Maya 2016 tutorial : Rigging a bird with IK handles and curves

#3DModeling #3DAnimation
In this Maya 2016 rigging tutorial video I will show you how to create a simple bird rig including joints, IK handles and nurbs control curves to allow you to animate your model.

[@yashas007]

Trust me, i have seen many rigging tutorials on youtube. You are the best! Your tutorials are so easy to understand and you dont complicate things. Thanks a lot for all your videos. 😊

[@TheChiliLime]

Big thanks for this tutorial! Even Maya official learning videos are skipping SO MUCH info and based on Human Rig which almost automatic. Custom rig and skinning looked like pain but thanks to you they doesn't any more! Basics are always a must!

[@MHTutorials3D]

You are very welcome

[@edwardgazsi668]

Mike, thanks for the tutorial. You are one of the best instructors out there in the way that you explain things step by step. I say that as a retired college adjunct. Kudos!

[@MHTutorials3D]

Thank you so much Edward, that mean a lot coming from a pro like yourself. By the way, if you are into Photoshop and/or After Effects, I just launched my new channel MHTutorials2. Here's the link : kzbin.info/door/RYhdInjytlDm5Czvjnq6LQ

[@jannesopanen8032]

After this i'm ready for the Frozen 3. Anyways, to be honest, I think this was the simpliest way to show how IK-handles and joints work. Thanks Mike :)

[@Youssef-mj3cb]

You're very amazing Mike, I'm trying to learn how to model and rig and you're helping me out so much with it, thank you very much for these awesome videos, I appreciate every single video you've posted!

[@MHTutorials3D]

+Glίπςhλ Glίtςhεz You are very welcome

[@pipelinedesign434]

Great tutorial Mike, thank you. Just the right speed for following along. Keep em coming!

[@MHTutorials3D]

Good, thanks

[@innocentkiller862]

the best Maya tutorial giver on youtube...

[@MHTutorials3D]

You are too kind !

[@kllbanoffii9320]

Oh you r the good one who can teaching. Love this channel!! 📍😍

[@angelesamf8140]

It's really a pleasure to listen to your tutorials. You don't curse, get lost, eat a sandwich or forget how to speak!. You should do this for a living and if you do already, I'm sure you are very successful! Thank You! Your tutorial helped me animate a small butterfly :)

[@MHTutorials3D]

Thank you so much. No, I don't do this for a living but I would love to. Maybe some day

[@ghjgj57885]

Simple, Easy & Perfect Tutorial.. All of your Tuts are very easy to understand Mr.Hermes. Thank-you and Cheer's .. :) :)

[@MHTutorials3D]

Thank you, that is the point

[@flamesli6127]

Thank you so much AGAIN. :) Your tutorials are really helpful

[@MHTutorials3D]

+Nicky de Kock Thank you Nicky !

[@GoldenWolfGW]

I was thinking to my self I thought you sounded Like Mike but As soon as I check the channeL I face palmed Keep up the amazing work!

[@MHTutorials3D]

Thanks

[@tabidokigaming]

Awesome tutorial! Thanks so much!

[@parasarlenka823]

Amazing! It helped me A LOT! THANK YOU SO MUCH, Sir!

[@MHTutorials3D]

Very welcome

[@shamarmilton8626]

really enjoy your helpful tutorials

[@MHTutorials3D]

+Shamar Milton Thank you

[@alokedas5350]

Wow, its wonderful..

[@JBJazz9]

Thank you for this tutorial! It's so easy to follow. :) I had the problem that the handles wouldn't move when I moved the nurbs circles. After parenting of course. :'D Solution: I just had to uncheck the box "Preserve Children" in the move tool settings. Maybe somebody has the same stupid problem and can solve it now. ;)

[@jazenism]

Thanks Mike, very helpful!

