The big DON'Ts of Character design for rigging - (Part 1)

[@quadroq1181]

It`s 1AM, I`m sitting here and watching whole video with smart face, even tho I`m not an animator or an artist.

[@ZeBirdBrain]

Good!

[@Wonders_of_Reality]

That’s why we need bones with proper weights! This works perfectly in 3D. The same thing in 2D would allow to animate vertical stripes and bring as many details on joints as needed. My team and I used to animate a 2D-character in a 3D editor, and we had no problems with any drawn details on limbs or joints. Unfortunately, it wasn’t easy to find animators, who can animate 2D characters in Maya. Hopefully, one day Harmony will have bones with weights and maps for double quaternions. Also! Zebirdbrain, many thanks for adding a little pause at the end of the video before showing cats. Really appreciate it! I managed to stop the video before that.

[@ZeBirdBrain]

Heya! Bones works fine with textures.... it's just that most show's animation is to complex for bones. Bone deformers are good for easy anim.

[@Wonders_of_Reality]

​@@ZeBirdBrain That’s not what I meant. I mean skinning system akin to that already exists in 3D editors like Maya, where one can set up weights and influence objects that ensure that the deformation goes just like the animator wants. Unfortunately, such a system would require changing the core of Harmony quite a bit. Bones in Harmony are a disappointment in the eyes of a 3D-animator. It would be great if the developers would take a look at the tools that already exist in 3D editors for more than 15 years. Alright, 10 years if we take double quaternions in the account (they help preserving the volume of a limb where we have a joint).

[@RCSXDV]

4:39 I'm glad you brought up the topic about the stripes when rigging. Because I was like "why not put them in a separate layer and put a deformer on them and have them link and cut with the pants. Because I have a character with pants stripes and would love a tutorial on how to accomplish that.

[@ZeBirdBrain]

even with a deformer on top, it will still be a PAIN to animate, foreshortenings ar enot gonna work and it'll be more problematic on many other levels. just don't.

[@RCSXDV]

@@ZeBirdBrain Ok. Maybe I'll just go with those 2 simple lines like in the video.

[@KashimusPrime]

This just blew my mind! Thank you for sharing this! I now know how to take simplifying to a whole new level!

[@ZeBirdBrain]

Yeah there is Simplefying, but this is also aboht Optimizing!

[@francesca5295]

thank you! I really hope you continue this series, is also very informative to see the difference between the kind of choices, (design choices vs production choices) we tend to forget that sometimes you need to change stuff in order to have everything working together. I really love your vids

[@ZeBirdBrain]

Oh Thank you !! Out of curisosity, are you a character desingner ?

[@francesca5295]

@@ZeBirdBrain no I studied animation in 3D and trying to learn harmony, I just have a general curiosity on character design and this is very helpful for the "making sensible decision" part :)

[@TheLuconic]

Dude, why is nobody talking about this? Where were you when I was rigging and giving up on how hard it was! You made this so clear that I think I can rig again. Thank you and where were you all my life?!?!?

[@ZeBirdBrain]

Glad to hear!! If you want more help... hop on our discord server! Link in the description

[@arandompotat0]

Thanks for the info. Your right. There's no much information about best practices in character design for rigging.

[@ZeBirdBrain]

I KNOW! this is why I made this :)

[@lukepaulina2157]

THIS IS SUPER HELPFUL! Thank you so so much for posting!

[@ZeBirdBrain]

No problem!

[@andrewleyton6689]

...Every time I found out a shows I see curently use rigs but with also normal animation makes me see how is more fault of those who just used it poorly, that you assume rig animation equals bad is the version of when people called something "flash levels of animation" but there's people who made awesome things with flash.

[@ZeBirdBrain]

Yup

[@TimGiovanni]

Thank you for sharing, these are very good points in character design for cut out animation :)

[@ZeBirdBrain]

Glad it was helpful!

[@ramiroerasocanciones8786]

thanks, very interesting video!

[@Mike_ED]

oohhh god! I would have loved to shown this to the client before getting into the production of this texture nightmare show I'm into!! (well, maybe they hadn't changed their mind anyway...)

[@ZeBirdBrain]

Awww, i hope it makes your life easier for the future at least?

[@ernestea6730]

All of these are golden information! Thank You for sharing. I'm learning a ton from your videos.

[@ZeBirdBrain]

Awwww thankies!

[@andreafantechi7776]

It' great! thank you very much! I will show this video with every character design I'll work with! :D

[@ZeBirdBrain]

great to hear!

[@revletter7]

This was incredibly helpful! I'm just starting to get into this, and I'm trying to rig a wooden marionette (Geno from Super Mario RPG). Are there any best practices that would make those articulated wooden joints more manageable? I'm going to study robot designs for inspiration, but I'd love to know how you would come at it.

[@ZeBirdBrain]

I reccomend trying small first! Just try to rig a thing, ANIMATE IT and then judge!

[@alyssakoski8651]

This was insanely interesting and helpful, thanks! Do you have more tips on this kind of thing? I can't seem to find a part 2

[@ZeBirdBrain]

I'm working on it!

[@heytamie]

Thank you SO MUCH for doing this. It really makes sense!! And i ALWAYS wanted to learn about it so thank you. :D

[@ZeBirdBrain]

You're so welcome!

[@JuliusseEye]

now, I'll send your video directly to clients ^^

[@ZeBirdBrain]

do it ! that is wha tit is meant for! :D

[@JuliusseEye]

@@ZeBirdBrain I'm actually on a prod with all your "not rig friendly design" exemples... lol Thx for this video !

[@ZeBirdBrain]

@@JuliusseEye Stay strong, brother

[@TheBlenderRoyal]

That cool!!!😮 “And very helpful”

[@ZeBirdBrain]

C:

[@cymk_is_stuck]

Genuinely suuuuper helpful video, thank you

[@ZeBirdBrain]

No problem!!!!

[@pg_master1384]

What is the animation style of Tangled series, frame by frame or rigging?

[@gptyh4544]

Hello, do you know any tutorial that can design rigging characters like Rapunzel serial animation in tone canvas?

[@ZeBirdBrain]

No

[@rickyismyuncle4485]

What about detailed arms/legs with more muscle and curve? Im a total beginner animator who works with Moho pro because of price lol and the fact that I work all alone, hence why rigging is so importing for me. While Im drawing my first character I realise my head needs to be much bigger, way above real proportions because emotions through face are so important to connect with audience and the fact that most of my stuff are comedy anyways, this gives another comedic vibe to it.

[@ZeBirdBrain]

Ok

[@smoage]

This is so good! Did you happen to make the part 2 to this? I can't seem to find it!

[@ZeBirdBrain]

soon

[@moonbreadsticks101]

How would you animate someone who is wearing safety gear on their joints? (Knees and elbows) Omg I guess it has to be skin tight flat or else it's difficult task to do! :(

[@ZeBirdBrain]

In fact, its only hard IF it is skin flat. If it is a separate piece on top of the joint its all good!

[@juhastv]

Nailed it

[@ZeBirdBrain]

Thanks!

[@amintaz1]

good info but awfull voice . why didnt you use oure own voice ? its hard to listen

[@ZeBirdBrain]

so rude

[@vukmijatovic]

Yea its rude if you have problem whit listing than turn the speed to 0.75.And dhe dosent have awfull voice