EXPRESSIVE RIGGING
2D ANIMATION
DURATION SOFTWARE
0:15 After Effects, Procreate
Create a 3-10 second character animation showcasing a complex facial rig created solely using expressions in After Effects.
Project Brief
In terms of a visual style, I really wanted to put my illustration chops to the test. I was inspired by children’s illustration and illustrative media like pastel and fine liners. I wanted to make sure that everything in the design felt cohesive with the movement, to give an excited, bubbly energy.
THE DESIGN
THE CHALLENGE
Manual Rigging using Expressions
The most difficult part of this animation was setting up the rig. I had to make sure that little Meredith could turn, zoom, and stretch so I could fully convey the emotions required for this animation. I did this by setting up position, scale, and rotation values as sliders, angles, menus, and checkboxes to streamline the animation process.
TAKE AWAYS
This was one of my first times taking a crack at expressive character animation, and it took a lot of failed attempts and a LOT of key frames. Still, one of the things that helped me the most was acting it out. It helped give me a realistic base from which I could create an exaggerated animation.