3D Animation And Rigging Weekly Online Course

3D rigging is an essential process in the creation of computer-generated imagery (CGI) for films, video games, and other visual media. It involves creating a skeleton for a character or object and then adding controls to manipulate its movement and deformation. As technology continues to advance, more and more professionals in the field are turning to online courses to expand their skillset and stay up-to-date with the latest techniques. In this article, we will explore some of the best 3D rigging courses available online, analyzing their content, quality, and effectiveness in helping students improve their rigging skills.

Here’s a look at the Best 3D Rigging Courses and Certifications Online and what they have to offer for you!

3D Animation And Rigging Weekly Online Course

1. Blender Character Creator for Video Games Design by GameDev.tv Team, Rick Davidson, Grant Abbitt (Udemy) (Our Best Pick)

The Blender Character Creator for Video Games Design course, instructed by the GameDev.tv team, Rick Davidson, and Grant Abbitt, teaches students how to create 3D video game characters using Blender. The course covers all aspects of character creation, from modeling to painting to animating. It is a sequel to the popular Blender Character Creator course and is compatible with newer versions of Blender. Students of all skill levels are encouraged to take the course, and the instructors guide them through each step of the process while also challenging them to implement concepts on their own. By the end of the course, students will have created a highly detailed character for their portfolio and will know how to turn that character into an asset ready for a video game engine.

The course is entirely project-based, and students apply their new skills immediately to real 3D models. Each model built follows a specific process, with students being challenged to build it themselves, shown step-by-step how to build it, encouraged to apply their knowledge regularly, and supported throughout their journey. The course includes project files, additional references, and resources to ensure students never get stuck. Talking-head videos, powerful diagrams, quality screencasts, and other resources are also available.

The course is a one-time fee, and all students have access to the Q&A section where instructors, teaching assistants, and the community are ready to help answer questions and support students’ success. Additionally, an optional, free community site is available to share games and 3D models and connect with other students.

The course covers different sections, including Introduction & Setup, Mech Master, Modular Vehicles, Blocking Out, Detailed Sculpting, Retopology, UV Unwrapping, Baking, Painting, Animation, Rendering, Updates and Important Messages, and Continuing Your GameDev Journey. It provides a comprehensive education in character creation and is suitable for beginners and experienced artists and coders.

2. Rigging 101 for Video Games – Maya 2018 by Alex Zaragoza (Udemy)

The Rigging 101 for Video Games – Maya 2018 course, taught by Alex Zaragoza, is an intermediate course that covers the tools and concepts required to rig props and characters in Maya 2018. The aim of the course is to make the learning process easy, and is achieved through detailed videos covering all aspects of rigging.

The course covers the creation of rigs from A to Z, from planning to developing the necessary interface for a model to be animated. A range of rigs are created, including props and characters, to ensure that students have the knowledge required to solve any rigging problem that may arise. Tips and shortcuts are provided to accelerate workflow and improve understanding of the fundamentals of 3D rigging. Alex Zaragoza will be available to assist students through the course and address any issues that may arise.

Testimonials from previous students highlight the comprehensive nature of the course and its ability to aid learning. The content consists of an introduction, basic tools, and a biped rig.

Overall, the Rigging 101 for Video Games – Maya 2018 course is a comprehensive and detailed guide to 3D rigging in Maya 2018, featuring a range of examples and tips to aid learning, with the added support of the instructor.

3. Fast animation and rigging techniques using Maya 2017 by Bhaumik Patel (Udemy)

The Fast animation and rigging techniques using Maya 2017 course is led by Bhaumik Patel and aims to teach beginner level Maya users how to rig a biped character and animate a walk cycle for film, TV and video games. The course long description introduces Autodesk Maya as a powerful and flexible toolset used by animation companies around the world. The course covers rigging, a process used to prepare 3d models for animation, and the use of the Human IK system to bring characters to life. More advanced topics like motion capture are also covered, and the course is designed to be accessible to beginners while also offering useful tips and tools for more experienced users.

The course specifically covers the new updates to animation features in Maya, including the Graph editor, Quick rig, and Time editor. The skills taught in the course can be applied to various job roles, such as Animator, Pre-visualization Artist, Technical Animator and 3d generalist jobs. The course is designed to be a first step into the world of 3d animation and is packed with useful tips, tricks and tools that make the learner more attractive to potential employers.

The course is divided into three sections. The first part covers robot rigging using Quick Rig, in which learners will learn how to prepare 3d models for animation quickly. The second section focuses on animating a walk cycle, an essential aspect of 3d animation for character movement. The final part of the course teaches learners how to rig a character using a Human IK custom skeleton, which is a more advanced topic that enables creators to add more life and depth to their characters.

Overall, the Fast animation and rigging techniques using Maya 2017 course is aimed at beginner level Maya users, but has much to offer for those with more experience. The course covers essential aspects of 3d animation in a comprehensive manner, and teaches learners the skills necessary to land a job in various roles in the animation industry.

