After completing a high-complexity rig for Patrick Star, I wanted to shift gears and focus on an optimized, production-efficient rig for Bender from Futurama. Created entirely in Toon Boom Harmony, this project was an exercise in balancing a full 360-degree turnaround with high-precision control for front-facing animation.

Technical Breakdown
360-Degree Turnaround: The character features a full rotational turnaround to ensure silhouette consistency from every angle.

Precision Master Controllers:
Pupil Grid Wizard: I implemented a Grid Wizard Master Controller for the pupils, allowing for pixel-perfect positioning and tracking.

Independent Eye Blinks: Custom Master Controllers were built for the left and right eyes to manage drawing substitutions seamlessly.

Deformer System:
To keep the rig lightweight and fast, I focused on high-detail Envelope/Curve Deformers specifically for the front-facing view.

Deformers are applied to the arms, legs, hands, and feet to capture Bender’s iconic "rubber-hose" flexibility.

Drawing Substitutions: Includes a dedicated set of eye states for expressive blinking and focal changes.

Efficiency & Workflow
While my previous Patrick Star rig was an exploration of extreme deformation, this Bender rig focuses on speed and functionality. By prioritizing the front-facing deformers, I created a rig that is perfect for rapid dialogue scenes and classic character posing without the overhead of a heavy file.