About This Course

We approach the Spinosaurus as a heavy theropod with unique proportions: long torso, tall neural spines, powerful tail, and slightly forward centre of mass. You’ll learn a practical workflow that starts with pose intent and timing, then layers secondary motion with discipline so the cycle stays stable, loops perfectly, and survives close inspection.

You’ll build a clean blocking pass in stepped keys, transition to spline with controlled tangents, and finish with polish techniques that remove foot skate, stabilise the torso, and add subtle life into the tail and neck. The result is a convincing walk you can reuse for shots or expand into variations (slow, alert, muddy terrain).

Create Portfolio-Ready Spinosaurus Animations

By completing this course, you will produce a studio-quality Spinosaurus walk cycle that showcases heavy mass, accurate timing, and clean polish. It is ideal for your demo reel, for impressing recruiters, or for expanding a creature-animation skillset for VFX, animation, or game development.

Master the Art of Creature Animation

From capturing the long-torso rhythm and hip-led stride to refining curves for smooth motion, you will gain the confidence to tackle any large dinosaur. The included Spinosaurus rig, light rig, and final scene setup give you everything you need to practice, present, and showcase your work at a professional level.

Course Information

• • Level: Intermediate Creature Animation
  • Software: Autodesk Maya (2024/2025 compatible)
  • Rendering: Optional (viewport/playblast workflow demonstrated)
  • Focus Areas: Weight, foot contacts, tail/neck overlap, cycle looping, polish
  • Instructor: Jonathan Symmonds
  • Prerequisites: Comfortable with Maya animation basics and the Graph Editor

• Animate a Spinosaurus Walk Cycle in Maya: Build a realistic dinosaur walk cycle with heavy weight, proper balance, and aquatic-inspired pacing.
• Work With Animation Curves: Master techniques for controlling and smoothing curves to refine locomotion and avoid jitter in long torsos and tails.
• Simple, Proven Workflow: Follow a production-tested process for creature animation that saves time without sacrificing quality.
• Dinosaur Anatomy for Animators: Understand locomotion, hip-driven movement, and tail counterbalance to create lifelike realism in massive theropods.
• Peer Review & Feedback: Share your work and receive valuable critique from fellow students and professionals to sharpen your skills.
• Accessible for All Levels: No prerequisites required—perfect for beginners and intermediates alike.
• Learn From Industry Experts: Taught by Jonathan Symmonds, lead animator on Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon.
• Enhance Your Demo Reel: Add a professional-quality dinosaur walk cycle to your portfolio to impress recruiters and studios.
• Exclusive Rig & Assets: Includes a custom Spinosaurus rig, cached animation, final scene, and lighting setup.
• Flexible Learning: Study at your own pace with pre-recorded lessons you can return to anytime.