"Kellyrig" The Skeletal Constraint System

Kellyrig is a a fully rigged, seamless 3D character created using Hash's Animation Master software. I created Kellyrig because I didn't like the way that the best leg setup to date was set up and felt they could be improved on and I went from there.

If you find any bugs, for me to rectify them it's best to make an action showing the mistake. Please send me your actions, if you make some up, I'd like to see how you animate so I can take that in to consideration and make a better rig.

Left Hand and Right Hand (pose sliders)
This pose slider makes the hand follow the hand control bones at 100% or follow the orientation of the forearm (this slider is good for roughing out animation)

Anchor bum- anchor shoulder (pose slider)
-Anchor bum controls where the spine anchors from the top of control bone to the bottom. Anchor bum when the bottom must be in a predictable position (stuck to the bottom point of the lower spine control bone) and and the shoulders are the flexible factor.

-Anchor shoulders when the shoulders must be in a predictable position (stuck to the top point of the top spine control bone) and the bottom is the flexible factor.

* Note on all the constraint switching poses:
These are based on two bones- one replaces another. This needs to be remembered when animating. It must be understood that between -99%--80% and 80%-99% the bone being replaced is visible so that you can align the bones to assure a smooth movement. At 100% the bone being replaced disappears!

Bum up or down (pose slider)
This pose replaces an upward pointing control bone for a downward pointing control bone. Upward is good for when the character is seated Down is good for when the character dances or shakes its bum.

Big Spine- Top Spine (pose slider)
This provides an option to have the traditional two bones above each other for those who prefer it or my new big bone/small bone configuration. There are four combinations of the control bones to mix and match.

***the "big spine con" and the "top spine con" translate the spinal column and leave the ik hands behind the fk arms move with the spinal column. *this is good for a character hanging on to the back of a truck with one hand (that arm is in ik mode) and the character is flopping around but their feet and one hand are attached.

IK-FK swiching (pose sliders)
IK arm
When in IK mode only bones visible there are the hand control & bicep bone. Use the hand control for translation and rotation. and the bicep bone for the control of the elbow. -when in ik mode use the hand control bone in a regular ik fashon.

FK arm
When in FK arm do not translate the hand control bone- use the forearm control bone and the rest of the fk arm as you would expect. The orientation of the hand is controled by the hand control bone.

*Heel Control Bone*
Heel control bone roll taps the toe! Lifting the tip of heel & rotating grinds the ball of the foot into the ground- Be sure to realign the heel & foot bone after grinding this will prevent the foot from getting out of alignment.

Extra Hidden Pose : - Knee Follows Feet +
For users to adjust the amount of knee control following the feet - 20% is the default setting (the lowest settings won't work).

I don't see myself as an animator, so if people who are could try and use this model and send me their feedback it would be much appreciated.

Robert Kelly
(meshsmooth@optushome.com.au)

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