I've worked with dozens of riggers over the years, and they all say the same thing: a good base mesh makes rigging enjoyable. A bad base mesh makes it torture. Here's the checklist I use to ensure my base meshes are rigging-friendly before I hand them off.
Edge Loop Requirements
First and foremost: edge loops around all major joints. This isn't optional. Shoulders, elbows, wrists, hips, knees, ankles - each needs at least three clean edge loops that encircle the joint completely. These loops allow the rigger to place deformation bones and weight paint effectively.
I see artists skip this constantly, especially on secondary joints like wrists and ankles. They'll put beautiful edge loops around the knee but treat the ankle as an afterthought. Then they wonder why the foot doesn't rotate smoothly. Every joint needs proper edge loop support.
Shoulder Topology
The shoulder is where most rigging problems occur, so let's address it specifically. The shoulder isn't one joint - it's a complex of clavicle, scapula, and humerus working together. Your topology needs to support all three.
Edge loops should flow from the neck, across the trapezius, around the deltoid, and down the arm. The armpit area needs particular attention - this is where the arm connects to the torso, and it's where deformation issues most commonly appear. I use a diamond pattern around the armpit with clean edge flow continuing both into the arm and across the chest.
The back is equally important. The scapula needs to glide across the ribcage when the arm raises. If your topology doesn't support this movement with clean, flowing edge loops across the back, you'll get ugly deformation no matter how skilled the rigger is.
Face Topology
Facial rigging requires specific topology patterns. Edge loops around the eyes, mouth, and nose aren't decorative - they're functional. The lips need at least four edge loops around the mouth opening to support phonemes and expressions. The eyes need clean loops for lid movement.
I always include edge loops following the major facial muscles: orbicularis oculi around the eyes, orbicularis oris around the mouth, the zygomatic muscles for smiling. This isn't just for realism - it's for rigging functionality. Facial riggers weight paint to these muscle groups, so your topology should define them clearly.
Hand and Foot Detail
Hands and feet need dense topology relative to the rest of the body. Each finger segment needs at least three edge loops for clean bending. The palm needs topology that follows the actual hand musculature. Skimping here will cause problems - hands are extremely expressive and need proper support.
Feet are similar. The ankle needs clean transition topology. The arch of the foot needs flowing edge loops that allow natural flexing. Toes need proper segmentation even though they're small. I've never once heard a rigger complain that hands or feet had too much good topology. I've heard them complain about insufficient topology countless times.
Polygon Count Optimization
More polygons aren't always better. Riggers need clean, efficient topology that deforms well, not excessive detail that makes weight painting tedious. I aim for the minimum polygon count that supports proper deformation. Dense topology where needed (face, hands, major joints), efficient topology everywhere else.
Areas like the back of the torso or upper arms don't need extreme density. They're large forms that deform relatively simply. Save your polygons for areas that need them - the face, hands, and major joint areas.
Clean Geometry
This should go without saying, but: no n-gons except where absolutely necessary for specific workflow reasons. No triangles in deformation areas. Clean quad topology throughout. Riggers shouldn't have to clean up your geometry before they can work with it.
Check for overlapping vertices, reversed normals, and non-manifold geometry. These issues cause nightmares during rigging and weight painting. A clean base mesh is a professional base mesh.
Bind Pose Considerations
Model in a proper bind pose - typically a relaxed T-pose or A-pose. The arms should be slightly lowered from pure T-pose to avoid shoulder deformation issues. Fingers should be slightly spread and relaxed, not stiff and perfectly straight. This gives the rigger better initial deformation and makes weight painting easier.
The spine should have its natural curves. The neck should angle slightly forward. These anatomically correct positions give riggers a better starting point than perfectly straight, unnatural poses.
Topology Flow Test
Before considering a base mesh finished, I do a flow test. I imagine each major joint moving and follow the edge loops to see if they support that motion. If edge loops terminate awkwardly or fight against the natural deformation, I revise the topology.
Specifically: when the arm raises, edge loops should flow smoothly from back to shoulder to arm. When the knee bends, edge loops should encircle the joint cleanly. When the face smiles, edge loops should follow the natural muscle movement.
Communication with Riggers
The best practice I've learned: if possible, talk to the rigger who will work with your mesh before you finish modeling. They can tell you specific requirements for their rigging system, preferences for edge loop density, and any special considerations for the project. A five-minute conversation can save hours of revision.
The Payoff
When you deliver a base mesh that follows this checklist, riggers will want to work with you again. Your characters will deform beautifully with minimal corrective shapes. Animation will look natural without fighting against poor topology.
I've built my reputation partly on delivering rigging-friendly base meshes. Studios know that my work won't cause problems downstream. That reliability is valuable - it gets you repeat clients and better projects.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Don't prioritize visual appearance over deformation. A mesh that looks amazing in a static beauty render but has poor deformation topology isn't professional work. Function must come before form in base mesh creation.
Don't assume the rigger can fix topology problems. They can work around some issues, but fundamentally poor topology can't be fixed by rigging skill alone.
Don't rush the joint areas. These are the most critical parts of your mesh. Take the time to get them right.
Final Check
Before delivering any base mesh, I run through this checklist methodically. Edge loops at all joints? Check. Clean shoulder topology? Check. Proper face topology? Check. Hands and feet detailed? Check. Clean geometry throughout? Check. Appropriate polygon density? Check. Proper bind pose? Check.
Every check mark makes the rigger's job easier and makes your characters move better. Take the time to do it right. Your reputation depends on it.