Animator Tal Minks has unveiled HandCraft Pro, a Maya plugin that captures hand animation using only a standard webcam. This machine-learning-based tool extracts the positions of an animator’s fingers from video footage and applies them to any Maya character with a five-fingered rig. By integrating with Mediapipe, Google’s suite of machine-learning libraries, and being trained on thousands of hand images, HandCraft Pro offers a unique approach to hand animation.
Streamlined Workflow with Reusable Templates
The workflow requires some initial manual setup, as demonstrated in this tutorial video, but users can save and reuse templates for any five-fingered rig, making the process more efficient over time. Suggested applications include blocking in hand poses for further refinement, building pose libraries, and adding hand motion to full-body motion capture data.
An Alternative to Traditional Mocap Methods
HandCraft Pro presents an alternative to existing hand motion capture systems, such as finger-tracking gloves from Rokoko, Manus, and StretchSense, as well as conventional optical capture methods. It requires no specialized equipment, and Minks claims it produces “the cleanest mocap curves I’ve ever seen,” allowing artists to edit poses within Maya during capture.
System Requirements and Pricing
HandCraft Pro is compatible with Maya 2022 and later versions on Windows only. The software is available on a rental basis, with licenses priced at $40 per year for freelancers and starting at $100 per year for studios.
For more information, visit the HandCraft Pro website.
Note: As with any new technology, it’s advisable to thoroughly test HandCraft Pro before integrating it into production pipelines.
