How-to-create... 2D Digital Cut-out Animation in Maya 2018

After the success of last years Exquisite Corpses Halloween Intervention Day (see earlier posts) with the Animation, Stop Motion and Games Animation students at Staffordshire University I have been super keen to get this style of character creation going again but with animation as well.  

Having toyed with the idea of using DuIK through After Effects and a few other options I finally went for my usual weapon of choice; Maya 2018. 

The following images are the lecture notes / guide that was given to the students; some of which are not natural CG animators. The results were great and I will posting them as a single film once they are compiled together and edited.

This project is by no means over and will continue (hopefully soonish) with boned IK limbs, animated textures and Set driven keys to control animated textures.