Keywords: Maya, Curve, Animation, Rigging

Type Curves

Create -> Type:

Then edit the text:

Then generate 2D Curves from the 3D Type:

Then delete the geometry.

You can also merge multiple curves into one. See: Curve Merging

NURBS Curves

Create -> NURBS Primitives.

Right click -> Control Vertex.

Then you can deform the shape.

You can also create a sphere to use as a Handle for facial animation.

Curve Tools

Create -> Cruve Tools.

CV Curve Tool.

Hit num 3 to smooth curve. (hit num 1 to cancle smoothing)

EP Curve Tool.
Hard angle: (Hold X to snap the point to the grid)

Soft angle:

Pencil Curve Tool.

Bezier Curve Tool.
Click and hold down LMB to create and tweak the Bezier Handles.

Bezier Curve Tool

Q: How to close the Bezier curve?
A: Hold down Ctrl and Shift first, then move the cursor to the first anchor, when the Handle of first anchor appears, click LMB.

Hold Ctrl + Shift first before hover the cursor on the anchor, otherwise closing curve will be failed.

Q: How to select the anchor?
A: Hover the cursor on the anchor, when the handle appears, click LMB.

Q: How to move the anchor?
A: Select the anchor first, when the handle turns green, then hold LMB and drag.

Q: How to rotate the anchor?
A: Hover the cursor on the handle, when the handle truns red, then hold LMB and drag.

Q: How to rotate the anchor for single side?
A: Hover the cursor on the handle, when the handle truns red, then hold Ctrl, then hold LMB and drag.

Q: How to smooth the anchor?
A: Hold Shift and press RMB -> Bezier.

Q: How to add new anchor?
A: Just click the LMB.

Curve Merging

Right click hierarchical viewport -> Shapes, then the transform will be shown.

Then select the curve want to merge, then select the target root transform node, execute maya script: parent -r -s.

Why we can’t drag the curve directly? because the drag operation will move the transform into the target transform.

Finially you can delete the child transform.

References

Realtime Creature Rigging Workshop (7 / 19) : Control creation
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6jO9jQQfSL8

Plugins

Maya curve Creator v3
https://peerke.gumroad.com/l/cuHte

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