Creating a Rabbit in Blender: Part 7

Creating a Rabbit in Blender: Part 7

What You'll Be Creating

1. Rigging

Step 1

Start Blender and open the file which was saved in the last part of the tutorial. Add a new Armature using Shift-A.

Step 2

With the armature selected, tab into edit mode.

Step 3

On the bone tab to the right side, rename the bone to Root.

Step 4

Ensure you stay in Edit mode. 

Note: Rotation in Edit mode and Object mode are different.

Step 5

On the Pivot Point up top, set it to 3D Cursor.

Step 6

In side view, rotate (R) the bone at 90 degrees.

Step 7

Insert a new bone (Shift-A) and drag it up.

Step 8

Place the bone as shown in the following image and subdivide it (W).

Step 9

Select the circle on top part of the divided bone.

Step 10

Extrude bone for the neck (E) as shown in the following image.

Step 11

Extrude again for the head.

Step 12

On the bone tab, rename these bones as shown in the following image.

Step 13

Add a new bone (Shift-A) for the legs.

Step 14

Place it as shown.

Step 15

Rotate it at 180 degrees.

Step 16

Make the placement.

Step 17

Adjust the rotation / position.

Step 18

Turn to side view and re-position the top circle.

Step 19

Select the bottom circle.

Step 20

Extrude in the Y-axis for feet.

Step 21

Switch the view and make sure the bone is pointing towards the middle of the foot.

Step 22

Select the bone shown and subdivide (W) it.

Step 23

Switch to side view and bend the knee a little bit.

Step 24

Rename the bones as shown.

Step 25

Select the feet bone and duplicate (Shift-D) it for Inverse Kinematics (IK).

Step 26

Rename it as foot.IK.L.

Step 27

Add a new bone (Shift-A).

Step 28

Rotate it at 135 degrees.  

Step 29

Place it as shown in the following image.

Step 30

Grab the circle on the end and position it on the wrist.

Step 31

Extrude for hand bones.

Step 32

Select the hand bone and subdivide (W) it.

Step 33

Select the middle circle and adjust accordingly.

Step 34

Select the arm bone and subdivide it (W).

Step 35

Select the middle circle and re-position it for elbow.

Step 36

Go to side view and re-select the circle from Step 33 (on the hands) and extrude it for thumbs.

Step 37

Select thumb bone and Disconnect Bone (Alt-P).

Step 38

Re-position the bone.

Step 39

Select the circle shown and re-position it.

Step 40

Select the circle between the two bones on arms and re-position it to be a little bit behind (on the Y-axis) the other circle on the arms.

Step 41

Rename the arm bones like so.

Step 42

Duplicate the bone (Shift-D) for IK.

Step 43

Rename the bone to hand.IK.L.

Step 44

Add a new bone (Shift-A) for ear.

Step 45

Position it as shown in the following image.

Step 46

Re-position the circle.

Step 47

Subdivide (W) the bone.

Step 48

Select the middle circle and re-position.

Step 49

Rename the bones as shown in the following image.

Conclusion

In the next and last part of this series, I'll conclude the rigging process.