Limber 2 updates make their way to Character Animation Launchpad!

The worlds best character animation tool just got way better!

Limber 2 was released just about a month ago and if you haven't noticed already, we've made some major updates to the course to accommodate all the various updates and added functionality that Limber 2 brings to character animation in After Effects. 

Limber 2 brings new limb types to accomodate more types of artwork. It now works with the puppet pin tool as well as introducing the "precomp" limb type to rig raster artwork. Previous versions of Limber really only supported vector layers, so this is a very welcomed addition. 

We now have a new animation mode to complement IK and FK, called FreeK, opening up a new world of possibilities when it comes to animation in After Effects. 

So what exactly has changed in the course?

First of all, the entire UI of the Limber panel has completely changed. Additionally the process of rigging character limbs has been updated and I felt that it was neccesary to reproduce some of the lessons using Limber 2. Beyond reproducing lessons there are some critical changes that needed to be covered like 'FK' controllers being replaced with 'locators'. 

But its not just re-recording old lessons with the new tool. We've added lessons to explain each new limb type and when to use them. Even though the process for rigging each limb type remains generally the same, the artwork preparation for different types of formats can vary. For example, the process for preparing artwork in photoshop can be a bit different than in Illustrator.

I've also made sure to provide more resources in the lessons for your to download and practice with. I always encourage you to create your own characters, but its helpful to have a starting point. 

If I've already learn Limber 1, do I need to go through the entire course again? 

Not neccesarily. Animations principles remain the same, indpendent of which tool you use to rig your character. But if you want to see how the process for rigging has changed from Limber 1 to Limber 2, it might be helpful to watch any lesson dealing with rigging specifically. 

I've also left up the old lessons for those who continue to choose Limber 1 as their tool of choice. 

Future Plans

While all the updates right now are focused on the rigging portion of the course, I do have plans to update the animation lessons with the new Limber 2. Additionally, I have plans to dedicate a lesson or two on FreeK and how and when to use it. Be on the look out for those updates soon. 

If you have any questions about the course, please reach out to me at [email protected]

Animate on!

John from Keyframe Academy