Before vs After: same rig, different result.
Weights alone can only take you so far.
When pushing joints into extreme poses, you’ll often see:
❌ collapsing volume
❌ messy folds
❌ unstable joint shapes
This is NOT a weight problem.
Now look at the After 👇
Corrective joints:
✅ activate only when needed
✅ restore volume
✅ clean up deformation
✅ make the rig production-ready
They don’t replace the base skin, they enhance it💪
And skinning them is actually much easier than people think.
I show a layered workflow with ngSkinTools, which keeps everything clean and predictable.
I also include a script for building an advanced corrective joint setup with a lot of control.
🎥 On this video
Student result from Week 4 of Part 2 of our course
This is where rigs stop being “just working”
and start being production ready
Time to stop fighting weights, start using corrective joints.
Link in bio 👉 @riginmaya
#characterrigging #mayarigging #autodeskmaya
❗️Harsh truth:
Most rigs don’t fail because of controls or setup
They fail because the model is wrong from the start
If you skip model prep:
• deformation breaks
• IK becomes unstable
• skinning becomes a nightmare
🎁 I made a checklist to fix this
👇 Comment FIX and I’ll send it
#characterrigging #mayarigging #rigging3d
We’re excited to present a demoreel of the best student work from our “Rigging in Maya | Quick Start” workshop (2025).
Do you want to level up your rigging skills and learn how to rig studio-quality cartoon characters in Maya?
Enroll in our workshop!
After completing it, you’ll be able to rig characters and props from scratch and prepare yourself for freelance work or a rigger position in a studio.
🔗 Link in bio 👉 @riginmaya
#characterrigging #3drig #3drigger #3drigging #rigging3d
Check out this octopus rig by Victor Hugo Salas
This project focuses on complex deformation systems while keeping the rig simple and intuitive for animators. The setup includes sine deformation controls for quick fluid motion, a highly expressive facial system, IK follow, and solid volume preservation even in extreme poses.
A great example of stretchy, organic creature rigging with animator-friendly controls.
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Follow our community 👉@rigging.pro
#characterrigging #rigging3d #mayarigging #autodeskmaya
Check out this SF-25 Formula 1 rig by @adrien_vfx 🏎️
The main challenge of this project was recreating the real mechanical behavior of the car as accurately as possible inside Maya. The rig features a repositionable rotation control system, allowing the vehicle to pivot from any position.
Additional features include blendshapes for subtle carbon fiber deformation on the wings, a tire pressure system, diagonal wheel orientation, and an anti-Ackermann steering setup inspired by real Formula 1 cars.
A very impressive example of technical vehicle rigging and mechanical accuracy.
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Follow our community 👉@rigging.pro
#scuderiaferrari #sf25 #rigging3d #autodeskmaya #f1
Check out this hip deformation test by @rignocchio
This setup showcases the use of corrective joints in the hip area to achieve cleaner deformation during extreme leg movement. These additional joints help preserve volume and reduce collapsing in one of the most challenging deformation zones of the body.
A nice example of production-style skinning work in Autodesk Maya.
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Follow our community 👉@rigging.pro
#maya3d #skinning #3drigging #autodeskmaya #characterrigging
Check out Ultimative Skin Tools by @mykola_sokur
In this video, Mykola demonstrates how the tool simplifies skinning for spring setups. Using only two joints, the script automatically generates smooth and clean weight distribution across the spring geometry.
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Follow our community 👉@rigging.pro
#rigging3d #mayarigging #autodeskmaya #3drigger
Global Scale & Squash Setup
Student work by @julievillevet
If scaling destroys your rig with double transforms and broken deformations, your setup is not production-ready.
In this setup, the entire character can be scaled and deformed while keeping the rig stable underneath.
The squash and stretch system can be shaped using animation curves and frameCache nodes in Maya, while additional controls allow even more deformation flexibility for the animator.
This is the kind of setup that separates beginner rigs from production-ready ones.
Want to build rigs that actually survive animation?
Check out the course 👉 @riginmaya
#rigging3d #mayarigging #characterTD #3danimation #autodeskmaya
Check out this hand-keyed character animation by TuxedoPato (x.com)
The animation is fully bone-driven, making it suitable for use in a game engine workflow. A nice showcase of expressive motion built entirely through animation and rig controls.
As the author mentioned, the mask strap actually ended up being harder to animate than the hair
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Follow our community 👉@rigging.pro
#animegirl #characterrigging #animation #mayarigging
