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Hi guys!

This is just a post to let you know that from now on, I'll be blogging mainly on Tumblr! I've been really bad at posting on here, so I'm hoping moving my art blog to Tumblr (which I use frequently!) will remind me to post more often!

Thanks!!

More new toys!

I was called on to create a rig a few weeks ago, and was met with the harsh realisation that I'd never really explored Deformers! I was glad to be pushed to look at them, because it was something on the list I'd been meaning to get round too, and never had.

After playing around with Bend and Sculpt deformers manually for a bit, I threw together a couple of tools to help me quickly create deformers with custom controls in one click. And here they are!

(the tools use example geometry, no links to my current role or workplace ;) )

Bend Deformer

Sculpt Deformer

New toys!

Well, tools really.

I just now realise that I haven't stuck any of my python tools on here, never mind my newer ones! For a wee look at all of my previous attempts, jump to www.nzchristie.wix.com/website and got to the 'Tool Development' page.

Anyway, most recently (among many "I'll come back to these later" failed efforts) I've made these 2 tools. The videos might be a bit over-sped-up, for fear of them dragging out and being boring. The caffeine might have also had something to do with it...

First one here is a tool I made for personal use, to speed up the process of turning curves into controls. This bad boy lets you name them, lock and hide attributes and add custom attributes in one quick swoop. It also freezes the curve's transformations and lets you add up to 3 'offset groups' above them in the hierarchy.

The next one is a dynamic chain creator. All you have to do is place a few locators where you'd like your chain, and this guy goes to the bother of building the chain, curve, hair system etc for you, and linking them all up nicely. It also has a few slidey bars for the attributes I found I was using most often to change the chain's behaviour.

Aaaaaaand that's all folks!

Thanks for reading :)

For anyone who needs it...

...but mainly for myself if I lose it... here's a bit of code to use to set up a basic FK/IK switch!
(this piece of code assumes you already created the 3 chains and the switch curve, and added an attribute to the switch to control switching) [if anyone would like some code to create the extra chains and the switch, just get in touch!]

This example is a hardcode from my own example, to use it you'd need to substitute in the names of your own joints, and lines can be duplicated/removed as necessary, depending on the limb you're working with. Good practice would be to use variables rather than hardcoding the names, but it you want to quickly throw a switch together without too much set-up, this'll do the job!


#set up constraints
cmds.orientConstraint('Rt_FK_Leg_0_JNT', 'Rt_Leg_0_JNT')

cmds.orientConstraint('Rt_IK_Leg_0_JNT', 'Lf_Leg_0_JNT')



#set up SDKs for ikfk switch

#Leg_0 FK
cmds.select('Lf_Leg_0_JNT_orientConstraint1')
cmds.setDrivenKeyframe(at='Lf_FK_Leg_0_JNTW0', cd='Lf_LegSwitch_0_CTL.FKIK', dv=0, v=1)
cmds.setDrivenKeyframe(at='Lf_FK_Leg_0_JNTW0', cd='Lf_LegSwitch_0_CTL.FKIK', dv=1, v=0)

#Leg_0 IK
cmds.select('Lf_Leg_0_JNT_orientConstraint1')
cmds.setDrivenKeyframe(at='Lf_IK_Leg_0_JNTW1', cd='Lf_LegSwitch_0_CTL.FKIK', dv=0, v=0)
cmds.setDrivenKeyframe(at='Lf_IK_Leg0_0_JNTW1', cd='Lf_LegSwitch_0_CTL.FKIK', dv=1, v=1)

Absence makes the heart grow fonder

Apologies, as always, for abandoning the blog. I need to get into the habit of posting, just always seem to be too busy! Doing exactly what, I have no idea, but aye. Here I am, with a quick update (because I should be doing work!)

Firstly, my internship has come to an end! It was a great experience, and I'm very grateful for the opportunity. I couldn't have asked for a more perfect first job, really. Got to meet some very talented people, and work in a really productive environment.

Whilst there, my time was mostly spent learning python and re-rigging the Krocodile from 4th year film Krokodi. I started from scratch, and built the rig using tools developed by the team. The finished Kroc rig was leaps and bounds ahead of my original, and the lessons learnt from working with the systems in place will stick with me for a long time. My skills in Python have also come on considerably, and I can now read it comfortably, and write it off the top of my head to an extent. I developed a few simple tools whilst on the internship.

I left my post on good terms and received positive feedback and useful direction. On leaving, I was told I had improved to the standard where they'd consider me for a junior TD position. Unfortunately, there are no such positions at the moment, but the future looks bright!

In my spare time over the last wee while, I've been working on a rig for old classmate Daniel McCance's VFX Alien creature. I've been lagging a bit with it lately- I can't seem to get the deformations on his belly right. Sucking it up and cracking on! Hopefully have it with him in the next couple of days. I'll stick up a video when he's done!

Hope everyone's well, and keeping busy!

UPDATE:

I have just now been offered a new position, and will be returning on the 5th of May! Unfortunately, it's not a rigging position- my title will be Render Wrangler, and in a nutshell I'll be helping out the tech guys and keeping things running smoothly at the end of the pipeline. Another notch in the CG belt gladly received!

Krok Dee 2.0

In preparation for my internship, I've been re-evaluating 2 of the rigs I produced in 4th year.

Krok Dee was up first.

The main changes I've made were to the Animators' Controls. The tail control is now set up in a more animator-friendly grid design, and I've added sliders for the tongue. I've also condensed the eye controls.

Painted weights were the biggest issue I could see- these have been re-done and Krok's movements are looking much more realistic.

I'm sure there's a million things I've missed- I'll keep looking at it over the weekend!

"It'll all be worth it when you push the button and it does the thing."

My new motto in rigging.

I've been doing some rigging over the last few days, and I'll tell you- taking a couple of cheeky months away from Maya has left me lost! Not completely lost, just lost in a kind of "I know I left my keys around here somewhere" way. My notes from Uni are all a bit of a mess, so the plan is to start a new, organised rigging notebook. We'll see how long that one lasts!

Major news on the 3D front is that I have had the good fortune to be selected for an internship at a cracking company. I'll be starting in January, and all going well I'll be there until March/April(ish)!

Before starting the internship, I'm having a bit of a redo of 2 of my honours year rigs- the 'Kroc Dee' rig from Krokodi, and 'Kow' from Stupid Kow. I'm also trying to learn some Python (not to be confused with parseltongue, haha). Although at this point, it may as well be!

Not sure if anyone even reads these blogs anymore, but there it is. Look forward to frequent updates over the next month or so at least!



And if I don't catch you, have a very merry whatever it is you're having :)