[@jholivincentbaoit9573]

this is really helpful and easy to understand. thanks man 👍

[@MHTutorials3D]

Very welcome

[@CaptnKyrsh]

this was great, thank you! hope to see more

[@MHTutorials3D]

Thank you

[@akanshahile4572]

this is that video that i need .thank u

[@Maximus-db9zm]

Thank you nicely paced tutorial and well explained..

[@MHTutorials3D]

+Maximus 1964 You are very welcome

[@finngately479]

Amazing knowledge again! This channel is too important

[@MHTutorials3D]

Thank you so much

[@finngately479]

Thank YOU so much

[@banylula]

what a great explanation... thank you very much

[@MHTutorials3D]

Thanks Bunny !

[@DanielAbdulla]

Thanks very much..!! Interesting Lesson... please go ahead and continue

[@MHTutorials3D]

+Daniel Abdulla Thanks

[@astroharver884]

This tutorial is helpful thnk you so much

[@apploftandroid4749]

love your vids.. thanks

[@michaelfitton4645]

Cheers Mike, I'm learning Maya for Film work VFX, yours is the 1st tutorial Ive seen on rigging. One issue I had, when I rotated my shoulder joints, the wings moved 1 down & 1 up, instead of both together...parenting issue?

[@Shiva--go9hc]

thankyou sir this is very used to me to learn my self..

[@MHTutorials3D]

You are very welcome

[@jean-lucsolliere6968]

Good job and cool tuto

[@MHTutorials3D]

+Jean-Luc Solliere Thanks

[@MakiMika]

Thank you so much !

[@lukascook8477]

Thank you!

[@tiarosypskye9549]

super! Helpfull!!! ^^ thank you !!

[@MHTutorials3D]

+Tia Rosypskye You are very welcome

[@bobomaroco9271]

Thank you so much sir.

[@MHTutorials3D]

You are very welcome

[@hossamgmal7962]

that's so classy of controlling a bird that was great

[@MHTutorials3D]

Thanks

[@salisuladze5995]

Coool thanks!

[@Maximus-db9zm]

Mike one thing i noticed is why did you not freeze your transforms on the nurbs circles after moving them..

[@MHTutorials3D]

+Maximus 1964 Point taken, thanks

[@noobkiller5316]

Nice💗

[@ahmedwaleed6193]

:)

[@alll4one2008]

thank you very much mike

[@MHTutorials3D]

You are very welcome

[@DjDartzOfficial]

Great Mike ! Nice tutorial for start rigging birds. Keep going ! Maybe the next tutorial will be about face rigging ? if you make one will be nice.

[@MHTutorials3D]

+DjDartzOfficial I typically don't do characters but maybe I can do a video on facial rigs

[@2009BradJames]

good tutorial easy to understand

[@MHTutorials3D]

Thanks

[@rodrigoferriz8267]

thanks very much

[@khaledomega6430]

awesome ...thank you Mike Hermes

[@MHTutorials3D]

Thank you

[@davianthesloth4163]

insightful

[@fabiovaz233]

Hello Mike !! Thank you for another lesson , I was just waiting for a class on your Rigging and hope to see also a animation , I work in this area of 3D. Thank you.

[@MHTutorials3D]

+Fabio Vaz Animation tutorials coming soon !

[@fabiovaz233]

+Mike Hermes Thank You!!

[@fabiovaz233]

+Mike Hermes Mike in Brazil , the animation companies have difficulty lies Professionals working with Rigging . Ai want to specialize in this area. Hug.

[@MHTutorials3D]

+Fabio Vaz You are very welcome

[@MHTutorials3D]

+Fabio Vaz Nice

[@darksoals]

Thanks for the tutorial! It was great to finally have something so simple and to the point. However, I don't really understand the NURBs Curves step. Why is it necessary? Just to make stuff easier to grab? Or is it for transferring the model to animation later on?

