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Sandro Corsi's other classes: |
3D Modeling |
3D Animation |
Intro to Art online |
Welcome!
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.
- 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:
- Establishing shot of the outside of a building. No camera moves.
- Tracking or panning shot of main character walking towards building, carrying a prop.
- Close-up shot of main character's hand opening the entrance to the building.
- 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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