The 3D Animatic is the scaffolding you will use to build your animation. The 3D Animatic should:
- replicate or improve what you created in your 2D Animatic using 3D assets.
- establish the rough timing of camera moves and animated objects and characters.
- be created in an organized, efficient manner so that changes can be made easily.
My workflow for animation, from start to finish is:
1. 2D Animatic
2. 3D modeling/texturing/rigging
3. 3D Animatic - key important character positions and poses, generic timing
4. 3D Animatic - refine timing of positions and poses
5. 3D Animatic - improved character locations and poses, add inbetween poses
6. 3D Animation - turn 3D Animatic into smooth, fluid animation!
http://vimeo.com/15252121
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xK5rUbJi7c
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3qi1wSlO994
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-fBrV1JMMHs
Aztec Escape 3D Animatic
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
NO CLASS TODAY - TUESDAY 2/8
My wife delievred a beautiful baby girl Saturday night. We are safe, healthy, home and resting...and tired! I am taking today as a sick day to help with the baby and household.
Class will resume Thursday. Since we do not have class today, your storyboards are due Thursday as well. I will schedule a make up class later in the semester.
Feel free to email me any storyboards in progress, or any maya questions you may have.
Class will resume Thursday. Since we do not have class today, your storyboards are due Thursday as well. I will schedule a make up class later in the semester.
Feel free to email me any storyboards in progress, or any maya questions you may have.
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Texturing Tips
Texture adds richness and depth to scenes and characters. While not every project uses textures, knowing how to add and work with them will make you a more versatile digital artist.
The three most important qualities of good textures:
1- Define the material - Is it denim? wood? metal? a rusted door? an old dirty rag?
2- Define maunfacturing - Emblems, logos, stiching, bolts, seams, grain, panels
3- Define age - Wear and tear, dirt, scratches, nicks, paint chips, rust, smudges
There are many ways to add texture to objects in maya. Below is a summary of the various methods of doing so. These methods can often be combined; for example, you could use a procedural shader to define the visibility of image-based textures in a scene.
The two main categories that all of these techniques all into are:
Procedural - made inside of maya using procedural shading nodes. Ex: Ramp, Noise, Stucco, Volume Fractal. Can be 2d or 3d.
Authored - made inside/outside of maya using some type of external input. Ex: Photoshop painting using wacom tablet, digital camera, scanned drawing, movie sequence.
Authored textures can be made in a number of ways, such as....
Downloaded - visit a texture archive (see here and here) and grab some images. Grab several variations and you can tweak/blend them in Photoshop.
Digital camera - make your own textures by photographing your own. Pictures taken from a top-down/front-on view, with the sample flat under even lighting, will work best.
Painted/Drawn in Photoshop and Illustrator - go for it! Wheee!
Painting in Maya using 3d Paint tool - Maya has a 3d paint tool that allows painting on objects in real time. The resulting image can then be saved and exported to Photoshop for additional cleanup and fixes.
Painted in Zbrush or Mudbox, detail exported back to Maya - Zbrush and Mudbox offer ways of sculpting high level detail into a model. The detail can be exported as an image map that Maya can read and apply to the original model. When the model is rendered, the high level detail will be included.
Ideal authored texture size is 512x512, 1024 x 1024, or 2048 x 2048.
The three most important qualities of good textures:
1- Define the material - Is it denim? wood? metal? a rusted door? an old dirty rag?
2- Define maunfacturing - Emblems, logos, stiching, bolts, seams, grain, panels
3- Define age - Wear and tear, dirt, scratches, nicks, paint chips, rust, smudges
There are many ways to add texture to objects in maya. Below is a summary of the various methods of doing so. These methods can often be combined; for example, you could use a procedural shader to define the visibility of image-based textures in a scene.
The two main categories that all of these techniques all into are:
Procedural - made inside of maya using procedural shading nodes. Ex: Ramp, Noise, Stucco, Volume Fractal. Can be 2d or 3d.
Authored - made inside/outside of maya using some type of external input. Ex: Photoshop painting using wacom tablet, digital camera, scanned drawing, movie sequence.
Authored textures can be made in a number of ways, such as....
Downloaded - visit a texture archive (see here and here) and grab some images. Grab several variations and you can tweak/blend them in Photoshop.
