To move pivot points in Maya, you can use the "Modify Pivot" tools. Here's how:
Steps to Move the Pivot Point:
- Select the object whose pivot point you want to move.
- Enter Pivot Edit Mode: There are a few ways to do this:
- Press 'd' on your keyboard. This is a quick toggle to enter and exit pivot edit mode.
- Hold 'd' and 'v' keys down. 'v' snaps the pivot to the vertices.
- Go to the Modify menu, then select "Modify Pivot". This enables pivot editing mode.
- Move the Pivot: While in pivot edit mode, use the move tool (usually activated by pressing 'w'). You can now drag the pivot point to the desired location.
- Snap the Pivot (Optional): For precise placement, use snapping:
- Vertex Snap: Hold 'v' while dragging to snap the pivot to vertices.
- Edge Snap: Hold 'c' while dragging to snap the pivot to edges.
- Grid Snap: Hold 'x' while dragging to snap the pivot to the grid.
- Exit Pivot Edit Mode: Press 'd' again, or go to the Modify menu and deselect "Modify Pivot".
Important Considerations:
- When moving the pivot, the object's position in the scene doesn't change. Only the pivot point's location is altered.
- The new pivot point location will affect how the object rotates and scales.
- You can reset the pivot point to the object's center by going to Modify > Center Pivot.
Moving the pivot point is a fundamental skill in Maya for precise control over object transformations.
