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Contour Rig Tools
What it is
Contour Rig Tools is a spline-based rigging system for Autodesk Maya, intended for animation production and technical directors. Contour joint chains form splines that serve as single deformer influences, which can reduce the need for weight painting. Its volume-aware deformation supports bending and twisting and is designed to avoid pinching and candy-wrappering. Contour Bones provide length and stretch, and their CVs can be used as spline control points. Built-in IK includes stretch and anti-pop features, while constraints can drive transforms and relationships between Contour chains. A Python API can create, change, and query Contour nodes, accepting strings, pyNodes, and MObjects. Contour can also drive standard Maya joints for game-engine export. Version 1.0.12.1 supports Maya 2020 through 2026, excluding Maya 2023.0, 2023.1, and 2024.0. Animator Mode is free for animating with Contour rigs and adding bone CVs. Creating or modifying rigs requires a paid Rigger Mode license, starting at $40.00 per month billed for twelve months.
For and against
For
- Spline chains can reduce weight-painting needs.
- Volume-aware deformation supports bends and twists.
- Python API supports creating and querying nodes.
- Can drive Maya joints for game-engine export.
Against
- Creating or modifying rigs requires a paid license.
- Supported Maya versions exclude 2023.0, 2023.1, and 2024.0.
- Node-locked activation and intermittent access require internet.
- Cached Playback can affect Contour rigs.
The verdict
Contour Rig Tools combines spline-based deformation, IK, constraints, and scripting for Maya rig workflows. Check the specific Maya-version exclusions and Cached Playback caveat, and note that rig creation requires paid Rigger Mode.
Who it suits
It suits Maya technical directors and animation production teams building character rigs. It may also fit animators working with existing Contour rigs, who can animate for free.
Plans and prices
Animator Mode
Animate Contour rigs · add bone CVs · no rig creation or modification
Read 15 Oct 2026 · notionalpipe.com
Rigger Mode — twelve months
Create and modify Contour rigs · node-locked or floating licensing
Read 15 Oct 2026 · notionalpipe.com
Rigger Mode — six months
Create and modify Contour rigs · node-locked or floating licensing
Read 15 Oct 2026 · notionalpipe.com
Rigger Mode — one month
Create and modify Contour rigs · node-locked or floating licensing
Read 15 Oct 2026 · notionalpipe.com
On the record
- API depth
- The manual documents a small pre-deprecated API under Contourlib.predeprecatedAPI and warns that incorrect graph connections can cause evaluation errors.manuals.notionalpipe.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Audience
- The maker describes Contour as a rigging tool for animation production, with workflows intended to reduce character-rigging complexity for technical directors.notionalpipe.com · read 4 Oct 2026
- Bones
- Contour Bones support built-in length and stretch, and bone CVs can be added as spline control points.notionalpipe.com · read 4 Oct 2026
- Company background
- Raf Anzovin says his career spans more than 25 years and includes work for EA, ReelFX, Arnold and Lego.rafanzovin.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Connectivity
- Node-locked licenses need activation and intermittent internet access, with a stated seven-day offline grace period.notionalpipe.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Constraints
- Integrated constraints drive transforms and relationships between Contour chains using the deformation system.notionalpipe.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Contour bones
- Contour joint chains combine joints and bones, with built-in bone length and stretch.notionalpipe.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Deformation
- Its volume-aware spline deformation supports bends and twists and is designed to avoid pinching and candy-wrappering.notionalpipe.com · read 4 Oct 2026
- Documentation
- The HTML manual covers installation, licensing, tutorials, deformation, constraints, control rigging, techniques, API functions and caveats.manuals.notionalpipe.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Floating licensing
- Floating licenses require a separately configured license server and are arranged through Notional Pipe rather than the store.notionalpipe.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Game-engine workflow
- Contour can drive conventional Maya joints for workflows that need game-engine export.notionalpipe.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- IK and aim
- Built-in IK supports stretch and anti-pop behavior, while aim handles support stretch for cartoony rigs.notionalpipe.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- IK and constraints
- Built-in IK includes stretch and anti-IK-pop features, and the tool includes constraints for driving transforms and relationships between Contour chains.notionalpipe.com · read 4 Oct 2026
- Independent company context
- Raf Anzovin’s biography says he currently works at The Third Floor and is a principal of Notional Pipe.rafanzovin.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Independent event news
- Ozone Story Tech listed Notional Pipe as a partner at its SIGGRAPH 2026 booth, where Raf Anzovin was scheduled to demonstrate Ephemeral Rigging.linkedin.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Independent industry use
- A LinkedIn post by Third Floor rigger Michael de la Rosa describes a fast rigging pipeline for Predator: Killer of Killers using the Contour system developed through Notional Pipe.linkedin.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Installation
- Windows and macOS offer installer or manual installation, while Linux installation is manual only.manuals.notionalpipe.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Known caveat
- The maker reports issues affecting Contour rigs when Maya Cached Playback is enabled and points users to manual caveats and workarounds.notionalpipe.com · read 4 Oct 2026