4. The Complete Bipedal Rigging for Games in Maya Course by 3dmotive LLC (Udemy)

The Complete Bipedal Rigging for Games in Maya Course, offered by 3dmotive LLC, is designed to provide learners with a comprehensive understanding of the rigging and skinning process for bipeds using Maya. The course focuses on game characters and takes learners through the entire process of rigging, creating bones, skinning, and painting weights from start to finish.

The tutorial is suitable for beginners as it breaks down the complex process in an easy-to-understand manner. Learners are provided with a copy of the character before and after the process so that they can follow along or compare their rig with the instructor.

The course instructor, Justin Harrison, is an experienced Character and Technical Animator with over 7 years of experience in the game development industry. He has worked for Molten Games, Activision, and Sony on titles such as The Bourne Conspiracy, Ghostbusters: The Game, and Transformers: War for Cybertron. Justin holds a BFA in Digital Art and Animation from the College for Creative Studies and has a generalist skill set that ranges from artistic modeling to motion capture and technical rigging.

The course is divided into two sections: Introduction to Building the Skeleton and Controllers, and Painting Weights, Setting up the IK, and Finer Controls. By the end of the course, learners will have a thorough understanding of the rigging and skinning process, which they can apply to their game characters.

5. Rigging Your Character For 3D Animation In Unreal Engine 4! by Michael Ricks, Josh Crockett (Udemy)

This course titled Rigging Your Character for 3D Animation in Unreal Engine 4! is taught by Michael Ricks and Josh Crockett. The course is designed to teach students how to use Allright Rig 1.3, a rigging and animation plugin, to rig and animate a character for use in Unreal Engine 4. The course includes over 3.5 hours of video instruction, a complete UE4 project, and a fully rigged character called the Dweller.

The Allright Rig 1.3 plugin is an all-in-one tool that allows users to rig a character’s body and facial morphs, making it ready for animation in Sequencer. It’s priced at $49.99 in the Unreal Engine Marketplace and has been found to be a helpful tool even with the introduction of the new Epic Control Rig.

The Allright Rig 2.0 plugin has brought the holy grail of animation, lip sync animation, inside of Unreal Engine 4. The course includes over 3.5 hours of video instruction and comes with a complete UE4 scene file, Allright Rig 1.3, and presets for Genesis, Genesis 2, Genesis 3, and Genesis 8 characters. It also features a modular rigging system, facial rigging, animation curve filters, and custom blueprint library.

The course is designed for those who want to achieve stunning quality animations without having to purchase expensive programs such as Maya and 3DS Max. Instead, students can use DAZ Studio, Unreal Engine, and Allright Rig 2.0 to create high-quality animations.

The course is broken down into several sections, including an introduction, project source files, example videos of Allright Rig in action, getting started with Allright Rig 1.3, preparing DAZ characters for Allright Rig 2.

6. 3d Rigging in 3ds Max – The Ultimate Guide for Beginners by Anass Cherkaoui (Udemy)

The course title is 3D Rigging in 3ds Max – The Ultimate Guide for Beginners, instructed by Anass Cherkaoui. The short description is that the course teaches students the skills needed to start rigging their own 3D characters today. The long description explains that 3D rigging is the process of giving a stiff 3D model controls to help an animator in posing and achieving an impressive performance. The course is ideal for those who want to create animated 3D characters and eventually work at animation studios like Disney and Pixar.

The course claims to be the best 3D rigging course ever released on Udemy, suitable for beginners and intermediate learners. It includes over 6 hours of brand new HD videos that explain how to create character rigs easily and improve rigging skills. The course focuses on providing a fun learning experience that can help students become world-class creators. It also offers a significant discount for those who enroll now.

The course content includes various sections such as course overview, getting started, creating the skeleton, skinning your character, building animation controls, a bonus section on facial rigging, an assignment, and a conclusion. The course aims to teach students about rigging and its importance, how to prepare models for rigging, manipulate bone objects, use skin modifier’s features to improve deformations, create animation controls, connect controls with bone objects, set up inverse kinematics, create custom parameters, use wire parameters to connect objects, build a foot roll system, use reaction manager properly to create really cool systems, and create facial expressions.

The course instructor hopes that students find the course useful and it helps them reach their full potential. The course offers lifetime access to the course content.

7. Rigging for characters in Autodesk Maya by Rey3D .com (Udemy)

The Rigging for characters in Autodesk Maya course, offered by Rey3D.com, teaches students how to create complete and functional rigs for the animation of 3D characters. The course covers a range of topics, including bone creation and naming, IK handle creation, control configuration for body parts, switching from IK to FK for arm movements, facial control creation, and weight configuration for character deformation. The course is designed to be ideal for anyone interested in learning how to create custom rigs for 3D character animation using Autodesk Maya.

Throughout the course, students will learn how to create a complete rig for their own characters, and will be provided with tips for locating bones and controls, as well as how to configure the jaw and mouth in general. Additionally, students will gain knowledge on how to create facial gestures and automate the creation of facial gestures.

