DuIK Tools - Inverse Kinematics for After Effects! on Vimeo

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Welcome DuIK Tool's very first English language tutorial!

DuIK Tools is a revolutionary Inverse Kinematics script for After Effects developed by Nicolas Dufresne a.k.a DuDuf (vimeo.com/duduf) which brings the principles behind 3D rigging to After Effects, giving greater precision and faster, more lifelike animations!

Check here for an example of it in action: vimeo.com/7908382

Click here for the skeleton source file: tinyurl.com/yjmy6uj

For more info, visit DuIK's site: ik.duduf.com

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I stumbled upon it randomly through Google a few weeks ago. A single post in an Andrew Kramer forum was raving about the technique but lamenting the fact that there was no English language tutorials out there. The cry was for Mr. Kramer himself to do one but the big man was probably too busy on some Hollywood blockbuster to hear his disciples in need. So, I thought I'd step in...for the greater good of the community, of course.

Thanks to DuDuf for letting me put the word out there. This script is amazing! It has totally revolutionized my animations and increased the bounds of my creative spectrum. This is my first tutorial so I hope it serves its purpose. Any comments or suggestions on how I could improve this tutorial would be most appreciated!

There is much more to DuIK which I will explore in future tutorials. I just wanted to share its central essence, so other people could enjoy playing with it like I have.

Cheers!

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twitter.com/famostv

Credits

FAMOS
DuDuF
DuIK tools' creator

806 Likes

Sam Welker
6 hours ago
RedGunner
21 hours ago
Júnior Schmitt
1 day ago
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1 day ago
Felipe Fox
1 day ago
nonameyet
2 days ago
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2 days ago
Rick Clapham
3 days ago
Nikita Vereshchagin
4 days ago
Roman Potapenko
4 days ago

Tags

Craig Wall 2 years ago

I started to watch and then I decided I would be better served by doing one myself, so I'm still working through it. But I wanted to say thanks for the great tut!
FAMOS 2 years ago

Thanks Craig, appreciate it! Good luck with your experiments.
Kathy Kennedy 1 year ago

Thanks Famos for this tutorial. I had a situation during the week that required just this and tried out the script on Motionscript but couldn't get it to work for me. I had to animate an arm writing on to a whiteboard but the joints didn't move smoothly when I animated everything manually and the null didn't do what I wanted it o do. This is the perfect solution and your tutorial makes the process really clear.
Rodney Gordon 2 years ago

Thanks alot.
FAMOS 2 years ago

Cheers Rodney!
eladbari 2 years ago

i was actually thinking of doing a project with a walk cycle, but using the puppet tool would be just horrible for that, i bet [too much unwanted twisting\distorting and all]. This pretty much saves our Asses! So thanx alot for your effort, FAMOS! :D ..p.s-would be nice to see u animate the actual walk cycle sometime.. :]
FAMOS 2 years ago

Thanks dude! Yeah, i'll be doing that tutorial next. Probably over the weekend. It's super simple. There's a brief descripton on vimeo.com/7908382, if you can't wait.
Colin Evoy Sebestyen 2 years ago

fantastic stuff man. Thanks for the breakdown. Saving us time over this-
motionscript.com/design-guide/ik.html
FAMOS 2 years ago

Tell me about it. Though I haven't tried an MC Hammer style clown with DuIK yet, so I'm not sure how it compares.
saeed zare 2 years ago

awesome
FAMOS 2 years ago

Cheers!
Todd Smith 2 years ago

Great work Stuart.
FAMOS 2 years ago

Thanks Todd! Feels good to be giving back.
Minds Eye Projects LLC 2 years ago

Good work.
FAMOS 2 years ago

Much appreciated!
mafia limited 2 years ago

great stuff, famos! except for the longbreathed "anchor point tweaking" a very informative and well done tutorial. i think we have a successor for mr. kramer here! ;)
FAMOS 2 years ago

There you go Mr. Mafia. A new, shorter tutorial with faster anchor point tweaking.
Mikhel Jaffe 2 years ago

