Character Rigging with Deformers in Toon Boom Harmony

When it comes to character rigging with deformers in Toon Boom Harmony, there are a few things to keep in mind. One of the most important considerations is that once you've changed the name of a layer or added a new one to one of your characters, the rig won't work as expected. In order to avoid this issue, simply collapse the Main layer, copy the keys, and paste them into the collapsed Main layer of your other character.

It's also important to note that both hierarchies must be exactly the same in order for the rig to function properly. This means that if you have an animation that you want to copy from Tarzan to Jane, for example, you'll need to make sure that the hierarchies are identical before attempting to apply the rig.

Once you've set up your character with a rig, you can start drawing every layer and adjusting the pivots or deformers to each drawing. This will allow you to use the same rig on different characters simply by adding a peg with a different name at the top of the hierarchy.

For example, you could have your rig under a peg called 'main,' which would enable you to easily switch between characters without having to recreate the entire rig from scratch. In fact, I've found it helpful to create a template character rigged with empty drawings that I can use again and again.

While this approach does require some extra organization and attention to detail, it can save you a significant amount of time in the long run. By keeping your rig well-organized and adjusting the bones or deformers (I prefer to use deformers) and their pivots to the dimensions of every character, you'll be able to achieve consistent results across all of your characters.

Overall, character rigging with deformers in Toon Boom Harmony is a powerful tool that can help you streamline your workflow and create high-quality animations. With a little practice and patience, you'll be able to master this technique and take your animation skills to the next level.

Character rigging with deformers in toon boom harmony