Advanced Facial Rigging Workshop (Summer 2025)
Wed, Aug 20
|Recorded & Live Meet Sessions
6-weeks workshop - Learn how to rig character faces using technical and artistic techniques in Maya.
Time & Location
Aug 20, 2025, 7:00 p.m. PDT – Oct 01, 2025, 9:00 p.m. PDT
Recorded & Live Meet Sessions
About the event
Dive into the world of facial rigging, where you'll explore both the artistic and technical aspects needed to create high-quality deformations for animated films. In this advanced course, you'll learn the skills necessary to craft appealing, expressive facial rigs that meet the demanding standards of animated films.
The program includes recorded videos and live Google Meet sessions for weekly review and feedback.
The recorded lessons are presented in English, with the option of Spanish subtitles.
Live sessions can be conducted in either English or Spanish, depending on the preference of the student.
Live Sessions are optional, reviews and feedback can me recorded
Instructor
Hector Abraham Torres
Is a Character Rigger at Walt Disney Animation Studios with over 10 years of experience in the industry, he also worked at Sony Pictures Imageworks and other big animation studios.
He is also an international speaker and instructor which contributions have made him a respected figure in the animation community.
Projects worked:
- Tiana
- Moana 2
- Spider-Man Across the Spiderverse
- Monsters At Work
- Paw Patrol the Movie
- SpongeBob in the Run
- Max Stel Turbo
Overview / Syllabus
Week 0
Introductionand presentation
Short Live Session: Aug 20, 2025
Week 1
Face Anatomy (Muscles and bones structures)
Correct Topology for animation
Retopology tools in Maya
Marking Menus, Hotkeys, and Scripts.
Types of facial rigging
Assignment: Model ready to start the rig.
Live Session: Sep 03, 2025
Week 2
Creation of joints and controls
Constraints, connections and utility nodes
Follows
joints setup and skinning (Nose/Cheeks area)
Eyeball setup
Assignment: Jaw and skull Rig
Live Session: Sep 10, 2025
Week 3
corrective blendshapes on joints
Combo shapes
connections vs constraints setup
Ribbon applications
local controls
Assignment: Lips Rig
Live Session: Sep 17, 2025
Week 4
Motion Path applications
Types of curves
Blendshapes splitting
Inbetween Shapes
Assignment: Brows Rig
Live Session: Sep 24, 2025
Week 5
basic vs complex eyelid setup
Wires applications
Different blendshapes applications
Eye Sockets setup
Assignment: Eyelids Rig
Live Session: Oct 01, 2025
Week 6
Nonlinear Maya deformers
Extra Corrective shapes
Combining local rig to main rig
Expressions animation test
Assignment: Extra deformers and finish rig
Live Session: Oct 08, 2025
Optional extension week to wrap up assignments ahead of final project submission.
Level
Intermediate to advanced
This workshop is not intended for complete beginners, but everyone is welcome to join.
We will cover all the fundamentals, but the workshop spends more time on intermediate and advanced concepts.
Requirements
Computer with an internet connection and a microphone for online classes
Autodesk Maya 2019 or later installed
Body Rigging workshop or basic knowledge of Rigging is required
Groups are limited to only 10 students, so we recommend saving your spot in advance
If you have any questions or require alternative payment options, including installment plans,
please email us at contact@hatrigs.com
You can also reserve your spot with an initial payment by emailing us.
If there's enough interest, we may open up to two groups, one meeting on Tuesdays and the other on Wednesdays.