Creating Custom Shapes

So, the rig is finished, but it’s still not looking very intuitive. To fix that and to make the model easier to use, you can add custom shapes to the bones (see Figure 11.16). You can use any model or curve as a custom shape for the bones.

Figure 11.16 Using custom shapes for Jim’s rig

When you select a bone in Pose Mode, on the Bone tab of the Properties Editor, in the Display panel, there is a field for Custom Shape. Just insert the name of the shape (any object) you want to use instead of the bone. This is only an aesthetic feature; it has no influence in the functionalities of the bone. Once you set it, there is another option to enable wireframes; this will show only the edges of the object you’ve selected as a custom shape.

Usually, this is the procedure for creating a custom shape: you create a plane or a circle (for example) and name it (an S_ prefix will help you recognize this is a shape). You select the bone and apply the new object as a custom shape. It may look out of place, so if necessary, go back to the object, enter Edit Mode, and, keeping an eye to how the bone is displaying the custom shape, you can adjust it, scale it, and rotate it. Once you’re happy with the shape, repeat the same process for every controller bone. Then, send all the shape objects to a layer and hide it.