intro to 3d animation

Intro to 3D AnimationFall 2013

OverviewAttendance required – people who do not come to

class tend to create not-very-good projects!One assignment: a complete architectural scene

Indoor or outdoor Complete Elegant

Due dates I will announce them on http://buzzking.me

Training videos On http://3dbybuzz.com

Reaching mebuzzking@rocketship.com

Please do not use my CU email – it is overflowing

303 437 7419We will work on projects in class

you will needautodesk maya: students.autodesk.com (free!)a video editora sound editoran image editor

Importing contentyou can import textures onlyYou can use content from the Maya “Visor”

But only for minor content

Importantyou need a storyline

You need a modeling and story inspirationConsider storyboards

equally importantNo models inspired by any proprietary context whatsoeverno downloaded modelstake on only what you can finish properly!

that is why i am here...

resources47 intro videos on http://3dbybuzz.comthe classroom and lab machines have

mayapremierefinal cut pro

The biggest stumbling block

Time for rendering your project!Please keep in mind that a full, crisp rendering is required

Crafting an animated videoanimated videosetting up a story

Inspiration

A modelA sceneA messageSounds

Reference imagesPhotographsStuffed animalsYouTube, Vimeo videosPieces of artA audio recording

Choice of modeling technology

Polygon modeling for angular modelsNURBS for organic modelingBut there are no firm rules at all!

Building a sceneRough out the environment geometry - a cube or a sphere, or a ground and skylinePut in placeholders, for characters, furnitureYou may want to use the placeholders as the starting points for your models - turn a cube into a couchUse the natural boundaries of organic and non organic models when creating a hierarchyConsider painting on textures

Giving a scene a feelingLighting, shadows, materials

Fog, transparency, length and sharpness of shadows

A moving camera can reveal a scene incrementally or make us dizzySkyline (perhaps with an environment material)

Pay particular attention to..

Building a model with materials and animation in mind

Outliner!A model and movement that is the focus of the viewer’s attention and is engaging

Textures & materialsThis makes or breaks a modelBudget time to do this right

No ugly tilingNo wrap-around seamsNo uneven projections

Consider bump maps and layered materials

UV Texture EditorPrep textures carefully Consider the UV Texture EditorComparison

Normal texture - uses the object’s normalsProjection texture - uses texture’s normals

UV Texture Editor tools allow for careful assignment of materials

ConsiderSoft and hard body dynamicsClothFluids and fluid containersMotion cycles and the Graph EditorThe skeleton generatorBasing animation on deformers and/or blend shapes

Overriding goalsCreate a scene you can finish completely and elegantlyTry to create a scene and models that are compellingDon’t compromise on materials/textures, modeling details, fleshing out the surrounding scene, or rendering your scenes they way they look best

Reuse & scalingBuild out of components that are then put together in hierarchies - then the job of building a complex scene will scale more easilyMake the components reusableDamage, dirt, aging of models can add a lot to believability - and hide obvious reuse