I developed a facial and body rig for the character Fiona, creating a comprehensive system for detailed and expressive animations. Below, I present some of the key features of the facial rig that enable a wide range of expressions and emotions, ensuring flexibility and precision in animation.
The facial rig for Fiona features a “squash and stretch” system for the head, with three dedicated controls that allow for squashing or stretching the head while preserving the rig’s integrity. This system provides a more stylized, cartoonish finish, enabling animators to create exaggerated and dynamic expressions that enhance the character’s visual style.
The facial rig for Fiona features a “Bows” system developed with NURBS, allowing the eyebrows to be controlled through a main control. Additionally, specific controls are included to adapt and adjust the shape of the eyebrows as needed. This system provides great flexibility for precisely deforming the eyebrows, facilitating the creation of detailed and customized facial expressions.
The facial rig for Fiona features an eye system developed with NURBS and joints. This system allows for opening and closing the eyes using main controls, with additional fine-tuning possible through specific controls. Additionally, you can choose whether the pupils follow the head movement (head follow) or remain static, providing full control over eye expression and its synchronization with head movement.
The facial rig for Fiona features a cheeks system that allows for deforming the cheeks both generally and specifically. This system provides controls for adjusting the shape of the cheeks according to animation needs. Additionally, I worked on the skin to enable manipulation of the cheeks’ scale, achieving a realistic effect that simulates the mouth filling with air. This functionality aids in creating natural and detailed facial expressions.
The facial rig for Fiona features a nose system that allows for moving and positioning the nose according to animation needs. This system is designed to offer flexibility in adjusting the nose, enabling the animator to position it as desired. Additionally, a “Squash & Stretch” system was incorporated to create a more stylized and dynamic effect, enhancing the expressiveness and adaptability of the nose in various poses.
The mouth system in Fiona’s facial rig is one of the most complex, developed using NURBS and joints. This system includes general controls for opening and closing the mouth, as well as specific controls for detailed adjustments.
Key features include Jaw Follow, which allows you to control how much the corners of the lips follow the jaw movement when opening. Additionally, a Sticky Lips system was incorporated to set the mouth’s openness or closeness independently of the movement controls, providing greater precision and flexibility in facial animation.