Spring 2008 Information

| projects for this class | calendar and deadlines for this semester | instructor's home |
Sandro Corsi's other classes: | 3D Modeling | 3D Animation | Intro to Art online |

This is a 3-units class that covers the basics of modeling, texturing, lighting, animating and rendering scenes created with 3D computer graphics programs. While completing hands-on projects, students review the fundamentals of animation and 3D design.

• Class goals:
  • Evaluate 3D graphics programs as visual tools.
  • Demonstrate operative skills in the use of 3D graphics software.
  • Produce images of 3D scenes on the computer for various media.
  • Understand the basics of 3D design.
• Evaluation:
  • The final course grade will be based on the student's performance in class and in completing assignments. Grade weight will be specified for each project.
• Required textbook
  • Introduction to 3D graphics and animation using Maya, 1st ed.
    • by Adam Watkins
    • Charles River Media, 2006
    • ISBN 1-58450-485-4
• Optional texts
  • A number of printed manuals are available in the lab: ask the lab aide for them, with your student ID in hand.
  • Several relevant magazines are available in the Graphics lab. These are especially useful because of their timeliness.
  • Program reference manuals:
    • A variety of books are available providing step-by-step instruction and reference information. Make sure that any books you choose match the versions of the software you use.
    • The programs available in the lab usually come with electronic manuals and/or online help, which you can view directly on the computer.

Class Projects

• unit 01 projects, digital 3d world basics 1/14 lab
  • Textbook project: 2.1 primitive man, pp. 39-50
  • On your own: geometrical costume in the constructivist style of Oskar Schlemmer. See examples at ArtnetWeb and Emory University (scroll about halfway down the page).
  • At home: read chapters 1 and 2 in your textbook, pp. 1-51. Develop a concept for your semester-long animation, made of 4 shots:
    1. Establishing shot of the outside of a building. No camera moves.
    2. Tracking or panning shot of main character walking towards building, carrying a prop.
    3. Close-up shot of main character's hand opening the entrance to the building.
    4. Reverse shot of main character walking into the interior space shown on the book's cover, and putting the prop to some use.
• Martin Luther King holiday
• unit 02 projects, basic polygon modeling 1/28 lab
  • Textbook project: model an interior space, 3.1 room primitives, pp. 60-70
  • On your own: model the exterior of a simple building, made of basic primitives accurately aligned. You will add detail (doors and windows) in the following session. Work on storyboard sketches.
  • At home: read the rest of chapter 3 in your textbook, pp. 53-59.
• unit 03 project, boolean polygon modeling techniques 2/4 lab
  • Textbook project: refine an interior space, 4.1 room booleans, pp. 60-70
  • On your own: add windows and doors to the exterior of your simple building, using boolean operations.
  • At home: read the first part of chapter 4 in your textbook, pp. 71-88. We'll work on project 4.2 next time.
• unit 04 project, component polygon modeling techniques 2/11 lab
  • Textbook project: furnish the interior space, 4.2 table, pp. 89-98.
  • On your own: using polygon component editing, model the prop your character will hold in the animation.
  • At home: read chapter 5 in your textbook, pp. 101-51.
• Presidents' Day holiday
• unit 05 project, NURBS modeling 2/25 lab
  • Textbook project: 5.1 vases, pp. 113-118. If applicable to your animation, also bedspread, p. 126.
  • On your own: use NURBS to model the doorknob and/or other means of entry into the building.
  • At home: read chapter 6 in your textbook, pp. 127-147.
• unit 06 project, advanced polygonal modeling, and texturing without UV editing 3/3 lab
  • Textbook project: 6.1 sink, pp. 135-147.
  • On your own: use advanced polygonal modeling to create the terrain on which your building stands. Use the directions in project 7.1 material, pp. 155-161, but applied (and modified as needed) to add bumps and color to the terrain.
  • Textbook project: 7.2 texture vases, pp. 162-168. If applicable to your animation, also 7.3 texture bedspread, pp. 168-173.
  • At home: read chapter 7, pp. 149-174, and chapter 8, pp. 175-210, in your textbook. Plan textures for your prop and building.
• unit 07 project, texturing with UV manipulation 3/10 lab
  • On your own: use the directions in project 8.2 texture shower, pp. 187-199, but applied (and modified as needed) to the prop you modeled in a previous session. Of course, if bathroom detail is important to your animation, you will want to texture it as well.
  • Textbook projects: 8.3 texture main room, pp. 199-208
  • On your own: apply textures to the building's exterior.
  • At home: read chapter 9, pp. 211-351 in your textbook.
• Spring Break
• unit 08 project, lighting and rendering, complete shot 1 3/24 lab
  • On your own: use the directions in projects 9.1 night light and 9.2 day light, pp. 225-251, applied (and modified as needed) to your own interior and exterior scenes. Render the still image that is shot 1 of your animation.
  • At home: read the first part of chapter 10, pp. 253-276, and Appendix B, pp. 427-432 in your textbook. Work on character design.
• unit 09 project, organic modeling 3/31 lab
  • In your textbook: make sure you have read 10.1 wooden man model, p. 256-276.
  • On your own: use the directions in Appendix B, pp. 427-432, to scan and align front and side views of your character design.
  • On your own: use the directions in project 10.2 model game character, p. 276, applied (and modified as needed) to your own character.
  • At home: read chapter 11 in your textbook.
• unit 10 project, organic texturing 4/7 labs
  • In your textbook: make sure you have read 11.1 wooden man texture, p. 314-318.
  • On your own: use the directions in project 11.2 UV mapping game character, pp. 323-356, applied (and modified as needed) to your own character.
  • On your own: use the directions in Appendix C, pp. 433-436, to create texture images for your character.
  • At home: read chapter 12 in your textbook.
• unit 11 project, rigging 4/14 lab
  • In your textbook: read 12.1 basic IK chain, p. 361-363.
  • On your own: use the directions in project 12.3 rigging the game character, pp. 366-375, applied (and modified as needed) to your own character.
• unit 12 project, skinning 4/21 lab
  • In your textbook: read 12.2 skinning a leg, pp. 363-365.
  • On your own: use the directions in project 12.4 skinning the game character, pp. 376-382, applied (and modified as needed) to your own character.
  • At home: read the first part of chapter 13, pp. 385-405 in your textbook.
• unit 13 project, animation, complete shot 2 4/28 lab
  • On your own: use the directions in project 13.2 basic walk, pp. 405-419 (modified as needed) to place your own character in your exterior scene and animate the walk up to the entrance of the building. Render the movie file for shot 2 of your animation.
• unit 14 project, animation, complete shot 4 5/5 lab
  • On your own: continue to animate your character -- walk through the interior scene; action with prop. Render the movie file for shot 4 of your animation.
• unit 15 project, animation, complete shot 3 5/12 lab
  • On your own: continue to animate your character -- close-up of hand opening entrance. Render the movie file for shot 3 of your animation.
• finals day, editing, complete movie 5/19, 9 to 11 am
  • On your own: assemble all 4 shots. Turn in the movie file of your completed animation.

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Created 2006-07-22. Last modified 2008-01-11. This document originally at <http://www.sanedraw.com/LEARN/ACG/ACG_104.HTM> Copyright 2008 by Sandro Corsi.