Learning New Methods/ Techniques in Maya

These include:

• Switching between IK and FK controls, mid animation.
• Contacts and locators – e.g. the feet land from a jump, planted to the floor.
• Holding onto objects in animation
• Fixing popping in knees and elbows.
• What are Character sets?

Switching between IK and FK

To switch between IK and FK, you should first mark out the key frames in IK, then find which key frames will have the switch and make duplicates of the limbs that will be switched. This will help you place the FK controls in the same place as where you have the IK controls.

For example, in this scenario, the arms will switch so they will be duplicated. The method to duplicate these limbs without problems is (note: this method is only applicable to this rig – check method for different rig):

1. In layers, select the limbs you want, right click and ‘select objects.
2. Ctrl-D to Duplicate.
3. Ctrl-G to Group.
4. Delete everything in that group, in the channel box, except the mesh (delete all controls).
5. Select the group and its contents in the channel box, then right click on that limb in layers and ‘remove selected objects’.
6. Add a material to the duplicates as you go along.

Do this same method until you have all of the key poses that you want to recreate in FK. Like so:

Reference for changing IK and FK mid animation: Blend IK and FK animation | Maya 2016 | Autodesk Knowledge Network

Contacts and Locators

By parenting the hand controls with locators, you can maintain the hand position, at certain points where you wish. This way it does not get affected by the rest of the bodies movement and can interact with objects freely.

From the way I have tested it, you cant change the knee bend once you activate the locator. So, you should only activate it when you want the legs to stretch, just before they would land on a jump, for example.

Holding onto Objects in Animation

Individually select the hand control, then the the object. Click ‘parent’ each time. The object should now, with the hands, move with the hands using the move controls.

Research how to do this same method, only when the objects needs to move on its own at some point in the animation. E.g. drop, place, throw, etc.

Fixing Popping in Knees and Elbows

Firstly, hide the rest of the body and focus on the limbs with the problem.

You can use elbow lock, which will mean that the elbow moves in the exact position as the elbow pole vector. However, this may distort or stretch the elbow, therefore, you need to use this delicately. When done correctly, and well, the elbow animation should be smoother.

Note to self: it is best to have linear tangents, for elbow and knee pole vector animation, in the graph editor.

Duplicate the IK arm mesh in order to make guides (Using the duplicate method above). Then match the elbow lock to align the elbows to the guide positions.

Another option to fix the joint popping is to look at the motion path curves and edit them accordingly.

Character Set

From what I understand from what ‘character sets’ are, is saving poses of the character while selecting all controls related to that character. You can select certain character sets and then key frame that pose instantly using nodes.

‘In Maya, a character set is a node that brings together all the attributes of any collection of objects that you want to animate together. The character set could be anything: a well-armed robot, an automobile, or even some seemingly unrelated collection of objects.’

Autodesk Maya: What are character sets?

Maya User’s Guide: What are character sets? (autodesk.com)

Object Animated Along a Curve – Train