Adding Clothes to Morpheus:

Someone put together a short video that adds some pre-made clothes to morpheus! Feel free to check it out! For those that may be interested in building your own clothes for morpheus from scratch, there is a 45 minute video that was created here.

Clothing the Morpheus Rig - A Tea Time 'How To' Video Tutorial from Lana Bachynski on Vimeo.

As a note: You are not required to add extra clothes to Morpheus for your final project!

FINAL PROJECT!

This semester, you have learned a wide variety of practices and applied methods of 3-D creation.  For your final project, you are allowed to create a finished work of 3-D art of your choosing from the following categories!

• Modeling (Organic Modeling)
• Texturing
• Lighting
• Animation (object, character, or otherwise)
• Effects
• Compositing (with 2-D artwork)

You are also allowed to work in groups on this project should you choose!  Each person can take on an individual role in the project, or assume multiple ones for a final project. However, make sure you CREATE A FEASIBLE PROJECT IDEA THAT CAN BE COMPLETED IN THE TIME FRAME!

Stage 1: Research

Compile a sampling of 20 images of 3-D artwork that showcases the look and feel of whatever your final project will be.  Make note of 3 artists in the work and research their body of work and portfolio. Answer this question: What, in terms of structure, makes for a compelling portfolio of 3-D artwork?

Stage 2: Scheduling

On Monday, in the FINALS —> Final Project folder, you will create a document that contains the following information:

A short description of your final project. What will you create?  Who is involved in the project? Are you working by yourself, or with others? What roles are involved?

A schedule of development. What can you create and turn in as part of your final on April 30th?

Schedule yourself so you can take the proper time to put together final renders for your portfolio!

Stage 3: Development

Next week, you will produce your art! Use this weekend to plan ahead, as development time will go by quickly!

Stage 4: Polish and Portfolio

By April 30th, you should gather the following materials into a folder on the server for review.   Make a “renders” folder, and a “projects folder.”  Consolidate and organize your projects into the project folder. Place your final renders into the other folder!

• Your Three Original Models (images) (p1a, p1b, p1c)
• Your Environment Projects: 
• The first one made with photo reference. (images) (p2a)
• The two made for homework. (images) (p2b, p2c)
• Your final environment project (rendered video) (p2d)
• Your three ball bounce animations. (playblasts @ 1920x1080px) (p3)
• Your blend shape motion tests. (playblasts @1920x1080px ) (p4a)
• Your final blend shape animation. (rendered video, 1920 x 1080) (p4b)
• Your first and second character motion tests + morpheus composite scene. (rendered video @ 1920 x 1080px) (p5a, p5b)
• Your final project (p6) (images and video, depending on the project) (counts for three projects)

Grades will be calculated as the average of (p1a + p1b + p1c + p2a + p2b + p2c + p2d + p3 + p4a + p4b + p5a + p5b + p6 + p6 + p6).

You are allowed to revise earlier projects to turn in a finished element!

By the 30th, you should place all the content you have currently made to the server. Final renders of these materials and any changes to earlier projects must be made by 12:00 PM, May 6th 2018.  Include a document that lets me know of any changes you have made.

Homework for Monday

Use what you have learned about character models to produce TEN(10) character poses and ONE(1) short animation! "no limit to time, minimum of 3 seconds!"  Experiment, try things, make mistakes, and bring all of your attempts to class!

For fun, also check out character rigs online! See if you can find any "Free for student use" rigs you can add to your collection! Remember that great character animation comes with time and patience, and there is a world of resources out there for you if you know where to look!  As an example, check out the rigs that Joe Daniels makes for students, as well as the Morpheus Rig we will use in class next week!

Good luck!

Homework for Monday!

Turn in all ball bounces by 8:00PM tonight!

Using what you learned about blend shapes, make a short animation for Monday!  The theme of your animation is this: "Give an object human characteristics!"

The character can do whatever you see fit! Jumping, running, rolling... anything goes!  My only request is that the action is CLEAR and EASY TO UNDERSTAND! You are training your communication and your animation skills this weekend!

