Character Design & Rigging Course

Become a Certified Character Designer & Rigger and master the art of bringing characters to life—from sketching concepts to building fully rigged 2D/3D models ready for animation. Learn character anatomy, expressive design, and professional rigging pipelines used in films, games, and animation studios.

Key Highlights

Live Sessions by Animation & Game Industry Professionals

80+ Hours of Instructor-Led + Self-Paced Learning

10+ Design-to-Rigging Projects (2D & 3D Characters)

Tools: Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, Blender, Maya, Toon Boom, Spine

About the Character Design & Rigging Course Overview

This course equips you with industry-level skills to design original characters and prepare them for animation. Ideal for aspiring animators, concept artists, and indie game developers, the program emphasizes creativity, anatomical accuracy, and technical rigging workflows.

What Courses Will This Program Offer?

Divided into 9 detailed modules, the course covers everything from character ideation to rigging and motion preparation.

Course Curriculum

Online Instructor-led Interactive Sessions:

Course 1: Introduction to Character Design Principles & Genres
Course 2: Human & Creature Anatomy for Artists
Course 3: Sketching & Finalizing Character Concepts
Course 4: Clean Line Art & Color Styling (2D Design)
Course 5: Modeling Characters in 3D (Low-Poly & High-Poly)
Course 6: UV Unwrapping & Texturing Characters
Course 7: 2D Bone Rigging with Toon Boom & Spine
Course 8: 3D Rigging with Controllers (IK/FK, Facial Rigs)
Course 9: Skinning, Weight Painting & Deformation Fixes
Capstone Project: Create & Rig a Fully Functional 2D or 3D Character with Exportable Animation-Ready Setup

What Skills Will You Master in This Course?

By the end of the course, you’ll be able to create expressive characters and prepare them for any animation pipeline:

Character Concept Art Development
Proportions & Stylization Techniques
3-View Turnarounds & Pose Sheets
2D Rigging with Hierarchies & Bones
Blender/Maya Rigging Systems
Facial Rigging with Shape Keys / Blend Shapes
Joint Setup, Parenting & IK Constraints
Weight Painting & Smooth Deformation
PBR Texturing for Game/Film Characters
Rig Testing with Action Cycles

Why Pursue a Career in Character Design & Rigging?

Every animated film, video game, or VFX shot begins with strong character design and clean rigging. Whether for 2D mobile games or AAA game titles, demand for skilled riggers and designers is rapidly growing. These roles also offer freelancing and indie project opportunities with strong creative freedom.

What Does a Character Designer or Rigger Do?

Design unique, appealing characters with a clear silhouette
Prepare rig-ready models with proper topology
Create functional rigs for animators to work with
Troubleshoot deformation issues and improve rig performance
Collaborate with animation, modeling, and game development teams

With 2–3 months of focused learning and a strong portfolio project, you’ll be ready for roles like 2D/3D Character Artist, Rigger, Game Asset Designer, or Animation Pipeline Specialist.

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Skills Covered in This Course

Character Silhouette Design
Body Proportions & Facial Anatomy
Stylized vs Realistic Design Styles
Sketching & Digital Inking
Line of Action & Dynamic Poses
Character Color Theory
3D Topology for Animation
UV Unwrapping & Texture Painting
Spine & Toon Boom Rigging (2D)
Inverse & Forward Kinematics (IK/FK)
Bone Constraints & Custom Controls
Face Rigging (Blend Shapes, Bones, Shape Keys)
Joint Placement & Bone Hierarchies
Auto-Rigging Tools (Mixamo, Auto-Rig Pro, Advanced Skeleton)
Auto-Rigging Tools (Mixamo, Auto-Rig Pro, Advanced Skeleton)
Geometry Cleanup for Rigging
Testing with Walk, Run, Jump Cycles
Facial Expressions & Lip Sync Preparation
Exporting Rigs for Animation Pipelines
Creating Rig Libraries for Reuse
Retopology Techniques
PBR Texturing for Stylized Characters
Asset Naming & Layer Management
Mirroring Weights & Poses
Performance Optimization
Real-Time Preview Techniques
Rigging for Unity & Unreal Engine
Portfolio Project Development
Feedback & Iteration Process

Companies That Believe in Our Alumni

150+

Hiring Partners

1000+

Career Transitions

70 to 80%

Average Salary Hike

20 Lakhs Highest Salary

Highest Salary

Why people choose DSIFD School for their career

The Character Design & Rigging Course was exactly what I needed to bring my drawings to life. I learned how to create expressive characters and rig them for smooth animations. Now I’m working on my own short animated film!

I had no idea how to rig characters before this course. The lessons made it so easy to understand each step. Thanks to my new skills, I’ve started freelancing as a character artist for indie game studios!

This course boosted my confidence as an artist. Designing characters with personality and then rigging them for motion was so satisfying. I even added my final project to my portfolio and landed an interview at an animation company!

I always loved sketching but didn’t know how to animate my characters. The Character Design & Rigging Course helped me learn industry-standard software and techniques. Now I’m creating animated reels for social media clients!

Character Design & Rigging Course

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