Tutorial: Creature Combat Animation in Maya
The Gnomon Workshop has released Creature Combat Animation in Maya, a creature animation masterclass recorded by VFX and previs animator Stephen Cunnane.
The workshop provides five hours of video training in Maya.
Master professional creature animation workflows for VFX, feature animation or previs
In the workshop, Cunnane walks viewers through the process of animating three shots from a fight sequence between two creatures: a giant King Kong-style ape and a dragon.
He begins by staging the fight choreography, exploring how to use references and storyboarding techniques to plan out how the fight unfolds.
Cunnane then moves into Maya to block out and refine the animation, demonstrating key tools and techniques, and setting out how to balance technical and artistic considerations to create expressive performances.
The workshop uses two inexpensive commercial character rigs: Truong Cg Artist’s King Kong rig and the Ben Dragon rig.
About the artist
Stephen Cunnane has over seven years of experience as a VFX animator and previs artist at studios including Framestore, MPC and The Third Floor, and as an animator at CBS.
His credits include Game of Thrones, The Walking Dead, and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.
Pricing and availability
Creature Combat Animation in Maya is available via a subscription to The Gnomon Workshop, which provides access to over 300 tutorials.
Subscriptions cost $57/month or $519/year. Free trials are available.
Read more about Creature Combat Animation in Maya on The Gnomon Workshop’s website
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