Baseball Batter Animation Walk Cycle Animation VFX Dynamics Chapter 12.1 Exaggeration Character Baseball Swing Animation Lead-In Swing Animation Exaggerated Torso Rotation Bat Angle Edited Pre-Step Pose1 Left Foot Raise Exaggerated Pre-Step Pose2 Hips Shift Forward Slightly Exaggerated Action Line Chapter 12.2 Exaggeration HumanIK Retarget and Edit Character Rig HumanIK HumanIK Character Controls Window HumanIK Character Retargeting xiv

15 Contents HumanIK Retargeting Data to Control Rig Bake to Rig and Cleanup after Retarget Editing Animation on Animation Layer with Effector Pinning Elbow Posing Animation Edit Exaggerated Walk Dejected Additional Edits 01 Feet Drag Additional Edits 02 Head Lull Additional Edits 03 Hip Dip Weight a Mass Chapter 12.3 Exaggeration Dynamics Explosion Dynamics Scaffolding Setup Part 1 Scene Setup Basic Rigid Bodies Setup Collapsible Scaffolding Dynamics Scaffolding Setup Part 2 Rigid Bodies Hinge Constraint Dynamics Scaffolding Setup Part 3 Hinge-Connected Elements Dynamics Roof Smash Fields Viewing the Additional Simulated Effects in Combination Follow-Through and Overlapping Action Secondary Action and Exaggeration Chapter 13: Conclusion Chapter 13.1 Recap The Principles and Application Pre-visualization, Scene Layout, and Revision Character Animation Dynamics and Simulation Chapter 13.2 Industry Trends Moving Forward Industry Specialization Digital Pre-visualization Virtual Cinematography and Performance Capture Video Games Real-Time Animation and Run-Time Blending Chapter 13.3 Selected Reading and Additional Reference Timing for Animation, Second Edition by Harold Whittaker and John Halas (Authors), Tom Sito (Editor) Animation: The Mechanics of Motion by Chris Webster Drawn to Life: 20 Golden Years of Disney Master Classes, V1 by Walt Stanchfield and Don Hahn The Illusion of Life: Disney Animation by Ollie Johnston and Frank Thomas The Animator s Survival Kit (Paperback) by Richard Williams xv

16 Contents Acting for Animators: A Complete Guide to Performance Animation by Ed Hooks Cartoon Animation (The Collector s Series) by Preston Blair The Human Figure in Motion by Eadweard Muybridge Animals in Motion by Eadweard Muybridge Industry Periodicals, Websites, and Training Index xvi

17 Acknowledgments First, I d like to thank the team at Focal Press for their dedication, support, and patience as I worked on this book over the last year. In particular, thanks to Katy Spencer, for her professionalism as we worked through the technical review and editing process and to Sarah Binns who has guided the project through to final publication. Thanks should also go to Mike Gasaway for his input during the technical edit for Focal Press. Mike s understanding of the book s focus and the commitment he showed in providing detailed input during the edit were invaluable. Without Laura Lewin and the rest of the team at Focal s belief in the initial proposal and outline the book would not have been such a success. I d also like to acknowledge all of the people I ve been inspired by professionally within the animation industry over the last 10 years. This book is for the people who have the passion and skill to create the illusion of life through their craft. The book would also not be possible without the vision of those who work tirelessly to define, create, and improve the software and tools we take for granted in our daily toil as animators. The dedicated product design and development teams at Autodesk should be commended for their commitment to improving the tools and workflows we use every day. xvii

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19 Introduction Traditional to Digital Many of the principles of traditional animation were developed in the 1930 s at the Walt Disney studios. These principles were developed to make animation, especially character animation, more realistic and entertaining. These principles can and should be applied to 3D computer animation. John Lasseter - Pixar, Principles of Traditional Animation Applied to 3D Computer Animation, Computer Graphics, pp , 21:4, July 1987 (SIGGRAPH 87). FIG Run cycle animation animation arcs and key poses. Welcome to Tradigital Maya! The source for Maya animators to expand both their technical and creative skills with reference to the fundamental principles of animation. Please also visit this book s Web site at Where Do the Fundamental Principles of Animation Come From? The fundamental principles of traditional animation are as applicable today in 3D animation as they were almost 80 years ago when they were first applied at the Walt Disney Studios. The 12 principles of animation were originally taught at Disney as the basis for animators to create convincing and believable animation. Although the principles were first applied to cell animation, they are equally as applicable today in 3D animation as they are to traditional animation media including clay-animation, stop-motion, and cell animation. The 12 principles were originally outlined by Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnson in their book The Illusion of Life, Disney Animation. The book is considered a standard text for animators, and it is recommended that the reader of Tradigital Maya considers purchasing this title alongside other traditional animation reference guides. xix

