In this lesson, Animation Mentor mentor and Rant Senior 3D Animator Gleb Sitnichenko shows how to build a convincing spinning jump for Stella based on ice skating axel reference. He focuses on why preparation and reference matter more than the actual keyframing, how to structure poses for jump and spin, and how to use IK and FK effectively during airborne motion.
Why Reference Comes First
Gleb emphasizes that preparation and reference are more important than the animation pass itself. Working from clear live action or filmed performance is crucial, especially before the senior level, because it lets you understand real motion and the physics behind it before you begin posing.
For this demo, he uses a strong reference of a dancer performing an axel: a step into the takeoff, the jump itself, and the landing. He trims the clip down to the section he wants and keeps it visible on another screen while animating, so he can focus the Maya viewport on Stella and check the video as he goes.
Scene Setup and Tools
The shot is animated at 30 frames per second using Stella with all controls visible. Gleb uses:
- A picker script to select controls without hunting in the viewport.
- AnimBot features such as selecting opposite sides, mirroring poses, and quick switching between controls.
These tools let him block poses faster and keep attention on the animation rather than on manual rig handling. He also recommends using incremental saves, so each version of the file is preserved and crashes do not erase work.
Blocking Poses Before Worrying About Timing
Gleb’s preferred workflow is to block the main poses first without trying to match timing precisely. He sets keys on the controls, works through the key pose sequence, and only later slides those poses around on the timeline to find the correct timing.
This keeps him focused on clean posing and clear mechanics early on, instead of getting lost in frame counts. Once the pose sequence works visually, timing can be refined to match the reference and give the right feeling of speed and weight.
Understanding the Physics of the Spin
He explains the mechanics behind the axel style spin:
- One leg creates rotational energy by sweeping through and driving the spin.
- The leg on the ground provides the jump, pushing the body into the air.
Knowing which leg is responsible for spin and which for lift helps you pose Stella more realistically. During the takeoff, one leg builds rotational momentum while the support leg loads and then extends to push her off the ground.
First Key Poses
The initial pose is an anticipation just before the jump and spin. Gleb recreates the dancer’s pre spin stance, with Stella lowered slightly, feet set, and head and shoulders posed to match the reference. This sets up the energy and direction for the move.
He then poses the wind up position where Stella’s hips and upper body are arranged to start generating spin, and the swinging leg helps create rotational force while the planted foot prepares to drive the jump.
IK and FK During the Airborne Phase
For the airborne portion of the spin, Gleb switches Stella’s legs and arms to FK.
He notes:
- IK is ideal for keeping feet planted and avoiding sliding during locomotion.
- FK is better for airborne motion and spins because limbs follow the hips cleanly and arcs are easier to manage.
Stella’s rig includes snap to IK and snap to FK, allowing FK controls to match IK poses and vice versa with one button. On rigs without this feature, he suggests either carefully matching IK controls to FK positions or blending between modes and fixing the in between keys.
Tight Airborne Pose and Body Alignment
In the main spin pose, Stella is fully airborne with:
- Spine, neck, and head aligned vertically.
- Takeoff leg extended and pointed, standing on the toes in space.
- Free leg adjusted for a natural, balanced configuration.
- Arms pulled close to the body.
He explains the physics again here: when limbs are spread, rotation slows; when they are pulled close to the axis, rotation speeds up. That is why athletes bring arms and legs toward the centerline during spins. Gleb poses Stella with arms tight to the torso to keep the spin feeling fast and controlled.
Adding Rotation and Multiple Spins
To add rotational motion, Gleb uses the channel box and simple math right inside Maya.
For example:
- At the first airborne frame, he sets a base rotation value.
- At a later frame, he selects that channel and types “+720” to add two full spins.
Maya evaluates this expression and updates the value, giving him the correct total rotation without needing an external calculator. He then removes any extra test keyframes so the spin flows cleanly from the first pose through the rotation.
Switching Legs During the Spin
In the reference, the dancer takes off on one leg and lands on the other. Gleb mirrors this behavior in Stella by swapping which leg is extended and which leg will receive the landing.
He uses AnimBot to mirror FK controls from one leg to the other quickly, reposes them and ensures that:
- The push leg becomes the trailing leg during flight.
- The other leg is positioned to meet the ground on landing.
This leg switch during rotation helps the animation feel closer to the real axel motion.
Landing and Recovery Poses
After the spin, Gleb builds a landing pose where Stella contacts the ground on the new support leg. He switches that leg back to IK to lock it to the floor and adjusts the knee, hips, spine, head, and arms to match the grounded stance.
He then adds a follow up pose where Stella transitions into a step that can lead into a run or further movement, using hip rotation, head direction, and arm positioning to show she is ready to move out of the spin. This marks the end of the initial blocking.
Timing Pass and Shortening the Shot
Once the poses are blocked, Gleb turns to timing. He begins with about 60 frames and compresses sections by sliding keys closer together, especially around the spin and landing, to better match the speed of the reference.
He experiments with frame spacing, watching the clip as he adjusts until the jump, spin, and landing feel appropriately energetic and not too slow or rushed. The final spin sequence ends up around 37 frames, which gives a crisp but readable motion.
Polishing Energy and Contacts
During polish, Gleb notices areas that need more energy or better contact:
- The takeoff feels weak, so he lowers Stella slightly and holds the supporting leg a bit longer before the push to show more load.
- He shifts the IK and FK switches so the legs maintain proper contact and do not break during transition.
- He lowers the hips after landing to show absorption of impact and adds more overlap in the arms, letting them settle as she stops spinning and returns to a more relaxed state.
He also builds a start section and an ending section around the main spin, so the shot feels like a complete action rather than an isolated loop.
Final Result
The finished animation shows Stella running into position, jumping into a tight airborne spin with multiple rotations, switching legs midair, landing strongly, and recovering into a forward motion. Gleb wraps up by encouraging animators to pay close attention to preparation, reference, physics, and IK FK handling when building complex spins.
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