In this tutorial, we will make a simple butterfly and animate it.

Figure 1. Click here to view larger image.

Step 1 Start Maya. Go to Side view. Select EP Curve tool.

Figure 2. Click here to view larger image.

Step 2 Draw a profile curve for the main body of butterfly.

Step 3 Right-click on the Curve and select Vertex mode.

Figure 4. Click here to view larger image.

Step 4 Refine the shape by moving vertices using move tool.

Figure 5. Click here to view larger image.

Step 5 Make sure Surfeces menu-set is selected (F4 is shortcut for Surface menuset). While the curve is still selected, go to Surfaces > Revolve.

Step 6 You will get the geometry for the main body like below.

Figure 7. Click here to view larger image.

Step 7 Again using EP Curve tool, draw the shape for right-wing.

Figure 8. Click here to view larger image.

Step 8 Choose Edit Curves > Open/Close Curves to close the curve.

Figure 9. Click here to view larger image.

Step 9 Click Surfaces > Planar.

Figure 10. Click here to view larger image.

Step 10 You will have a wing geometry as below.

Figure 11. Click here to view larger image.

Step 11 To see it at smooth level -3, press 3.

Step 12 Right-click on the wing curve. Go to vertex mode and move vertices to reshape the wing as you want.

Figure 13. Click here to view larger image.

Step 13 More tweaking and refining............

Figure 14. Click here to view larger image.

Step 14 For rotating (Flapping) purpose of the wings we should place the Pivot at appropriate place so that it can rotate around the proper center. So, Select the wing surface and press INSERT to Pivot editing mode and move the Pivot as shown below

Figure 15. Click here to view larger image.

Step 15 Press INSERT again to exit the Pivot editing mode. We do not need the profile curves for body and wing anymore. So its a good idea to delete the History at this stage. Click Delete by Type > History

Figure 16. Click here to view larger image.

Step 16 To get the left wing, select the right wing and choose Edit menu and click the Option box icon for Duplicate Special command.

Figure 17. Click here to view larger image.

Step 17 In the Duplicate Special Option box, set the Scale = -1 and click Duplicate Special.

Step 18 Move the wing to the left so it is placed in the appropriate place.

Figure 19. Click here to view larger image.

Step 19 For making antenna, choose again the EP Curve tool and draw a curve as shown below.

Figure 20. Click here to view larger image.

Step 20 Click on Circle icon to have a Circle in the center of the view.

Figure 21. Click here to view larger image.

Step 18 Move the wing to the left so it is placed in the appropriate place.

Figure 19. Click here to view larger image.

Step 19 For making antenna, choose again the EP Curve tool and draw a curve as shown below.

Figure 20. Click here to view larger image.

Step 20 Click on Circle icon to have a Circle in the center of the view.

Step 21 Move the circle up as show below. Then SHIFT+Click the antenna curve.

Figure 22. Click here to view larger image.

Step 22 Apply Surface > Extrude.

Figure 23. Click here to view larger image.

Step 23 You will get a extruded shape for the antenna geometry. But its not in the proper place and also we do not want to have so thick antenna.

Figure 24. Click here to view larger image. Step 24 Press CTRL+A to open the Attribute Editor > extrude1 tab.

Figure 25. Click here to view larger image. Step 25 In the Extrude History group, select Component Pivot as Use Component Pivot type. Check Fixed Path option. Make sure other option Use Profile Normal is also checked.

Figure 26. Click here to view larger image. Step 26 Now, select the circle again and under Attribute Editor > makeNurbCircle1, set the radius = 0.1 or even lower value.

Figure 27. Click here to view larger image.

Step 27 Again under extrude1 tab, set the Scale = 0.0 in the Extrude History parameters group.

Figure 28. Click here to view larger image.

Step 28 Again apply Edit > Delete by Type > History.

Figure 29. Click here to view larger image.

Step 29 While the antenna geometry is selected, apply Edit > Duplicate Special to get the left antenna as well.

Step 30 We do not need the curves now. So, choose Window > Outliner.

Figure 31. Click here to view larger image.

Step 31 In the Outliner, Select all the curves by CTRL+Select method and press DELETE.

Figure 32. Click here to view larger image.

Step 32 Now there is no unnecessary curves in our scene.

Step 33 Select the middle main body and change the name of it to main body in the channel box.

Figure 34. Click here to view larger image.

Step 34 Rename the bodys other individual parts as well.

Figure 35. Click here to view larger image.

Step 35 Click Animation Preference button at the bottom-right corner of Maya Window and choose Playback end at 100 and Animation end at 100. Click Save.

Step 36 We will now make the hierarchy for the body as we want all wings and antennas to be driven with the main body. For this, select the right wing and then SHIFT+Select the main body. Press P to make the main body as parent of the right-wing. Repeat the same for other three parts as well.

Figure 37. Click here to view larger image.

Step 37 Now, select the main body and rotate it 90 degree around Z axis.

Figure 38. Click here to view larger image.

Step 38 Select the left wing and choose Modify > Freeze Transformations. It will not lock the transformations, but it will neutralize the present transforms value to Zero so that we can rotate or move it starting from 0 (zero). Do the same for right wing as well.

Step 39 Go to Frame no.1 if you are already not there. Select both the wings and in the channel box, Drag+Select all three Rotate parameters name.

Figure 40. Click here to view larger image.

Step 40 Right-click and choose Key Selected.

Figure 41. Click here to view larger image.

Step 41 Select the right wing. Click Auto Keyframe Toggle button. It will turn red to indicate that auto-keyframing active. Go to frame no. 5.

Step 42 Rotate the wing -45 degree around Y axis. Now a keyframe is automatically set at frame no.5 for the right wing.

Figure 43. Click here to view larger image.

Step 43 While you are still at frame no. 5, select the left wing. Rotate it 45 degree around Y axis.

Figure 44. Click here to view larger image.

Step 44 Go to frame no. 10 and set the Y rotations back at 0 for both the wings.