20 Introduction Traditional to Digital Note Other recommended reference texts for both traditional animation practice and 3D animation are provided in the final chapter of the book. What Are the 12 Fundamental Principles of Animation? The 12 principles of traditional animation are a series of fundamentals, which animators need to consider in practice. The principles were conceived primarily as a framework for animation based on the need to mimic natural weight, gravity, and mass as seen in movement in the real world. The art of creating believable motion in animation is a dark art requiring an understanding of how things move in the real world. Creating sequential frames of motion, both in traditional media and through computer animation that creates the illusion of life and vitality is the key to the animator s job. The principles can also be considered as a more general framework for creating engaging performance through animation. A number of the principles, such as anticipation, staging, appeal, and exaggeration, are less rooted in the technical practice of imitating real-world motion and are more directly related to creating drama or characterization. These are analogous to theatre, cinema practice, or acting. The principles are covered in detail in individual chapter sections throughout this book. Understanding each fundamental principle is critical in creating animations that are believable and engaging for the viewer. Each chapter will provide an introduction to the animation principle that will be covered in the chapter tutorials that follow. As the traditional principles are applied together throughout the book, reference will also be made in each chapter introduction to how the principle has been applied alongside the other animation principles in other chapter tutorials. FIG Principles in practice arcs, anticipation, timing & spacing, and ease out. xx

21 Introduction Traditional to Digital Summary of the 12 fundamental principles that are covered throughout the book are as follows: FIG Principles in practice staging, follow-through, secondary action, and pose to pose. Arcs Arcs naturally occur in most motion in the real world because of the effect of gravity, inertia, and the hinged arc motion of animal limbs (see Fig , first screenshot from left). Anticipation An action should be preceded by anticipation; this is both a theatrical device and a fundamental of motion in the real world when objects and people gather energy before action (see Fig , second screenshot from left). Timing & Spacing Effective timing & spacing of animation underpins all the other animation principles; understanding the intervals between major motions and how to edit keyframe timing to effectively convey the action is a key fundamental (see Fig , third screenshot from left). Ease In & Ease Out Objects and people do not move at a constant speed or velocity. There should be a build up or acceleration to motion and a deceleration that follows. This can only be achieved through effective timing & spacing (see Fig , fourth screenshot from left). Staging Staging is a general concept that can be applied throughout animation. It is similar to framing in film practice and is the ability to communicate ideas with clear and readable framing (see Fig , first screenshot from left). Follow-Through and Overlap Objects do not move at the same time; there should be a natural follow-through or overlap in motion, think of an arm swinging a bat or a flowing cape, the motion overlaps after the body (see Fig , second screenshot from left). Secondary Action Secondary action is motion that supports the main animation. Think background elements, characters props, or mechanisms that add interest and believability to motion (see Fig , third screenshots from left). Pose to Pose and Straight Ahead Pose to pose and straight ahead are two different methodologies that can be applied when creating animation. Pose to pose is the most commonly used methodology and requires the animator to block in the major poses for the animation before refining the in-between frames. Straight ahead is more spontaneous and is a lessplanned approach (see Fig , right screenshots). xxi

22 Introduction Traditional to Digital Solid Drawing and Design Skills in traditional arts including drawing, sculpting, and design are important in computer animation; without the ability to create believable forms and pleasing shapes in animation, the illusion will break (see Fig , first and second screenshots from left). Appeal Appeal is a general animation principle that can also be applied to production design. Appealing character design and performance requires an understanding of characterization and performance as well as effective application of the other principles in tandem to convey mood (see Fig , third screenshot from left). Squash and Stretch Squash and stretch is a principle that is required when animating the natural change in volume or shape in organic or soft-bodied objects. In 3D animation, this can be mimicked through simulation such as Maya s ncloth and muscle systems (see Fig , fifth screenshot from left). Exaggeration Exaggeration is another general principle that should be applied across all areas. Readability in animation is key and can only be achieved through strengthening or exaggerating the animation, so that it is engaging for the viewer (see Fig , right screenshot). FIG Principles in practice solid drawing, appeal, squash and stretch, and exaggeration. Each fundamental principle should be considered not just in isolation but alongside the other principles to create a unified statement. For example: E ffective timing & spacing of animation is required to create both believable ease in and ease out or follow-through. Without strong framing or staging of an animation sequence, the anticipation or build up to the action will not be readable or effective. Strong secondary animation on background characters or other elements alongside overlapping motion and follow-through will help enhance a sequence as additional elements add appeal to the overall mood being created. Applying the Principles in Maya To get started, you ll obviously need either a fully licensed version of the software or a trial version to work through the tutorials. The tutorials were put together primarily in Maya 2012; a fully functional 30-day trial version of the latest release can be downloaded from xxii