A good workflow for your animation:

• Keep a sketchbook nearby for notes. Once you have your idea...
• Build your object.
• Build your blendshapes.
• Set up your blend shape node. (the list of actions for your blendshapes!)
• Animate your movements first.
• Animate your blend shapes next!

Remember: You can view your keyframes three different ways!

• Right Clicking the timeline, selecting Display Key Ticks, and selecting "Active and Selected" to view all selected ones, or "Channel Box" to only view keyframes if you select them in the channel box!
• Clicking your Dope Sheet! (Windows ---> Animation Editors ---> Dope Sheet)
• Looking in your timeline!

Lastly, the Lattice Deform Keys tool is useful for editing multiple keyframes in the graphing editor.

Notes on Blend Shapes!

How to make blend shapes:

1.  Make a model. Freeze transformations and delete history.
2. Check your pivot point position (hold D or X.)
3. Duplicate that model (command D) (A duplicated model becomes your TARGET/KEY POSE!)
4. Make changes to the vertices of that model (vertex mode)
5. Highlight the duplicates, then click the original last. 
6. In your Animation MENU:  Anim Deform —> Blend Shape.
1. Blend shape options:
2. Check Inbetweening: sets all of your poses to different transitions on the same animation.
7. To view/edit/animate your transformations:  Windows-Animation Editors —> Blend Shape
8. To view Playback: make use of the dope sheet as well! Shows keying on all objects!

Ways to edit blend shapes:

A. Setup #1: Use wireframe on shaded to help see vertices and edge loops.

•  Common mistake, picking a single point and moving it.
• (WHAT YOU WANT TO DO: Take into account the “skin" of your character! Grab multiple points and move together!
• Make it fold, make it compress! As an easy example, look at the wrinkles and bulges that are folded when you bend your fingers!

B. Setup # 2: A good idea to change mesh with smooth mesh preview off!

*note may want to add extra edge loops at joints for better bends.

D. Setup # 3: In outliner: Want to make a folder just for your blend shapes!  Can make a Blend Shapes Targets Folder!

E. Tools to use:

• Soft Modification Tool
• Hit the B key: can switch from selecting choice points to selecting a general area! (yellow, most pull —> red: medium pull —> black: least pull)
• hold down B key: can increase and decrease falloff radius!

• Mesh —> Sculpt Geometry Tool
• Lets you use a brush to do more organic sculpting.
• NOTE:
• Options:
• A Push
• B Pull
• C Smooth
• D Option 4: Relax Good for relaxing and averaging out verticess.
• E Pinch
• F Erase

Out of class today: here's what to do.

Hi everyone,

Due to unforseen circumstances, I will not hold class today. Despite that, use today to make progress on your projects.

In 2-D animation, continue working on your films! Take 40 minutes today to create a short animation for yourself! In 3-D, refine and correct your animated shorts! On wednesday, I will provide new content for each of you! With 5 weeks left in the semester, great things are coming soon!

Even though I am not in class today, the best use of your time would be to continue making progress in your individual projects. Feel free to email me any questions you have. I will answer them when I have the opportunity to do so.

Good luck everyone!

-Shaw

Notes from Wednesday, March 21st

ANIMATING IN THREE DIMENSIONS!

• components we work with:
• GRAPH EDITOR - Allows us to set keyframes, change easing, and edit specific parts of our object!
• Learning how to read the graph editor is important!
• TIMELINE:
• set start and stop times
• understand the difference between realtime keyframes and playing all keyframes regardless of speed
• To find this: Right Click your Timeline ——> Playback Speed
• setting keyframes
• setting keyframes for specific NODES in your channel box!
• To do it: Right click the node in your channel box and select “KEY SELECTED”
• UNDERSTANDING TANGENTS!
• there are different types of tangents that affect the speed of our animation!
• Every tangent functions as a keyframe!
• Tangents also affect timing!
• Animating from a camera helps us act towards the audience!
• helps us know what we need to show, and what we don’t need to show!
• We will need to use “LOCK SELECTED” to lock parameters from time to time!
• AUTO KEY FRAMING: located in the bottom right corner of your menu!
• When you make a keyframe (clicking key selected), your frame will always changed based on the nodes you select, and ONLY the nodes you select.