You Rock
FAMOS 2 years ago

No. You rock!
antonio vicentini 2 years ago

great! thanks alot
FAMOS 2 years ago

Your welcome. I look forward to see what you do with it!
EJ Hassenfratz 2 years ago

thanks for this man, and keep rockin the 5SP's!
FAMOS 2 years ago

Cheers EJ! Still wavering slightly over the next 5SP but, hopefully, I'll stumble upon something in my bag.
Sehreiz 2 years ago

thanks bro!
FAMOS 2 years ago

My pleasure. And thanks for adding me to your album.
Shannon Wilkerson 2 years ago

Just ran into your tutorial, and MY GOD!! this is going to take my animation to a whole new level. Thanks for the tutorial man.
FAMOS 2 years ago

A pleasure. I had exactly the same reaction when I found this script. Just happy other people get to share the joy!
Martin Friedrich 2 years ago

Great tutorial and a great script! Can't wait for your next one with that scientific aproach.
FAMOS 2 years ago

Thanks Martin! Working on it. It might end up on Aetuts now, but I'll let you know!
The Great Zimm 2 years ago

AMAZING!!! Thank you......Give me more. Please, I'm begging.
FAMOS 2 years ago

Cheers! Doing a tutorial has made me incredibly thankful for comments just like this! I won't let you down.
Mike Joyner 2 years ago

Great tutorial. I have never heard of this script before and you made me very excited to expand my animations with it. I hope you do more. You really did a fine job. I hope AEtuts picks this up. They would be foolish not to.
FAMOS 2 years ago

Thanks Mike, much appreciated. I contacted Aetuts and they do want this tutorial. They also wanted me to pull it from Vimeo for exclusivity, which I just couldn't bring myself to do (nostalgia and all that...). However, I offered to record a new and improved version which will be up on their site soon. So that's quite an honour.
Ryan Somerville 2 years ago

thanks for the tutorial! i didn't even hesitate to donate to DuDuf, such an awesome script!
FAMOS 2 years ago

Cheers Ryan! And thanks for donating! DuDuf must have sunk a fair few hours into development so I'm sure it's much appreciated!
Lee 2 years ago

Great stuff . Thanks for script link and keep us updated on more awesome scripts .
FAMOS 2 years ago

Thanks! I've been a bit lazy over xmas, but with the new year comes new energy! I shall see what new excitement I can conjure up.
Najork 2 years ago

Pretty sweet. Still, I'd like to see it follow the controller in 3D space as well. I think some auto orientation expression in the base of the chain could probably accomplish this.
FAMOS 2 years ago

Thanks Najork! I've forwarded your suggestion to DuDuf. 3D rigging in AE would be awesome indeed.
Luchiano Prata 2 years ago

Pure genius!!! awesome!!
Tahnks 4 tut!
Greetings!!
FAMOS 2 years ago

Greetings back! I agree - this script is pure genius!
dogimo 2 years ago

great tut, happy to see that nicolas's work is recognized because he really is doing a great work!
DuIK tools are lifetime savers and everyone should be using it. thx for making this english tut.
FAMOS 2 years ago

Cheers dogimo. I totally agree. When I found DuIK I was shocked there was no English language tutorial. I think it's an essential tool for any animator. AETuts have asked me to do a tutorial for them, so hopefully this will give Nicolas even more exposure, something he definitely deserves for all his hard work!
Aleksander Saharovsky 2 years ago

Man!!! Awesome!!! Thanks!!!

Greetings from São Paulo - Brazil
FAMOS 2 years ago

Greetings back! Thanks for the comment. Hope it helps!!
Adam Jedrzejewski 2 years ago

Great thanks for sharing
FAMOS 2 years ago

Pleasure!
gnaji 2 years ago

Awesome work! Thank you very much for sharing this with us, ... Great tutorial!
FAMOS 2 years ago

Thank you very much!
naim alwan 2 years ago

Thanks Bro Great Tut :)
FAMOS 2 years ago

Thanks dude!
roberta ramalho 2 years ago

hey stu once again congrats! and a big thank youu
FAMOS 2 years ago

Thanks Roberta! DD15 fo life!
Joe Farani 2 years ago

Thanks Famos and DuIK just doing my last Project before I graduate in Video Post Prodn and I chose a 1:50s animation in 2dAfter Effects and this has given me some hope around how to tackle some character animations .. Thank you friend for giving this 42 yr old late starter some hope
FAMOS 2 years ago

