Introduction to Beginner Rigger

Introduction to Beginner Rigger

I am a student currently studying rigging and animation at the University of Texas at Dallas. I have already taken a 3D modeling class in Autodesk Maya, and now I am taking a rigging class, so I understand the program quite well. These classes have taught me how to deal with some of Autodesk Maya’s quirks and advantages.              

The purpose of Beginner Rigger is to teach you, the reader, basic principles of rigging. These principles will be taught using Autodesk Maya 2013 because it is considered industry standard. This blog discusses the basic operations of Autodesk Maya 2013 for the new user, and if you do not already have Autodesk Maya 2013, then please check out the Autodesk Education Community . The community allows for students and educators to get Autodesk software for free with a license lasting about three years. It is easy to sign up for an account. All you have to do is give them your email and what school you are currently going and what year you are graduating.

               Rigging is the process of giving the computer model the ability to move and controls for the model. Rigging takes a more technical look at things, so most people tend to gravitate toward the more aesthetically pleasing jobs such as modeling, lighting, texturing, and other similar areas. Since many try to avoid rigging, more jobs are available for those who willingly specialize in this area. Learning rigging helps in other areas as well. If you want to animate, then you might want to learn because it teaches you to the concepts to alter an existing rig to your preferences. Once you learn the basics, the process becomes natural and much more enjoyable.