Free tutorial
IK-FK Switch
When to animate the legs in IK, when to animate them in FK, and how to switch mid-shot without a pop.
Watch the tutorial- Maya
- Beginner
The tutorial
Every leg in your shot is asking the same question: does the foot need to stay planted, or does it need to swing free? IK plants it and FK gives you clean arcs, and most shots need both. The frame where you switch is exactly where pops sneak in. This tutorial shows how I decide which mode each moment needs, and how I make the switch invisible.
What you'll learn
What IK and FK actually do
Two ways the rig can drive the same leg, from the foot up or from the hip down, and why neither one is "the right one".
When to use each one
Contacts and planted feet want IK. Kicks, swings and passing steps want FK. Reading the shot tells you before the rig does.
The switch without the pop
Matching the pose on the switch frame so the change of mode never shows up on screen.
Where it goes wrong
The cleanup pass: the frames to check after every switch, and the curves that give a hidden pop away.
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