[@MHTutorials3D]

Exactly, easier to grab

[@FoeThaLoveOfMoney13]

Hi Mike! Thank you for sharing your knowledge with us guys. I'm having a problem finding a tutorial on the Web on how to make a rope in Maya 2016. I tried to make a rope from watching tutorials for older versions of Maya (e.g. 2015), but it just don't work the same way on 2016. My teacher doesn't know how to either. Can you upload a video or explain to us on how to make a rope in Maya 2016?

[@user-il2tx5qz1h]

Thank you I love UUUU !!!!!!!!!!!! It is everything totally What I want

[@MHTutorials3D]

Good ! You are very welcome

[@wheeler6768]

What would be the best way to export the full rig, including the IK controllers/handles?

[@hallemar155]

really helpful thx

[@MHTutorials3D]

+Hal Lemar You're welcome

[@DoraKage]

Curious (really in the dark here) - Why choose IK instead of FK for the bird wings? Is it a preference?

[@MHTutorials3D]

Forward VS In versed, kind of a preference I guess

[@mateohenao]

gracias ,te amo!! dame un hijo sin condon!

[@VFXLtd]

Thanks! But what if my character has fingers. Which end joint (s) do i use to create the IK handles?

[@MHTutorials3D]

The joints are the same type

[@samide64]

Hey I really don't know anything about animation software but I'm entering a contest and the only software sites you can use are Flash, Fireworks, CorelDRAW, 3D animation Pro, Claymation, Alice, and Scratch what would you recommend if I'm trying to make a flying bird, what do you think would be the easiest but best resulting product of a bird flying? -Thanks

[@MHTutorials3D]

Sam, these all seem to be related to traditional 3D simulation, so not really any software I have every worked with

[@hallemar155]

Hey mike, im try to learn particle under maya, Can you make a tutorial about the tool and how to use them, there no alot and explicite tutorial on youtube and you are the only one who do some really clear and helpful tutorial.Thx for your video i'm learning alot .

[@MHTutorials3D]

+Hal Lemar Hi Hal, I did various tuts on particles. Check my dynamics playlist Mike

[@karleclaire]

This is very helpful! I have a question though. How can I make IKs for wings so that when I rotate it it will bend on the direction of the rotation. I want to make an animation for a wing that can bend like a finger. I made an IK handle for my wing but it can only move, once I hit the rotate button and start rotating nothing happens. Thanks.

[@ananyashen]

IK handles only work with translation. For the kind of movement you want, you would have to make an FK rig for the wings.

[@eliweston1857]

When you mirrored the first set of wing joints, did it automatically bind them with their counterpart joints in the other wing? How do I imitate this affect if I rigged both wings separately without mirroring?

[@MHTutorials3D]

Yes they did, and the second answer is to do it manually

[@SANJ795]

thanku very much sir

[@MHTutorials3D]

+VeeR NawAAb You are very welcome

[@maywagdy6275]

thank you so much for the toturial .. it helped me a lot but jut a question doest also work on dragons ? I ask because I have one and was just wondering

[@MHTutorials3D]

Sure

[@maywagdy6275]

thanks a lot

[@kardjay8131]

When I make bind skin it connects all except the body... I don't know why (I've tried more and more in different ways, but it doesn't work for this problem). Do you know why?

[@ethanultra]

Great Upload mate, maybe you can upload a modelling tutorial for the eagle. If yes, that will be great.

[@sathsmedia8190]

super

[@user-tf7hn9st5b]

thanks for turotial

[@MHTutorials3D]

Thank you !

[@juanfranciscotorres9802]

Hi, a quick question; I used the mirror method to duplicate my joints (2:50), it is all fine, i merged the joints to the model, but the left side is not following the same behavior than the right side (and viceversa); I did all as the video shows but its not working. Do you know if there could be a solution for this?. Many thanks!

[@MHTutorials3D]

Did you duplicate or Instance the joints ?

[@mrunalmohadikar1532]

sir there is a problem, while i was selecting left and write wing skeloton and try move ,it is moving like,left one goes down and the right one goes up,insted of going down plz help...