It's not how you start - it's how you finish. Besides, 42 is the new 32. And 32 is the new 22. Add in DuIK Tools and you might as well be 19 again. Good luck with your animation. If you have any questions, just let me know.
darin suthapong 2 years ago

awesome awesome tutorial! Thanks much!
FAMOS 2 years ago

Cheers Darin. Much appreciated!
darin suthapong 2 years ago

Also... If you parent the head to the chest...that eliminates the problem of head popping out too.
FAMOS 2 years ago

You could. But you would lose the ability to rotate the head using the C_Head controller. A matter of personal preference really depending on how you want your character to move. There really is no right or wrong!
Lluís Domingo 2 years ago

This is pure awesome!

Great tips and tutorial!

Thank you so much for sharing this with us!

Keep it rollin'!!!
directrix 2 years ago

this rules! thanks for the information!
patrick siemer 2 years ago

quite informative tutorial for an awesome script.
One little thing confuses me, At about 9:25 in the movie
there is an edit, then suddenly all the controllers are parented in some way that is not explained. Have any of the above commenters actually done the tutorial? If you have, please enlighten me....Thanks!
FAMOS 2 years ago

Hi Patrick. The edit may be a little confusing as the controller layers are in a slightly different order after the jump. However, the actual parenting is no different, so it doesn't affect the end result. I hope that clears it up for you. If not, let me know!
thpriest 2 years ago

great tutorial. thx
FAMOS 2 years ago

Cheers!!
Justin Brown 2 years ago

This is pretty awesome man. Many thanks!

p.s. I actually kinda of like the video you made without the plugin. Kinda weird I know... :0)
FAMOS 2 years ago

I think I do too! I think it's cause I went full retard on it. And good things always happen when you go full retard.
Roger Dean Oldén 2 years ago

Thank you very much, good and fast tutorial, I really want to see the animation tutorial also! Not thats it hard to animate but to see how you do it and perhaps learn how to be more effective! :)
FAMOS 2 years ago

Thanks Roger! Yeah, I've been slack following up with this tutorial. I'm currently working on my final project here at VFS and that's been sucking all the life out of me at the moment. I have been chatting to a friend of mine in the classical animation department though, specifically in regards to creating smooth walk cycles an so I really hope translate that into a DuIK workflow. Though you'll have to wait a little while longer, I'm afraid.
Henrique Machado 2 years ago

I studied the Skeleton´s tutorial. Dude! I was stoked.
Just to chat even. If you do not answer stupid questions like that, okay, I'll understand.
But... Since I will start experimenting now... Is it a good tactic to use images of real movies, like Mel Gibson running in hot pursuit ... or something?
Thank you, Famos. You're the best!

Henrique Machado
Azeitona Filmes
FAMOS 2 years ago

Ha! There is no such thing as a stupid question. Using real images is a great tactic. The only thing you have to look out for is the area where the layers meet because when they rotate you can see that they are separated whereas, in real life, Mel Gibson is obviously only on one layer. One big, drunken layer.
Michael Lansdell 2 years ago

Hi, great tutorial and an amazing plugin, but I've hit a problem... Hope you don't mind me asking you about it?

When I select my layers; Toes, Heel, Calf, Thigh and then the Controller and click the "Create an IK" button, I get the message: "Select the bones and controller before creating IK" But surely I just did that!?

Sorry to be a pest, but I have such massive excitement over using this that I need to know what I'm doing wrong!

Thank you, I'll be sure to post you a link once I've got it working, so you can see how you've helped me :o)
Michael Lansdell 2 years ago

I think I worked it out, is there anyway you know of around the limitation of three bones and a controller?
Michael Lansdell 2 years ago

Going to stop spamming your wall, but I said I'd post a link once I'd done something:

vimeo.com/9358130

Not impressive or anything, but from tiny acorns, or something...
FAMOS 1 year ago

Nice work Michael! Glad to see it in action! And tiny acorns indeed. I look forward to seeing your mighty oak. Wait... that sounded vaguely dirty...
jason bass 2 years ago

Holy crap....that's amazing! i'm speechless but speaking loudly because i'm in shock!!!!!1!
FAMOS 1 year ago