Digital camera - make your own textures by photographing your own. Pictures taken from a top-down/front-on view, with the sample flat under even lighting, will work best.
Painted/Drawn in Photoshop and Illustrator - go for it! Wheee!
Painting in Maya using 3d Paint tool - Maya has a 3d paint tool that allows painting on objects in real time. The resulting image can then be saved and exported to Photoshop for additional cleanup and fixes.
Painted in Zbrush or Mudbox, detail exported back to Maya - Zbrush and Mudbox offer ways of sculpting high level detail into a model. The detail can be exported as an image map that Maya can read and apply to the original model. When the model is rendered, the high level detail will be included.
Ideal authored texture size is 512x512, 1024 x 1024, or 2048 x 2048.
Texture archive websites
Check out the two links below for a variety of high-quality images that can be used as textures in maya.
http://cgtextures.com/
http://mayang.com/textures/
http://cgtextures.com/
http://mayang.com/textures/
http://www.textureking.com/
Both sites are free but may require you to register in order to download.
Both sites are free but may require you to register in order to download.
Common Modeling Tools and Commands
Below are some of the more common menu commands used when modeling in Maya.
Create Deformers:
Create Deformers> Create Lattice
Create Deformers> Non-linear > Bend, Squash, Twist, etc
Mesh:
Edit Mesh > Keep faces together (turn on/off to change the way extrude works)
Edit mesh> Extrude (push/pull/scale in/out a selected face)
Edit mesh> Split Poly tool
Edit mesh> Cut Poly tool (use sparingly - can make geometry messy)
Edit mesh> Merge (welds vertexes together)
Mesh> Combine (combines multiple polyObjects into one)
Mesh>Sculpt Geometry Tool
Mesh> Booleans
Mesh>Mirror Geometry
Surfaces:
Revolve - spins a curve on an axis to create a shape. Great for beer bottles.
Loft - creates a surface by connecting multiple curves together.
Extrude - creates a shape by drawing a path along a curve. Great for tree branches.
Misc
Edit> Delete By Type> History - deletes "history and bakes in shape changes
Modify>Center Pivot (moves object's pivot to its center)
"G" hotkey - repeat last command (Ex: Extrude)
"Y" hotkey - repeat use of last tool (Ex: Sculpt Geometry Tool)
Create Deformers:
Create Deformers> Create Lattice
Create Deformers> Non-linear > Bend, Squash, Twist, etc
Mesh:
Edit Mesh > Keep faces together (turn on/off to change the way extrude works)
Edit mesh> Extrude (push/pull/scale in/out a selected face)
Edit mesh> Split Poly tool
Edit mesh> Cut Poly tool (use sparingly - can make geometry messy)
Edit mesh> Merge (welds vertexes together)
Mesh> Combine (combines multiple polyObjects into one)
Mesh>Sculpt Geometry Tool
Mesh> Booleans
Mesh>Mirror Geometry
Surfaces:
Revolve - spins a curve on an axis to create a shape. Great for beer bottles.
Loft - creates a surface by connecting multiple curves together.
Extrude - creates a shape by drawing a path along a curve. Great for tree branches.
Misc
Edit> Delete By Type> History - deletes "history and bakes in shape changes
Modify>Center Pivot (moves object's pivot to its center)
"G" hotkey - repeat last command (Ex: Extrude)
"Y" hotkey - repeat use of last tool (Ex: Sculpt Geometry Tool)
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Shot list due today
Please upload your shot list to chesnut share, in the folder _MayaDT216>Shot_List
Incredibles and Monsters, Inc Progression Reel
Incredibles
Monsters, Inc.
These videos show the crucial importance of storyboards. Note how close the final shots are to the corresponding storyboards.
The Incredibles video effectively shows you elements from the three items you are submitting for grading - the 2d Animatic (top left), the 3d Animatic (bottom left) and the final product (screen right).
Clear and effective storyboards = Clear and effective final product.
Monsters, Inc.
These videos show the crucial importance of storyboards. Note how close the final shots are to the corresponding storyboards.
The Incredibles video effectively shows you elements from the three items you are submitting for grading - the 2d Animatic (top left), the 3d Animatic (bottom left) and the final product (screen right).
Clear and effective storyboards = Clear and effective final product.
Maya hotkeys, part 1
alt/option + ....