ABOUT THE GRAPH EDITOR:

• 2 main categories to read:
• 1) Frame Number
• 2) Node Value
• The name of the node appears as well.

TYPES OF TANGENTS:

• spline and linear
• spline: has gradual acceleration/deceleration
• linear: moves at a constant rate
• Tangents look like the little black squares on the graph editor!

Selecting Keyframes:

• hold shift, click and drag: You can select multiple keyframes.
• double click: select every visible keyframe

HOMEWORK:

Make 2 ball bounces!

• 1) an average ball bounce.
• 2) a ball of greater or less weight! (example: bowling ball, tennis ball, etc.)
• Your ball must bounce at least 4 times!
• Make you ball bounces in the same file. Put them in layers!
• Make a playblast of each ball bounce.
• Keep your animation under 144 frames!

For Wednesday:

Welcome back everyone! Be sure to turn in your playblasts and snapshots on for the next class, Wednesday March21st.

Take some time to practice your rendering techniques: On Wednesday, I will provide notes for our next project: animating a bouncing ball! We will talk about keyframing in animation, the graph editor, and other content! Also,  remember that a 10 second video of your animation is due next wednesday, March 28th!

Homework for March 19th 2018

• 1. Finish modeling the objects of your big environment project!
• 2. Finish texturing the objects of your big environment project!
• 3. Animate a camera in your scene!
• 4. Build a few play-blasts of different camera shots!
• 5. Take 3 snapshots of your environments as they look when they are rendered!

Midterms Checklist, and Parameters for your Environment Project!

Midterms Checklist:

On Wednesday, February 28th, please make sure you have the following items turned into the server.

• your three models (with photographic reference for two of them)
• Your four(4) environment render sets!
• You have 2 renders per environment!
• On Wednesday:
• In the groups folder:  Of the environments you have created, turn in the scene file (.ma or .mb) of your favorite environment!

ENVIRONMENT PROJECT:

• Deadline: 2 weeks! (Must turn in to the server by 5:00PM Friday, Mar 9, 2018)
• you can turn this in on Wednesday, March 7th!
• Research and develop an environment of your choosing!
• The environment MUST tell us the story of an individual without us ever seeing the character. (World-building)
• NO WIDE OPEN FIELDS OR DESERTS.
• Think scale (the size of your scene): How big or how small is it supposed to be?
• For fictional environments:  The objects you make must have purpose, be functional, and be recognizable in their function.
• Build your objects EFFICIENTLY!
• Tip: Keep it simple!

YOU NEED TO HAVE THE FOLLOWING ITEMS IN YOUR ENVIRONMENT:

1. floor and walls
2. a place of rest
3. an object of practical interaction (to put stuff in or put things on)
• a box? treasure chest? table?
4. an open container (a cup or a bowl)
• To use the revolve tool:
• go to your front view
• draw a curve
• hold the  "X-key," click on vertex. Snap to Origin (the dark center x and y axis line)
• click on SURFACES --> REVOLVE
• click on SURFACES ---> REVERSE DIRECTION
5. create a physical light source.
• a lightbulb from the ceiling, a candle, a lamp, a flashlight, etc.
6. AND... THREE objects that give us a clue to where we are!

Next week: We will cover building a camera and animating a camera moving through the scene! For now, focus on building your environment and establishing lighting!

BEGIN YOUR RESEARCH!

Create a folder with 20 images of 3-D environments that match the tone, lighting, or aesthetic you want to achieve!

* In this project, it is OKAY if your final result is not the same quality as your references!

Homework for Wednesday, February 21st.

