Advanced Facial Rigging Workshop (Winter 2025)
Wed, Jan 07
|Recorded & Live Meet Sessions
7-weeks workshop - Learn how to rig character faces using technical and artistic techniques in Maya.


Time & Location
Jan 07, 2026, 7:00 p.m. PST – Feb 25, 2026, 9:00 p.m. PST
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.
Our workshops combine flexible self-paced learning with live feedback and community support.
🎥 Weekly live sessions on Google Meet focused on review, and personalized feedback from your instructor.
📺 Recorded lessons with assigments every week in English with optional Spanish subtitles
💬 Discord community with classmates and instructor for questions and collaboration
🌍 Live feedback available in English or Spanish, based on your preference
⏳ Access to all course content for 2 years after completion, so you can keep learning at your own pace.
🧑🤝🧑 Two 3D character models included, free to use them in your practices and demo reel (or bring your own).
Attending live sessions is optional, all sessions are recorded, and your feedback can be captured in the recordings.
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: Jan 07, 2026
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: Jan 14, 2026
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: Jan 21, 2026
Week 3
corrective blendshapes on joints
Combo shapes
connections vs constraints setup
Ribbon applications
local controls
Assignment: Lips Rig
Live Session: Jan 28, 2026
Week 4
Motion Path applications
Types of curves
Blendshapes splitting
Inbetween Shapes
Assignment: Brows Rig
Live Session: Feb 04, 2026
Week 5
basic vs complex eyelid setup
Wires applications
Different blendshapes applications
Eye Sockets setup
Assignment: Eyelids Rig
Live Session: Feb 11, 2026
Week 6 & 7
Nonlinear Maya deformers
Extra Corrective shapes
Combining local rig to main rig
Expressions animation test
Assignment: Extra deformers and finish rig
Live Session: Feb 25, 2026
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; 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 two groups, one meeting on Tuesdays and the other on Wednesdays.
Order Details
Advanced Face Rigging Workshop
A 6-week Workshop focused on advanced facial rigging techniques.
US$675.00
+US$16.88 ticket service fee
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This event is sold out