LMB = orbit camera
MMB = track camera
RMB = zoom camera
Q = pick
W = move
E = rotate
R = scale
spacebar (tap) = toggle fullscreen/four view
spacebar (hold) = show hotbox menu
Z = undo
Shift + Z = redo
Ctrl + D = duplicate
G = repeat last command
Y = reuse last tool
X (hold) = snap to grid
V (hold) = snap to point
A = frame all
F = frame selection
LMB = orbit camera
MMB = track camera
RMB = zoom camera
Q = pick
W = move
E = rotate
R = scale
spacebar (tap) = toggle fullscreen/four view
spacebar (hold) = show hotbox menu
Z = undo
Shift + Z = redo
Ctrl + D = duplicate
G = repeat last command
Y = reuse last tool
X (hold) = snap to grid
V (hold) = snap to point
A = frame all
F = frame selection
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Character modeling principles
Model around the origin.
Your character should be fun to model.
Try to keep the detail level just high enough to effectively define the shapes you need and the deformations you want - you can always smooth your model later for extra detail.
Keep faces 4-sided (quads) whenever possible.
Arrange edge loops to complement the flow and intended deformations of the structure.
Add extra edge loops at joint areas (elbow, knees)
Keep your geometry clean and simple.
If you get to a point where you are frustrated with your model, try starting over. You will be surprised how much quicker you are able to produce it, and your model will be cleaner as well.
Your character should be fun to model.
Try to keep the detail level just high enough to effectively define the shapes you need and the deformations you want - you can always smooth your model later for extra detail.
Keep faces 4-sided (quads) whenever possible.
Arrange edge loops to complement the flow and intended deformations of the structure.
Add extra edge loops at joint areas (elbow, knees)
Keep your geometry clean and simple.
If you get to a point where you are frustrated with your model, try starting over. You will be surprised how much quicker you are able to produce it, and your model will be cleaner as well.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
DUE Tuesday, Jan 25 - Character/Set Designs + Orthos
Your Character/Set Doodles and Orthos are due next Tuesday.
Character/Set Doodles
Super rough sketches that allow you to explore character and set designs in a fun, messy way. Don't worry about perfection, just have fun. If you think you "suck" at drawing, that's great, because this assignment requires no drawing, only doodling!
Fill up 2-3 pages of a sketchbook with doodles, scan them, and bring them and the files to class on Tuesday.
Orthos
Now that you've doodled, take the best character doodle and turn it into an orthographic model sheet (Ortho). An ortho model sheet is a front and side view of your character, drawn to scale.
This may sound difficult, but it's really not that bad, and you can even do it in Illustrator to make it easier.
Orthos should have the characters drawn from the front and side
The character's arms should be up and out to the side (see images below)
The character's legs should be slightly spread apart (shoulder width or greater)
Create one model sheet for each main characer or object in your animation.
Spending time on the ortho model sheet will greatly reduce the time you spend modeling.
Scanned/exported Ortho model sheets are due next class.
Model Sheet examples:
Starfish
Tabby (missing true front and side views, but great design)
Mia <-- feet should be wider apart for modeling
Rael
Character/Set Doodles
Super rough sketches that allow you to explore character and set designs in a fun, messy way. Don't worry about perfection, just have fun. If you think you "suck" at drawing, that's great, because this assignment requires no drawing, only doodling!
Fill up 2-3 pages of a sketchbook with doodles, scan them, and bring them and the files to class on Tuesday.
Orthos
Now that you've doodled, take the best character doodle and turn it into an orthographic model sheet (Ortho). An ortho model sheet is a front and side view of your character, drawn to scale.
This may sound difficult, but it's really not that bad, and you can even do it in Illustrator to make it easier.
Orthos should have the characters drawn from the front and side
The character's arms should be up and out to the side (see images below)
The character's legs should be slightly spread apart (shoulder width or greater)
Create one model sheet for each main characer or object in your animation.
Spending time on the ortho model sheet will greatly reduce the time you spend modeling.
Scanned/exported Ortho model sheets are due next class.
Model Sheet examples:
Starfish
Tabby (missing true front and side views, but great design)
Mia <-- feet should be wider apart for modeling
Rael
Monday, January 17, 2011
DT-216 pipeline
The image above is a schedule that shows where you should be in terms of progress throughout the course.
Staying on schedule is imperitive to your success in this class.
Check this chart frequently and compare where you are in your production.
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