Rigging the eyes

00:04

So we have the eye controls here.

00:06

And all we want to do is make the eye joints look directly at them.

00:11

So no matter where the controls go,

00:13

the eyes will always be looking in their direction.

00:16

First, let's create an offset group for the eye control.

00:20

So we can add in the space swapping

00:23

and rename it to look at control. Offset,

00:27

match the group's transforms to the control

00:31

and then move the offset group to the I group.

00:34

Now move the lookout control. So it's parented to its offset group.

00:40

We now need to clean up the values and the controls,

00:44

we can do this quickly freezing their transforms.

00:47

OK. That's better.

00:49

We want the left eye joint to stay looking at the left eye control.

00:54

So when it moves the eye joint follows,

00:57

we can achieve this with another constraint.

01:01

Again, I'm using a constraint. So we retain the translation values on the joint

01:05

for when the animation is baked and exported,

01:09

go to constrain, aim and open the options,

01:14

just reset this.

01:17

So this constraint will make one node, aim at another.

01:22

First, we specify an aim vector. So this is the axis, the joint will be aiming along.

01:28

We can see here. This needs to be the Z axis.

01:32

Each of these boxes represents the xy and Z axis.

01:37

So we just put a one in the third box which represents Z

01:42

unset X the first box to zero.

01:47

Next, we need an up vector.

01:50

This is set to Y by default, which is the same as what we need.

01:54

You see the joints, Y axis is pointing up,

01:58

select the left eye control first

02:01

and then add the left eye joint to the selection

02:05

and apply.

02:07

It's important that the eye control is directly in front of the

02:11

joint or the joint will move to look at the control.

02:15

Now, as we move the control, the eye follows,

02:18

let's turn the textures back on so we can see the eye in its full glory.

02:24

That's better.

02:26

OK? Now the right eye

02:29

select the control and then the joint

02:31

and apply.

02:33

We can use the same settings because both eye joints have the same orientations.

02:38

Let's hide the joints

02:41

and the Y frame.

02:44

OK. There we go.

02:46

We can now animate his eyes.

02:49

You see no matter where I place his head,

02:52

the eyes stay locked on the controls.