You will turn in 8 photos to me!
In the GROUPS folder of the server, please add the following:

• two renders of your first environment you built over the weekend.
• two renders of your second environment.
• two renders of your third environment.
• two renders of your environment sketch you made in class!

• For the weekend environments: 
• I'm looking for believable lighting, and a good sense of space. Review the previous post for specific requirements.
• For Monday's environment sketch:
• I'm looking for great composition, good size relationships, basic shaders on your objects, and believable lighting!

Have a nice day! =D

Homework For Monday, Feb 19th

Continue our in-class exercise!

I want you to add basic shaders to your scene, and then build TWO (2) more simple environments!

The objects you need in the two new environments is the same, except for one IMPORTANT detail:

• floor and walls
• a place of rest
• an object of practical interaction (to put stuff in or put things on)
• a box? treasure chest? table?
• an open container (a cup or a bowl)
• To use the revolve tool:
• go to your front view
• draw a curve
• hold the  "X-key," click on vertex. Snap to Origin (the dark center x and y axis line)
• click on SURFACES --> REVOLVE
• click on SURFACES ---> REVERSE DIRECTION
• create a physical light source.
• a lightbulb from the ceiling, a candle, a lamp, a flashlight, etc.
• AND... one extra object of your choosing!
• the object must give us a clue to where we are!

Bring the environment you built in class, and the two new environments (each in a separate scene file to class on Monday!

Video: LIGHTING and RENDERING in MAYA

Below are notes on the basics of lighting and rendering in Maya! As a note for yourself: If you need to work from home, you will need to download and install the MENTAL RAY PLUGIN for MAYA 2016. It can be found at this link!

Basic Lighting and Rendering:

To select: Create ——> Lights ——>  (type of light)

Types of Lights:

• Directional Light: Works like the sun. Light entire scene in one direction
• Intensity: On all lights: Will change the intensity of the light itself and the brightness of that intensity.
• Spotlight:  Works from a single infinite point. Lights in a cone shape, outward towards an object.
• Drop-off will change the softness of the light itself.
• Ambient lights: Creates a soft light that paints the entire scene in a specific blend of light and light color.
• Point Lights: Operates like a candle. A miniature star that emanates from a single, solitary point in space.  The light gets softer as it moves through the air.
• Area light:  A light that emits in a specific direction, marked by a box and an indicator.
• Volume Light: A light that emits all objects inside a cage. Light will not escape outside that wire cage.

THESE LIGHTS OPERATE AND CONTROL THE WAY LIGHTS AND SHADOWS EMIT.

NEXT, WE CONTROL THE WAY LIGHT BOUNCES OFF THE OBJECTS USING….

• Material Choice
• Renderer Choice

Materials:

• Blinn: Used to generate basic highlights and reflections
• Lambert: Used for a matted look.
• mia_material: The most commonly used shader for Mental Ray Rendering. Used to achieve a variety of effects — like glossiness, reflections, specularity — as well as textures (rubber, concrete, gold, metal, etc.)

Renders:

• Maya Software: Basic render that calculates lighting based on the software controls in Maya.
• Maya Hardware: Basic render that calculates lighting based on the hardware of the computer.
• Maya Hardware 2.0: New(ish) renderer that produces a much more realistic image much faster.
• Mental Ray: Lighting engine commonly used to achieve realistic lighting settings by taking advantage of a number of controls that effect the way light interacts with objects and cameras.
• Arnold: New render to maya that is also used for advanced lighting; used in other applications, comes as part of Maya as of this year.

RAYTRACING SHADOW ATTRIBUTES:

• Light angle: Adjusts the softness of the light.
• Shadow rays: Adjusts quality of the light.
• Ray Depth Limit:  The number of times light bounces off of objects before is dissipates into shadow.

VIDEO EXAMPLE:

Homework for Monday, Feb 12th 2017

Come to class with THREE(3) models for grading!  Each of these models must be of greater complexity than the last.

