Free Maya animation path: bouncing ball to lip-sync
Learning path, 10 exercises, about 22 weeks at 5 to 6 hours a week
Researched Nov 15, 2026, 6:50pm
Do one exercise every one to four weeks, in this order, using free studio-animator videos that explain the why and free rigs.
The plan
The pace assumes three weekday evenings of about an hour plus a few hours at the weekend. If a week of marking eats your time, slide the plan, don't skip the "done" check.
The exercises
Free Workshop: Your First Animation, The Bouncing Ball, Robyne West, 1 h 33 m
WhyA DreamWorks animator shows how changing the curves changes weight, speed and personality.
TimeWeek 1, finish the one you've started
DoneThree or four bounces, each lower and shorter, no floating at contact, squash only on impact, a clean arc.
Shorter extra: The Physics of Rotation and Translation, Pixar's Anthony Wong, 18 m.
Creating Overlap and Follow-Through in Movement, Nathaniel Seymour, 21 m
WhyA Framestore character animator explains why parts drag and settle, which is exactly what a tail does.
TimeWeek 2
DoneReuse your ball's bounce; the tail trails behind, whips on direction changes and settles after the ball stops.
Mastering Pendulum Overlap Action, Anthony Wong, 15 m
WhyA Pixar animator (Toy Story 3, Ratatouille, Inside Out 2) walks through his approach to overlap on a chain.
TimeWeek 3
DoneSlows into each end of the swing, each lower link lags the one above it, and it loops with no hitch.
Flour Sack Jump Animation, 28 Day Challenge Day 5, Rusty Animator, 1 h 23 m
WhyA full jump from scratch, framed around using every principle to sell that the sack can really jump.
TimeWeeks 4–5
DoneCrouch, jump, land with squash and settle, corners overlapping; a friend can tell the sack's mood with no sound.
Rusty Animator is a teaching channel; I couldn't find a studio animator's free flour-sack tutorial in Maya.
Walk Cycle for a Basic Human Character, Jason Martinsen, 36 m
WhyA supervising animator at Sunrise Productions (ex Framestore, Reel FX) covers key poses and timing.
TimeWeeks 6–7
DoneLoops with no pop, feet don't slide, hips rise and fall, arms swing opposite to the legs.
How To Animate A Run Cycle That Feels Real, Jason Martinsen, 27 m
WhySame teacher as the walk, focused on weight distribution and momentum, so it builds straight on week 7.
TimeWeeks 8–9
DoneBoth feet leave the ground each step, the body leans into the run, and the loop is seamless.
Body Mechanics: Jumping and Landing, Jason Martinsen, 11 m
WhyBreaks the jump into poses, timing and weight, the same thinking as your flour sack on a body.
RigAgora Beta, free with an Agora account, or Malcolm
TimeWeeks 10–11
DoneClear crouch, push-off, a clean arc for the hips, a landing that absorbs the weight and recovers to balance.
Weight and Force: Lifting a Heavy Object, Denis Dvoryankin, 26 m
WhyA senior animator at Image Engine (Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3) shows how effort, balance and timing sell weight.
TimeWeeks 12–14
DoneWithout being told, a viewer can guess how heavy the box is from the prep, the strain and the hips.
Extra: Animating HEAVY Weight, Sir Wade Neistadt, 10 m.
Star Wars Pantomime Tutorial, Ep 1 Planning and Ep 2 Blocking, Rusty Animator, 12 m + 35 m
WhyCovers what most videos skip: coming up with the idea, testing it before animating, and choosing which keys to block.
TimeWeeks 15–18
DoneA 5 to 10 second shot with one clear idea; someone watching with no sound can say what the character thinks.
Free Workshop: Mastering Lip Sync in Animation, Ere Santos, 1 h 1 m
WhyA Disney animation supervisor (ex Pixar, Sony Imageworks) who teaches acting at Animation Mentor.
DoneLips close on M, B and P, the jaw hits the big vowels, and the body acts the line, not just the mouth.
Extra: IMPROVE Your Lip Sync Animation in 3 Steps, Sir Wade Neistadt, 18 m.
Free practice and feedback
Monthly character animation contest, joining is free
November deadline: Nov 30, 2026, midnight EST
Winners get an Animation Mentor eCritique; the
forum has work-in-progress feedback threads, including bouncing balls.
Seasonal challenge, Season 02 "Spellcraft" is running
Agora's free tier includes its original rigs, free courses and the store
Sources and where to verify