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Blenrig 6

by jpbouza·Modeling

Images © jpbouza. Used for product review; image policy.

Why we like it

BlenRig 6 earns its place as the rigging system behind many Blender Open Movies, and its Rigging Assistant Guide makes the process approachable for newcomers while still serving experienced riggers.

What is Blenrig 6?

BlenRig 6 is the rigging system behind many of the Blender Open Movies, built so users with or without previous rigging knowledge can create film quality rigged characters, whether realistic or cartoony. The project started in 2007 and has been used on productions including Bugs Buddies, Pettson and Findus, Kiribati, and Man in the High Castle seasons 2 and 3.

Its defining feature is an Interactive Rigging Assistant Guide that navigates the entire rigging process from start to finish. The guide explains each step with text and explanatory images while automating more than 50% of the labor, keeping the focus on the artistic part of rigging.

On the deformation side, BlenRig 6 uses Mesh Deform for organic models and pre-weighted meshes that leave only the hands and face relying on weight painting. It includes an advanced facial rig, automatic generation of shapekeys and drivers, editing of rig actions to define predefined poses and behaviors, and sculpt tools for editing shapekeys. BlenRig is developed by Juan Pablo Bouza and Sav Martin.

Who is Blenrig 6 best for?

Blenrig 6 is best for character riggers and animators building bipedal, realistic or cartoony characters in Blender.

How much does Blenrig 6 cost?

Blenrig 6 is completely free to download and use.

Key features

  • Interactive Rigging Assistant Guide that navigates the full rigging process with text and explanatory images while automating more than 50% of the labor
  • Mesh Deform, described as the most advanced deformation technique available in Blender for organic models
  • Pre-weighted meshes to speed up weight painting, with only hands and face relying on weight painting
  • Advanced facial rig
  • Automatic generation of shapekeys and drivers
  • Editing of rig actions to define predefined poses and behaviors
  • Sculpt tools for editing shapekeys

Tags

#character rigging#Blender#facial rig#mesh deform#shapekeys#animation#biped rigging

Frequently asked questions

Does BlenRig 6 work with Blender 4?

BlenRig 6 targets Blender 4. Version 4.0.0 was the first release for Blender 4, and Blender 3 and earlier are no longer supported. Version 4.0.1 fixed the Rigging Assistant Guides for Blender 4.4 and resolved a Collections error in the Reproportion Guide. If you are on an older Blender release, you would need an earlier BlenRig version, and it is worth confirming the current supported versions on the developer's page before installing.

Is BlenRig 6 free to use?

BlenRig 6 is listed as free here. It is described as a free addon and is also available on Github and Artstation, with a Discord community for support. Pricing and licensing can change, so check the developer's page for the current terms before you download. If you want to support the project, the developer also points to a companion anatomically correct skeleton, Fredegund, as a separate way to contribute.

Does BlenRig 6 require manual weight painting?

BlenRig 6 ships with pre-weighted meshes to speed up the weight painting process, so only the hands and face rely on weight painting. Alongside this, it uses Mesh Deform, described as the most advanced deformation technique available in Blender for organic models, and provides sculpt tools for editing shapekeys plus automatic generation of shapekeys and drivers. Together these cover a large part of the deformation and corrective setup within the rig itself.

Can BlenRig 6 rig both realistic and cartoony characters?

BlenRig 6 works for both realistic and cartoony characters and provides film quality rigging for bipedal characters inside Blender. The project began in 2007 and has been used on productions such as Bugs Buddies, Pettson and Findus, Kiribati, and Man in the High Castle seasons 2 and 3, as well as several Blender Open Movies. Its stated aim is to let users create film quality rigged characters regardless of prior rigging experience.

Alternatives to Blenrig 6

Also in Modeling for Blender.

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