By the end of the course, students will have the necessary skills to create a complete and functional rig for their own characters and will be ready to move on to the animation stage. The course is comprehensive and includes a range of sections covering everything from rigging basics to advanced techniques for achieving excellent deformations almost automatically, without the use of plugins.

Overall, the Rigging for characters in Autodesk Maya course is an excellent choice for anyone interested in learning how to create custom rigs for 3D character animation. It covers all the necessary topics and provides students with the skills needed to create a rig from scratch, automate the process, and achieve excellent results.

8. The Ultimate 3D Facial Rigging Beginners Guide in 3ds Max by Anass Cherkaoui (Udemy)

The Ultimate 3D Facial Rigging Beginners Guide in 3ds Max is a course designed for those interested in the world of 3D Animation and Facial Rigging. The course is instructed by Anass Cherkaoui, who provides step-by-step guidance into the field. The course is structured into four chapters that cover creating bone objects, skinning process, building animation controls, and an assignment to practice rigging 3D characters’ faces. The course promises both fun and excitement while delivering high-quality content that’s applicable to other 3D software.

Chapter 01 focuses on creating bone objects, which is a fundamental step for rigging 3D models. This chapter explains the process of creating bone objects in 3ds Max and outlines the importance of rigging for animation.

Chapter 02 covers the skinning process, also known as binding, which is used to connect the mesh to the skeleton created in chapter 01. This chapter explains how to create smooth skinning on models, which is essential for making realistic animations.

Chapter 03 focuses on building animation controls, which are tools that enable animators to manipulate the 3D characters. This chapter explains how to create animation controls and how to use them effectively.

Chapter 04 is an assignment that allows students to practice rigging their own 3D characters’ faces. The assignment is designed to help students build a solid foundation about 3D Facial Rigging and gain hands-on practice.

In conclusion, The Ultimate 3D Facial Rigging Beginners Guide in 3ds Max is an excellent course for those interested in learning about 3D Facial Rigging. The course covers essential topics such as creating bone objects, skinning process, building animation controls, and an assignment to practice rigging 3D characters’ faces. With Anass Cherkaoui’s guidance, students can develop new skills and improve their understanding of 3D Rigging.

9. Learn to Rig a Complex Quadruped in Maya for Games and Film by 3dmotive LLC (Udemy)

The Learn to Rig a Complex Quadruped in Maya for Games and Film course, offered by 3dmotive, is designed to teach students everything they need to know in order to rig complex, four-legged characters for games and film. The course focuses on rigging a canine character, covering many of the unique problems encountered in rigging quadrupeds, such as how to handle the back leg and setting up a spline IK for the back. There are four modules in total, each building upon the previous one.

In the first module, students will learn how to analyze the problem and discuss basic rigging processes, as well as laying out the joints and binding the mesh to them, before moving on to skinning. The second module covers the process of skinning the character using tools such as the Paint Weights Tool, the Prune Small Weights function, and the Component Editor. The third module focuses on building the control rig to drive the bind joints, starting with a simple FK control structure for the tail and working on the back dog leg. Finally, in the fourth and final module, students will complete the rig by finishing the front leg, spine, and head/neck area, as well as learning how to troubleshoot and overcome some of the quirks encountered in Maya.

Chad Robert Morgan is the course instructor, having started his career in computer games and animated film after his tour in the US Navy. He has worked at LucasArts, ReelFX, and The Collective (which eventually became Double Helix) on titles such as Silent Hill: Homecoming, Strider, and Killer Instinct. Chad has also taught several Maya Master Classes for Autodesk and has had an article published in 3DWorld magazine. He currently runs his own company, Spectral Ink Productions, and works for clients such as WhiteMoon Dreams and UCI.

Students can find the source files associated with the lesson under Section 1/Lecture 1 downloads.

10. Rigging with Animation Industry´s Techniques by João Ferreira (Udemy)

The Rigging with Animation Industry’s Techniques course, taught by João Ferreira, covers the development of rigging systems used in the animation industry using 3Ds Max software. The course includes body and facial rigging, including spine, arms, hands, legs, feet, head, and facial expressions. Hybrid systems such as IK/FK Blending, Bend Spine and Stretch Spine, Twist systems for the forearm, and Reverse Foot will also be covered. The course also includes the development of efficient systems for the eyebrows, nose, ears, tongue, jaw, eyes, eyelids, and teeth for developing the Rig of a complete character.

The generic character model of Hippy Drome and complete rigging systems are provided to students to follow the course. Upon completion of the course, students can join the Advanced Character Rigging Training on jvfstudio.com and watch parts of the classes for free to know what they can learn. The course content includes an introduction and seven chapters covering Spine, Arms and Hands, Legs, Feet, Head and Facial, and Skinning.

Students can contact João Victor Ferreira at joao.victor.villaca@icloud.com with any questions. Currently, there is a 20% discount on the Advanced Training.