[@GoodMorning-tx1in]

Can you make a tutorial on how to fold the wings? Thank you

[@REAL-TIME-VIDEOZ]

Can you please do a advanced vfx dynamic tutorials

[@sohamp28]

Nice Video!!! But That is Much Basic rigging. Can u make tutorial for Advanced?

[@MHTutorials3D]

+Soham Parmar I will in the future

[@kaywoodparsons5307]

Great video. I have a question. I didnt rig the butterfly I made. Just make a couple up and down movements and set keys, then selected graph editor post infinity cycle. Now it animates all the way tru 500 keys and I only want it to go as far as 170. any ideas?

[@MHTutorials3D]

+kaywood Parsons Set the animation to 170 keys and not 500

[@kaywoodparsons5307]

I need the 500 key frames for the rest of the scene which allows the curtains to look more natural in the wind. I tried 170 but the curtains dont go through enough motion

[@MHTutorials3D]

+kaywood Parsons You can set an animation loop on 100 frames in a 500 frame animation. Each animation is related to an object

[@kaywoodparsons5307]

Can I di this by using infinity post cycle as well?

[@MHTutorials3D]

+kaywood Parsons Yep

[@raekog]

I fukin love you Mike!!

[@MHTutorials3D]

:-)

[@Sacreth]

nice tutorail, i modelled a ravan a while ago. Now i have the motivation to animate it, hopefully :D Maybe u can see the result on my channel soon :)

[@MHTutorials3D]

+Sacreth Would love to see it !

[@rachelheying]

bird modeling tutorial please

[@Smarglenargle]

hehehehe "were gunna p on our keyboard" -Mike Hermes 2015

[@MHTutorials3D]

You are just tooooo funny :-)

[@B-Century]

im using maya 2016 and rigging a snake I have problems on parenting the controllers, I used the spline handle. My big question here is how do you parent the controllers withought them all being selected when one is selected , i want to be able to select one by one to be able to animate the snake. What i did was binded my skeleton to my mesh and then select skeleton then shift select controllers and parented them it works but i cant select them one by one. I suck at explaining but I hope u get me.

[@MHTutorials3D]

+Benjie may-ag By parenting the controllers you mean parenting them to the joint they belong to, right ? I am not really sure what you are saying...

[@B-Century]

+Mike Hermes i cant animate my mesh because when i select one controller they all automatically get selected. I want to be able to select each controllers so i can animate

[@B-Century]

+Benjie may-ag woot damnit i got it..this basic concept of parenting by selecting the childs first then select the last controller to become the parent.

[@MHTutorials3D]

+Benjie may-ag Good, back to basics :-)

[@pakapeta7772]

Anyone would like the share the model? obj or fbx file? There only has max file on the website...

[@SushantKumar-vn7nd]

But i have a question, how to insert model in Maya ? Plz Mr Mike Hermes or anyone help.

[@MHTutorials3D]

File - Import ( then select model )

[@swagatammitra1304]

Can u make a video 'how to make a bird or flying bird' Plz...

[@irkendragon]

Kinda forgot to give the bird some elbows. Like you said, very basic I know. But you couldn't fold the birds wing or get very realistic flapping animation with joints like this.

[@MHTutorials3D]

True, but that was not the point. The point was to explain the rigging system

[@phriso]

nice tutorial, can you make the model available

[@ipanikram]

can you do Guitar string rigging ? i have much problem at string

[@MHTutorials3D]

You mean like a string vibration ?

[@ipanikram]

yesss, please help me , and one more think can you modelling with rigging a book

[@kathiravant1668]

why do we need controllers as nurbs circle to control the IK joints ?

[@MHTutorials3D]

Typically yes

[@kathiravant1668]

@@MHTutorials3D couldn't get you.