23 Introduction Traditional to Digital The tutorials in the book cover the full range of technical and creative skills that you ll need to apply the traditional animation principles effectively in Maya. Maya Tutorial Scene Files The Maya tutorial scene files referenced throughout the book can be downloaded from the book s Web site, Please refer to the instructions on the book s Web site regarding installation of the Maya tutorial scene files and media. The scene files are organized by chapter section and should be downloaded prior to working through each chapter tutorial. Technical fundamentals the Maya interface, navigating the scene and edit (see Fig ). Basics of how to navigate the Maya user interface to select and modify scene elements will be covered in the initial chapter tutorials. Being comfortable with the user interface and able to select and modify the elements whilst animating is essential for getting great results with less frustration. FIG Technical fundamentals The Maya user interface. Scene organization and selection and modification through Maya s display layers, Outliner, Channel Box, and Attribute Editor will be covered throughout. Accessing specific elements for edit from the Maya Attribute Editor will also be used throughout to change properties while animating. Different display modes and toggles to speed up scene selection, preview and edit will also be covered. Technical fundamentals keyframing and editing motion (see Fig ). Initial tutorials will introduce you to the fundamental tools and workflows used to animate within Maya. Understanding the basics of how to set keyframes for animation in Maya on the timeline and how to edit motion timing and position is a key. Technical workflows for further editing motion timing and keyframe interpolation through the Maya Dopesheet and Graph Editor will also be covered throughout. xxiii

24 Introduction Traditional to Digital Traditional media and reference (see Fig ) Usage of traditional media and reference, including thumbnailing and storyboarding, will be encouraged throughout the book. The principles of solid drawing and staging are required to effectively pose characters for animation that are naturally weighted and move correctly. Solid draughting skills are also required to create effective layouts for storyboards and plan out revisions to the animation whilst working. FIG Keyframing and editing motion Motion Trails, Ghosting, Graph Editor, and Dope Sheet. Thumbnail pose reference will be provided for the majority of the character animation tutorials. Pose break downs for the extended tutorials will be provided either at the start of the tutorial or as the tutorial progresses. Creating iterative thumbnails to plan out specific body posing will also be encouraged as will creating your own reference thumbnails and revisions during the projects. The reader is also encouraged to consider other reference sources such as photography, video reference, and life study to assist in understanding how the character should move; additional guidance around where to apply thumbnailing and reference is provided in Chapter 5. FIG Thumbnails and character posing. Character animation inverse kinematics, control rigs, human IK, and posing (see Fig ). The main focus for the tutorials within the book is character animation. Basics of working on isolated areas of character posing will be introduced in initial chapters alongside explanation of the fundamentals of inverse kinematics for character posing. Full character control rigs will be provided for you to work through the full animation exercises in the later chapters. Both standard Maya character Control Rigs and Maya human IK Rigs will be provided. Both the technical process of posing characters for animation and creative workflows to create believable motion will be explored. xxiv

25 Introduction Traditional to Digital FIG Character animation control rigs, human IK, and posing. Technical setup character skeleton rigs, inverse kinematics, control rigs, constraints, and connections (see Fig ). These techniques are also covered in the online chapters, so please see the Web site for more information. Although the main focus of the book is applying traditional creative skills in analyzing and refining animation, we will also be looking at the technical tools and workflows within Maya to create great animation controls and rigs. Tutorials focusing specifically on Character Rigging, Blend Shapes Setup, and Maya Muscle are included as additional online tutorials available for download from the book s Web site, FIG Technical setup connections, character rigging, and detail controls. Understanding the fundamental technical strengths and limitations of how your character or object control rig has been put together will help to provide a broader understanding of how the controls work for animation when posing and keying. Dynamics rigid body dynamics (collisions) particle simulation (nparticle) cloth simulation (ncloth), and Maya muscle (see Fig ). Workflows for technical setup and refinement of dynamics and simulation will also be a focus for the book. Although these areas are considered more the domain of a technical animator or Visual Effects Technical Director (VFX TD), xxv

26 Introduction Traditional to Digital their effective application to create believability to the viewer still requires a firm understanding of how to create natural weight, timing, and gravity through application of the traditional principles. As the effects are directed by the artist, creative decisions and choices are available to refine the results to enhance your animations and effec ts. Additional Resources and Reference Additional Media and Online Book Tutorials Reference media, along with a number of additional online chapter tutorials, are also included on the book s Web site for download: FIG Dynamics setup rigid bodies, nparticles, ncloth, and Maya muscle. The additional online chapter tutorials complement the main book tutorials and cover technical rigging, setup, and cameras. The book is not intended as an exhaustive guide to either all areas of traditional animation practice or technical application in Maya. As such, the reader should consider additional technical and creative resources as they look to expand their skills as an animator. Maya Documentation and Tutorials The documentation and tutorials included with Maya provide a solid basis for working with the software. Please refer to the Maya documentation as you work through the tutorials in the book, especially if there are any technical areas of the interface or tools you are not comfortable with. Additional reference guides and tutorials for Maya are also available in both print and online, and it is encouraged that the reader considers purchasing these if they are looking to expand their skills in a specific area of the software. Animation and Industry Reference Additional creative reference for traditional animation practice is also encouraged as the reader works through this book and looks to further their skills as an animator. A thorough understanding of both the media of computer animation and the current industry practice is also encouraged for any animator, whether they re new to the industry or experienced. xxvi

27 Introduction Traditional to Digital Included in the final chapter of the book are a number of additional recommendations for further study, which the reader should consider as they work through this book. Please be sure to visit this book s Web site, for online chapters covering more animation techniques, as well as the Maya scene files referred to throughout the book. xxvii