download free: Digital tutors: Introduction to Maya Animation: Walk Cycle

Create convincing walk cycles and easily learn time-saving animation techniques in Maya. Contains over 2.5 hours of project-based training. Perfect for beginner to intermediate users.

Popular highlights include:
• Walk Cycle Diagram
• Layering Body Mechanics
• Follow Through and Weight
• MEL Scripting for Animators
• Transforming Male Walk into Female Walk
• Translating Walk Cycle Forward
• Keying in Channel Box
• Graph Editor
• Insert Key Tool
• Breaking Tangents to Create the Illusion of Weight
• Editing Tangents for Seamless Cycling
• Cycling with Pre and Post Infinity
* Project files provided with this training kit require Maya 7 to be opened. If you do not have Maya 7, you can create your own character rig with the help of our "Character Setup in Maya" training kit.
Lesson Outline:

1. Introduction and project overview 0:52
2. Setting up the workspace, Introduction to MEL 12:45
3. Using the MEL script and loading it as a shortcut key 5:33
4. Analyzing the walk cycle, and setting our first pose 12:33
5. Setting the Down pose and breaking tangents 8:20
6. Building the Passing pose and modifying the feet 8:49
7. Modifying the hips to create the Peak pose 12:48
8. Adjusting the heal pivot to create a sense of muscles 5:34
9. Moving the feet in X to balance the body 4:45
10. Adding side-to-side movement to the feet to simulate the ankle 4:00
11. Animating the upper body and adding follow through 9:14
12. Shifting the hips to balance the body over the foot 2:56
13. Animating the hip sway to give the mid-body some weight 6:15
14. Rotating the chest control to add a sense of locomotion 4:16
15. Shoulder twisting will be used to help the body move the arms 5:34
16. Adjusting and animating the upper arms 4:57
17. Animating the lower arms and adding follow through 8:21
18. Animating the wrists to add weight to the arms 5:27
19. Adjusting the scapula to get some rotation in the shoulder 4:16
20. Rotating the shoulders in X to create forward movement 8:17
21. Adding final tweaks to fix any interpenetration 3:38
22. Bonus Lesson: Adding forward translation to the character so it moves forward 3:15
23. Bonus Lesson: Converting the male walk cycle into a female walk cycle 13:14