Learning Maya | Character Rigging and Animation will teach you everything you need to achieve effective character set-up and animation in Maya. Developed by Alias|Wavefront Education Product Specialists, the book focuses on the creation of a human character, and provides both theoretical exploration and practical application - each chapter includes conceptual discussions and step-by-step instructions. Seventeen short presentations delivered by an Alias|Wavefront Certified Instructor are provided on the included cd-rom. The instructor provides additional theory, tips and suggestions on a chapter-by-chapter basis, thus allowing you greater insight into the concepts explored in the book.

With this book you will:
· Use layers and templating
· Connect and parent joints
· Set up IK Single Chain Solvers and group IK handles
· Use Set Driven Key
· Understand and use both Forward and Inverse Kinematics
· Simulate the deformation of clothing using Wire Deformers and Set Driven Key
· Drive joint rotation with a Blendshape Slider to help consolidate your control windows
· Understand the difference between Smooth and Rigid binding
· Export weighting maps from one character, and use for another
· Use Pole Vector constraints as a fast and easy way of achieving realistic motion in arms and legs
· Create complex and subtle character deformations through the use of Clusters and Lattices

What you need to use this book:
· Maya Personal Learning Edition, Maya Complete 4.0 or Maya Unlimited 4.0.
· A CD-ROM drive and Netscape Navigator 4.0 or Internet Explorer 4.0 or higher.