[@MHTutorials3D]

Yes, you need controllers

[@morningstar388]

instead of circles i found some where rectangle and some other shape. what for those

[@MHTutorials3D]

As controls you mean ? Just other nurb objects....

[@morningstar388]

Mike Hermes thanks. will u suggest me where to find tutorial for translation or rotation of joint in fixed direction

[@MHTutorials3D]

Translation or rotation of a joint in a fixed direction ?

[@morningstar388]

yes. u r right that's i am asking

[@thoshithabv4026]

plz give link of this model

[@AKOSAV]

You didn't freeze transformations on the curves or even name the bones neatly

[@MHTutorials3D]

I did not name the project either and I did not name the curve controls

[@jasmeetsingh6582]

can you tell me how to create an aeroplane in maya 2020 send me answer plse

[@MHTutorials3D]

Inside or outside ?

[@jasmeetsingh6582]

@@MHTutorials3D both

[@MostHappyintheWild]

@@jasmeetsingh6582 I already did a video on an interior

[@jasmeetsingh6582]

@@MostHappyintheWild can you share link

[@liberteindependante8255]

nice bro,, i'll subsribe you

[@MHTutorials3D]

Thanks

[@Johnson4o]

What the hell am I missing, I do the same exact thing as he does but when I create the IK handle and move it my master joint only rotates and the other joints in the chain remain rigid. I can't believe how random this software is.

[@MHTutorials3D]

+Johnson Did you create them in the right sequence ? Start at the end and work your way inward

[@Johnson4o]

+Mike Hermes Thanks for the reply, if you're asking about the joints, I started close to the body and worked my way outward, like you do in the beginning of the video. I ended up using a spline handle with clusters anyway since in this case I'm trying to rig a character's tail.

[@MHTutorials3D]

+Johnson So you selected the master joint ( closest to the body ) and hit the move tool to move it up but it rotated ? Just trying to understand

[@flashpowr]

OOOOOoOoOoh Man I just peed on my keyboard and it didn't select them XD

[@MHTutorials3D]

:-)

[@alphadevilll]

Why are my bones looking like this imgur.com/NHYNdAo imgur.com/me56HWa they are so big and interfere with the mesh.so its really difficult to see what i am doing :/

[@MHTutorials3D]

+Alpha Devil Hit R and scale them down

[@alphadevilll]

I scaled the model to a very large size and they are appearing in a medium size now.I really do not know what the problem is.I think they are supposed to appear like they do in your video by default. right?

[@MHTutorials3D]

Correct, they shouldn't

[@sohamp28]

+Alpha Devil decrese the size of joints from channel box (Ctrl + a)

[@Juampiverso]

To convert Triangles to Quads -> Apply Smooth ;)

[@it_s_bo]

why u didn't show how rig its work ??!

[@MHTutorials3D]

I did

[@it_s_bo]

Mike Hermes what time?

[@MHTutorials3D]

Every time a control was finished I move it to test it

[@12345themadguy]

The wings dont even bend correctly

[@seanadkisson582]

i wouldnt reccommend peeing on the keyboard. 4:30

[@MHTutorials3D]

If ya gotta go, ya gotta go....

[@boxingbird8647]

4:37 I peed on my keyboard and they didn't parent :/

[@MHTutorials3D]

Well, Pee again...

[@boxingbird8647]

+Mike Hermes lmao 😂👌 great video mike keep up the work. thx for taking some of your time to rely

[@boxingbird8647]

reply*

[@TylerMatthewHarris]

Instructions not clear. Peed on keyboard to parent

[@MHTutorials3D]

And.... did it work ? Or did you have to buy a new keyboard ?

[@TiamatSorakaSolotop]

As a senior rigger, I advise anyone NOT to follow anything in this video. I usually try to be nice to strangers on the internet, but holy shit this was painful to watch and had me screaming at every turn :(

[@REAL-TIME-VIDEOZ]

Can you please do a advanced vfx dynamic tutorials