Maya Rigging Part 1 [The hips and legs]

In this lesson we started to cover how to create a very simple bipedal character rig. First you need to select the Rigging menu or the Rigging shelf, this should look like the image seen below.

In Maya, You can make both realistic an stylized rigs, of which are mostly made using orthographic views as it is a very precise process. To begin, reset the grid back to basic settings: Display- grid- options- edit- reset settings- apply- close. Rigs are made up of joints and bones. Enter your side view and then select the Joint tool which can be found in the skeleton menu or on the rigging shelf, then press the reset joint tool to clear any changes that might have been made to these settings. You can change the way the joint is displayed, but this isn't something we will need to do right now.

We need to start with the pelvis and then build out. First, count 11 grid squares up [or work from a model guide]. Make sure to hold down X button before placing joint to snap to grid, this makes sure everything is precise, double check translate Y is 11. This is now the hip joint.

From here, go one column left and count down 5, the arrow should be pointing down from the hip to the next joint. This is the knee.

Then, come one unit from the ground and aligned to the hip column, this will be the ankle.

After, go one left and place the foot, then two left for the toe.

Once this is completed make sure to rename joints using the specific naming system. L for left and JNT for joint. As these work in a hierarchy if you select the hip, it will select anything below it, as goes for the knee and so on. You can rotate these joints to pose your character which is a good technique of rigging for posing, but not for animation as it is tedious. Below is what the naming hierarchy should look like:

Here is the leg rig in perspective view. As this is the left leg we actually need to move it right by two grid points. We always think from the Character's POV.

We now need to create the pelvis in the front view. Go back into joint tool. As we have moved it it hasn't connected to the hip, we will need to connect the pelvis to the hip. Make sure to rename this joint now. C is for Center.

Creating a parent - child relationship manually

Remember to select HIP FIRST, THEN PELVIS before pressing Q to enter select option. From here you can either manually go under the edit tab and select Parent Menu, or simply press P. Then click parent to create an arrow connecting from parent to child.

We now need to make the right leg. There is a mirror joint menu, it not only mirrors your current joint hierarchy but also renames it. To use it, Select the hip joint, go to Skeleton menu, Mirror joints,  options and then Mirror across. You will need to choose which axis to flip, to flip across the X axis- pick option without X in it. In this case, this would be YZ. Then under, Replacement names, replace L_ with R_, then click mirror.

Placing in controls

Controls fall under two categories, IK and FK switches. This stands for [Inverse Kilomatics] backward movement [Forward Kilomatics] forward movement, and effectively tell the rest of the rig what to do when a certain point is moved. For example an FK control will move the knee when the foot is raised. TO make this, select the  Skeleton menu - Create IK Handle - Options. There are now two options, single plane solver [locks joints to a set length] or rotation plane solver. For this first part, we will need to use a rotation plane solver. Make sure to turn sticky option on, then click hip, then click ankle.

Now when you lift the ankle, it will lift the knee too. On a more complicated system, you will use both IK and FK systems, for now we are just using an IK system. We will be making a Hybrid rig. This means we will me using IKs on the legs and FKs on the arms. From here, change rotation plane solver to Single chain solver and turn off sticky. Move from the ankle foot ball joint, then one from foot ball joint to toes. You can now do the same for the right leg, you can mirror your IKs to save time.

You should rename your IK handles using the naming system below, this just makes it easier for anyone to understand the handles of your rig should they need to inspect them.

There are now 3 things to think about:

Hierarchy - Prior point groups - control points to move the groups.

We start with Left leg IK and go under the Edit menu and select Group [ctrl-g]. Then rename group to [L_Heel_Lift_GRP]. Move this pivot point [hold down D-V] and snap to ankle. We then make a new group called [L_Toe_GRP] containing the group left toe IK. Move this pivot to foot ball. After you need to ctl select stabilizer IK, heel and toe, and group together. Rename this group  [L_Heel_Tap_GRP] and snap to one unit behind ankle [DX to snap to grid].

Ctrl-g a new group on top of ankle tap, this will be renamed to L_Pirouette_LR_GRP. Just to make things easier if you make a mistake, you can use the middle mouse button and drag to rearrange your hierarchy groups. With this group, make sure to move pivot to top of toe joint. Following on, ctrl-g new group on top of L_Pirouette_LR_GRP and move pivot to top of toe joint. This will be renamed to L_Pirouette_UD_GRP. move pivot to top of toe joint. ctrl-g new group on top of L_Pirouette_UD_GRP, this will be renamed to L_FootRoll_L_GRP. move pivot to center of foot, then move it to the right one unit to  match screenshot below. [outside of foot]

ctrl-g a new group on top of L_FootRoll_L_GRP,  this will be renamed to L_FootRoll_R_GRP

move pivot to center of foot, then move it to the left one unit. [This will be on the inside of the foot]

ctrl -g new group foot group [L_Foot_GRP], pivot goes on the ankle.

In the end, The hierarchy should look like this.

Repeat for the right side.

We will have to make a driven key for the foot roll to work.