The 3 Models you are bringing to class are the following:

1. The Model you built in-class on last wednesday, where you found a PICTURE of an OBJECT FROM GOOGLE.COM and tried to build a 3-D version of that 2-D object.
2. The model you built last weekend. (With the real-life object for study!)
3. The new model you are building now! (with the real-life object for study!)

Bring the .ma or .mb scene files to class. I will ask you to drop them in the "groups ----->  AN310" folder on the server for me to view.  Properly name your scene files!

BRING THE (2) REAL-LIFE OBJECTS TO CLASS FOR EVERY MODEL YOU HAVE MADE!  I WILL TAKE PICTURES OF THEM FOR REVIEW!

I will grade based on the following:

• Craftsmanship:  How clean are your edge loops and modeling selections?  Are your models efficiently built?
• Organization:  Did you name EVERYTHING in your scene?
• Accuracy: I will be checking off the accuracy of your objects! You will need to bring all three objects into class so I can take pictures and make note of them while I evaluate your objects! This is  to help you improve your creative skills as we move into making environments!
• Extra Credit:  If you bring a 4th completed model of GREATEST accuracy of all of your objects, I will award extra credit equivalent to half a letter grade! (The difference between a B and a B+, or a B+ and an A-)

Lighting Notes!

Below are notes on the basics of lighting and rendering in Maya! As a note for yourself: If you need to work from home, you will need to download and install the MENTAL RAY PLUGIN for MAYA 2016. It can be found at this link!

Basic Lighting and Rendering:

To select: Create ——> Lights ——>  (type of light)

Types of Lights:

• Directional Light: Works like the sun. Light entire scene in one direction
• Intensity: On all lights: Will change the intensity of the light itself and the brightness of that intensity.
• Spotlight:  Works from a single infinite point. Lights in a cone shape, outward towards an object.
• Drop-off will change the softness of the light itself.
• Ambient lights: Creates a soft light that paints the entire scene in a specific blend of light and light color.
• Point Lights: Operates like a candle. A miniature star that emanates from a single, solitary point in space.  The light gets softer as it moves through the air.
• Area light:  A light that emits in a specific direction, marked by a box and an indicator.
• Volume Light: A light that emits all objects inside a cage. Light will not escape outside that wire cage.

THESE LIGHTS OPERATE AND CONTROL THE WAY LIGHTS AND SHADOWS EMIT.

NEXT, WE CONTROL THE WAY LIGHT BOUNCES OFF THE OBJECTS USING….

• Material Choice
• Renderer Choice

Materials:

• Blinn: Used to generate basic highlights and reflections
• Lambert: Used for a matted look.
• mia_material: The most commonly used shader for Mental Ray Rendering. Used to achieve a variety of effects — like glossiness, reflections, specularity — as well as textures (rubber, concrete, gold, metal, etc.)

Renders:

• Maya Software: Basic render that calculates lighting based on the software controls in Maya.
• Maya Hardware: Basic render that calculates lighting based on the hardware of the computer.
• Maya Hardware 2.0: New(ish) renderer that produces a much more realistic image much faster.
• Mental Ray: Lighting engine commonly used to achieve realistic lighting settings by taking advantage of a number of controls that effect the way light interacts with objects and cameras.
• Arnold: New render to maya that is also used for advanced lighting; used in other applications, comes as part of Maya as of this year.

RAYTRACING SHADOW ATTRIBUTES:

• Light angle: Adjusts the softness of the light.
• Shadow rays: Adjusts quality of the light.
• Ray Depth Limit:  The number of times light bounces off of objects before is dissipates into shadow.

For Class on Wednesday, Feb 7th, 2018

Wednesday's class is a modeling workshop!

Come to class with a new object you want to model! The object you bring should be of more complexity than the last. With your new skills, you should be able to model a more accurate, higher quality object!

You will have time to revise the model you brought to class today as well. Around the midpoint of class, we will begin to discuss lighting!  As always, if you have questions, please let me know!

Additional Modeling Tips:

• Duplicate Special:
• use X and D to select an object.
• move cursor to origin.
• edit - duplicate special.
• Soft Selections: B Key.
• Cords: Use EP curve tool for precise drawing, or cv curve tool for more general drawing.

