control curves rotation axis coinciding with joint rotation

rockit · 15-07-2011

Hi there, I donât know if anyone else has had this problem - but it is confounding us. When setting up a simple FK control curve on say the wrist for example, many times the control curve isnât exactly perpendicular to the local rotation axis of the joint movement, so when we position the control curve to be perpendicular to the joint - it has a rotational value added, but the rotational handles are lines up with the rotational handles of the joint that we want to move. Freeze Transformations: then the control curves rotational handle go back to being skewed (out of alignment with the joints) We want to Freeze transformations before constraining the curve, but weâd really to keep those rotations control handles to remain aligned with the joints rotational handles. This will make it an exact control when animating - grab the rotational handle of the curve, rotate it, and the joint will move exactly in the proper direction. Any ideas about how to get the rotational handle of any control curve to run perpendicular to the shape after freezing transformations?

Yup,
There is a process that I do to fix this issue.
1) Creat icons/control curves(nurbs preferably, polys require other settings). Vert snap to the root that it will control.
2)Scale as needed to shape and shape(you can position it further by switching to component node if needed as this adjustment will not affect the actual pivot point).
3)Select the control(icon shape you just created), and shift select the joint.
4) Hit 'P' to parent.
5) Press control G two times.
6) Shift 'P' to unparent
7) Name the new "pads" and control to your own naming conventions(mine is jointname_trashpad, and jointname_cleanpad, jointname_ctrl).
8) Now this is important!!!!! You should not have frozen transforms, and don't do it yet. You want to go to your rotates on the CONTROL, not the pads, and enter '0' for all the rotates only. You will see your control/icon snap to the proper orientation of your joint.
9) NOW you can freeze transforms to get rid of translates and scale information.
10) Lastly, this depends on how your control is controlling your joint, in this case like the fingers, I would grab my new control(not the pads!), shift select the joint and "orient constraint".
This should take care of any visual orientations that are messed up. However, the cleanpads now give you controls in which to add attributes and make it easier to animate because now the control has no transforms, only the trashpad will hold those values user added image

.
If you are still having issues, let me know!

control curves rotation axis coinciding with joint rotation

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