How to rig a 3D model in character design?

Rigging a 3D character model involves three core steps: building a hierarchical skeletal structure (armature) for movement, binding the mesh to the skeleton (skinning), and adding animator-friendly controls. Skinning links the model’s surface to bones—moving an arm bone deforms the attached mesh. Weight painting ensures smooth, natural deformations (like a realistic elbow bend without tearing). IK (Inverse Kinematics) simplifies limb positioning, making actions like walking or reaching faster to animate. For beginners: Use Blender (free) with pre-made humanoid templates. Practice weight painting small areas (e.g., hands) first to master smooth mesh changes.