top of page

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.

Registration is closed
See other events
Advanced Facial Rigging Workshop (Winter 2025)
Advanced Facial Rigging Workshop (Winter 2025)

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

ree

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

    Sold Out

This event is sold out

Share this event

©2024 by HAT Rigs (Hector Abraham Torres)

bottom of page