Now you know how I felt when I first stumbled upon it!
Jason Preziosi 2 years ago

Thanks for the great Tutorial.
FAMOS 1 year ago

Cheers Jason!
Raman KM 1 year ago

very nice, dunno if you can help but somehow the joints are loose, I double checked and everything is parented as is in your tutorial but when I move the left foot controller (for example) things move but it breaks at the knee joints hmmmm ...
FAMOS 1 year ago

Hi Raman - have you scaled any of the layers before adding the controllers? That can cause problems. If you have scaled or altered the dimensions in any way you need to pre-compose that layer first before adding the controller (making sure to readjust the orientation point, of course). Hope that helps, and sorry for the delay! Didn't see your comment!
masha_r 1 year ago

I am having the same exact issue as Raman. Once I start to move the controls -- all of the limbs disconnect from their 'pins'. Ideas....?
FAMOS 1 year ago

Hi Masha - check out my reply above. Cheers!
Jeff Talbott 1 year ago

Holy Crap! Nicolas Dufresne is a genius. Thank you so much for sharing this. I can't wait to start animating
Jeff Talbott 1 year ago

They featured this on AE TUTS

ae.tutsplus.com/articles/roundup/54-highly-resourceful-after-effects-tutorials/
FAMOS 1 year ago

Yeah - I was supe stoked about that. I've actually been in contact with AE Tuts and they want me to do a more comprehensive tutorial. So that's coming up as soon I complete my year here at VFS.....so much work, so little time.
Diego Sato 1 year ago

sweet, i'll give it a try :D
3Dementia 1 year ago

This is fantastic Stuart! Man much gratitude for sharing this. From a 3D rigging back ground, this should be easy. This is great, now you can rig in After Effects!!!!! Mad props man. I am digging this like no tomorrow. Thanks Aleksander for turning me on to this. Famos is fabulous.
3Dementia 1 year ago

An easy subscribe. Again thanks Famos. Much more thanks to the creator of this plugin, and its effin free!
Kjetil Myhre Berge 1 year ago

Awesome! Thanks! :D
Franco Bertoncini Andrade 1 year ago

Thanks a lot, later I'll post mine here!
jairo neto 1 year ago

This is a top notch tutorial! Thanks!
Gabriela Mudado 1 year ago

Thank you SO much! This tutorial almost made me cry.
Talmore 1 year ago

Very awesome! Thank you! I ran through your tutorial with my own art work from illustrator, but when I moved the ik controller the end (hand or foot) flys off. What did I do wrong? The motion of the rest of the limb is beautiful, there is just a random unit flying around.

Thanks
FAMOS 1 year ago

yo. probably need to pre-compose the individuals layers first. Position the layers where you want them. Pre-compose them. Then add the controllers and IK.

Hope that works!
Talmore 1 year ago

Thanks for the rapid response! I tried precomps and it solved the problem i was having but caused others. I ended up taking my artwork into photoshop and rasterized it (gasp). The script works fine now. Though it would be nice to beable to use vectors. Thanks again for the advice.

Your animations are great btw. Hows the final project going?
PATOMOLINA! 1 year ago

exlente result!
you could do a tutorial, I can not give the same result with puppet, like this video!!!

vimeo.com/10107580
DuIK Tools - Inverse Kinematics + Puppet Tool in After Effects!
Ugly Boy 1 year ago

This is utterly amazing, astonishing...there aren't enough words.

The ONE thing I cannot seem to get right is the angle of the left foot - here, when you apply IK and move the controller, the toes always point forward. For me they always point up. What'd I miss?
Ugly Boy 1 year ago

Figured it out - after watching this video closely I noticed the version of the DuIK panel was 10 and I was using 11 - installed the old panel, rigged the skeleton and created the IK - as I was about to compare the old and new code I noticed that an "IK Goal" had been applied...so went back to v11, IK-goaled the foot and it worked the same.

Well, can't say enough how brilliant this DuIK is, and can't wait to create some more material with it.
Thank you thank you thank you!
Richard Shaw 1 year ago

Thanks for the brilliant tutorial (and of course also to Duduf for the script). I recently did some work for a charity concert and this really helped. See the animations here: youtube.com/gleeanimated