Product Description

Whether you're a professional Character TD or just like to create 3D characters, this detailed guide reveals the techniques you need to create sophisticated 3D character rigs that range from basic to breathtaking. Packed with step-by-step instructions and full-color illustrations, Body Language walks you through rigging techniques for all the body parts to help you create realistic and believable movements in every character you design. You'll learn advanced rigging concepts that involve MEL scripting and advanced deformation techniques and even how to set up a character pipeline.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #36915 in Books
• Published on: 2008-05-05
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 395 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780470173879
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

From the Back Cover
Create Believable Characters from Head to Toe

Simple rigging will work for minor characters, but limitations of a simple rig can stop animatorsin their tracks if they need functionality that isn't there. Whether you're a professional CharacterTD or just like to create 3D characters, this detailed guide reveals the techniques you need to create sophisticated 3D character rigs that range from basic to breathtaking.

Packed with step-by-step instructions and full-color illustrations, Body Language walks you through rigging techniques for all the body parts to help you create realistic and believable movements in every character you design. You'll learn advanced rigging concepts that involve MEL scripting and advanced deformation techniques and even how to set up a character pipeline.

• Hone basic rigging concepts to form a solid foundation

• Plan ahead for broken rigs, control setups, and perfect joint orientation

• Learn advanced IK spline spine setup (called the Spine Wave)

• Explore custom-built stretchable FKIK arms and legs, and reverse foot techniques

• Create advanced facial deformations with blendshapes and influence objects

• See advanced eye setup with cornea and lacrimal deformations

• Perform additional deformations that can bend bones

• Get an introduction to Maya Muscle (formerly cMuscleSystem) and UVLayout

• Create an efficient workflow with Adam Sidwell's Pipeline in a Box

On the CD
The CD provides example files for the completed rig, including sample MEL files, Maya scene files, and an example of Pipeline in a Box.

About the Author
Eric Allen is currently the Modeling Lead at Daz3d. Besides creating and managing the creation of the figures, he is in charge of the creation of hundreds of deformer and viseme morphs for the Daz3d figures. He also oversees the creation of the joint controlled corrective morphs. These can add up to hundreds of shapes that work with each other to produce realistic deformations. He helped create Victoria 4 (Daz3D female model found in the book) and rigged her in Maya for this title. He also built and rigged the “Runner” character which is used for most of the advanced examples. His figures are used in everything from movie content to graphic art. They have been used for the covers of 3D User, Popular Science and Scientific American and have been used in the digital art Exotique publications. He has also worked as a freelance commercial animator where he has created medical and other types of animation using mainly Maya. He has studied Maya rigging and experimented with various techniques for years.

Kelly L. Murdock has been authoring computer books for many years now and still gets immense enjoyment from the completed work. His book credits include various 3D, graphics, multimedia, and Web titles, including seven previous editions of his book, 3ds Max Bible. Other major accomplishments include Edgeloop Character Modeling for 3D Professionals Only (also with Eric Allen), Maya 6 and 7 Revealed, LightWave 3D 8 Revealed, Poser 6 and 7 Revealed, 3D Game Animation for Dummies, gmax Bible, Adobe Atmosphere Bible, Master VISUALLY HTML and XHTML, JavaScript Visual Blueprint, and co-authoring duties on two editions of the Illustrator Bible (for versions 9 and 10) and three editions of the Adobe Creative Suite Bible.

Contributing Author Jared Fong has a profound ability for Maya rigging. He brought us Chapters 15 and 17 as well as many of the scripts included on the CD. He has been a major influence on the rigging of the projects at BYU and part of the thinking that went into this book. Jared is currently working at Pixar as a TD resident.

Contributing Author Adam Sidwell has traveled the world spreading his 3D talents. He has worked at such studios as Digital Domain, ILM, Sony Imageworks, and Weta. He has presented at Siggraph and is very proficient in the studies and methods of the “back end” of the production pipeline. Adam contributed the brilliance of Chapter 19, the “Pipeline in a Box.”

Customer Reviews

Excellent resource
The book is an excellent resource. I've done my fair share of rigging, and Allen and Murdock have put together a body of information that not only teaches me new tricks, but polishes and streamlines what I already do. Body Language will be the first place I look when I need to dig around for rigging assistance.

Body Language has me excited to rig again, which is perhaps the greatest aspect of the book. There are a lot of little "aha" moments here, and I'm itching to put them to use. It's an essential component of my reference library.

I have only one complaint with this book: It doesn't cover 3DS Max. It's understandable, what with Maya being dominant in the high end of the field, but some of the principles and techniques here are so good, it just seems a shame to not have Max involved. Ironically, then, it's the excellence of the Maya coverage that leaves me wanting the same for Max. Perhaps there's a sequel in the works.

That minor quibble aside, I still rate this at the full five stars. The book stands on its own merits, and that I wish for more merely testifies to the value of the data.

Excellent resource!
I was impressed by the in-depth and detailed methods for character rigging described in this book. It's an excellent resource for technically-inclined enthusiasts boost their skillz as well as the experienced professional who wants to hone them.

The book goes through great things that realistic rigs must have! There are a few "bonus" chapters (subjects I didn't expect to be in the book) at the end about UVLayout, Maya Muscle and skinning.

UVLayout FTW!

Great book, and a must-have for the reference library!

Excelent Resource for Rigging Concepts.
A well executed rig can greatly enhance any 3d production. I have seen most of the concepts in this book applied in actual production, and can say that they are good, sound, principles. More than the step-by-step instructions (of which there are plenty), this book discusses key ideas in creating a character rig that work for any software package. Ideas like proper planning, good organization, optimization, uv mapping, and the power of scripting. This book is an excellent resource for those who want to learn more complex approaches to character rigging.