Animation Tutorial in Maya - Fish Swimming

Animate a fish swimming in Maya

In this simple tutorial we show how to animate a fish swimming, and then add some underwater lighting using Maya's software renderer. 

Start with a single side-to-side rotation of the fish; then copy and paste the curves down the fish's body, offsetting each curve by two frames. 

The result is the distinctive swish of a fish's tail.  The underwater lighting with caustics can be done with a few clicks. 

Fish Animation Tutorial from Marc Stevenson

Escape Studios' UG Animation Programme Leader Marc Stevenson has recorded a new animal and creature animation tutorial - showing how to animate fish in motion.  This latest tutorial joins Marc's Animation YouTube Channel and is based on the concept of offset curves - animating a single motion curve and then copying and pasting it along the spine of the fish, to create the characteristic swaying motion of the fins and tail.