• Surfaces ---> Extrude
• Make holes using booleans. 
• Booleans:  Mesh —> Booleans —> Union, Difference, or Intersection


• Union: Join 2 objects
• Difference: Subtract first object from second object.
• Intersection: Subtract everything but the intersection.
• Options for More Organic Modeling:
• Soft Selections: Tap B Key. (Hold B key to change soft selection brush size.)
• Paint Selection Tool: Faster method of selecting components on a surface!
• Mesh Tools -> Sculpting Tools -> Sculpt Tool
• Photoshop-like brush tool for sculpting objects!
• Settings for brush size and strength.
• Keys for manipulation:
• Hold Shift Key to soften objects
• Hold control to draw the opposite action. (hill becomes valley, etc.)
• Hold B key to control brush size as well.

Homework for Monday, Feb 5th

Note: Video Posted!

A. Complete your in-class assignment where you try to build a 3-D model of some simple 2-D object! You are allowed to model bottles or cups for this version of your project!

B.  Using the skills you have learned this week, create a BRAND NEW 3-D model of a single object!  You will want to bring the object to class so we can compare your model to the original!
avoid simple models like cups and the like.

• Avoid objects that are too organic and complex, like backpacks, drapery, people, or animals (toy or otherwise)
• In this project, the goal is to learn how to model hard surface objects (inanimate objects that make up environments and objects that we commonly use!
• Good examples for this project:
• A pair of glasses.
• A hat.
• A shoe.
• A chair or table (make sure the object is portable enough to bring to class!)
• Headphones
• Keys
• And many other objects!

• For this project: I am grading based on the following:
• Composition: Can we identify the object or scene you have created?
• Understanding of tools: Can you identify the basic tools you have used and walk us through your scene?
• Naming Conventions and Organization:  Can you create a project that properly names every element you have used in your scene? (DID YOU NAME EVERYTHING?)

Getting Started: The interface!

Videos will be provided in this class!  To view a video walkthrough of Maya's interface, please click this link!  Note: So your videos stay protected, they are currently unlisted on youtube. This allows you to comment on them and post questions for future classes without needing to worry about public meddling.  I will keep a list of videos in a sidebar once video #2 has been uploaded!

To Create a new Project: Go to File ---> Project Window.

• Click "NEW"
• Type a name for your project folder, select the destination (Documents, Maya, Projects)
• Hit Accept!

Basic Tools (items in red are useful tools are not using yet write them down in your notes for later):

W- move

E- rotate

R- scale

G- repeat last command

q - exit tool

b- soft selection

shift + . - grow selection

alt + b - change background color

f - fit to selection/frame window
a - show all objects on screen

ctrl + a - open attribute editor/channel box

ctrl + delete - deletes an edge loop( 2014 version and up only)
command + G - Group Objects Together!

1 - standard mode

2 - subdivision mode with cage

3 - subdivision mode

4 - wireframe view

5 - shaded mode

6 - texture mode

The UV texture Editor helps an artist assign custom textures to models!  We can create a PSD network that specializes in refined mapping of different types of surfaces and materials onto a model!

Types of Modeling Tools:

Basic movement tools (move scale and rotate)

Sculpt Geometry Tool

Lattices

Advanced Selection Tools (To Vertices, To Edges)

Convert > Smooth Mesh Preview to Polygons

Subdivision Modeling: Mesh > Smooth

The Channel Box gives us NODES to adjust our models at every stage of production.

The Attribute Editor lets us adjust shaders at every given stage of production.

The Layers Tab makes it easy for us to group objects!

• To use it go to Layer -> Create Empty Layer OR Layer -> Create Layer from Selected

Rendering a scene is done within our RENDER SETTINGS for our animation!

Homework for Wednesday and Monday (title will change)

Using the knowledge you have gained from class, create a small scene from a number of primitive objects! I'm not looking for excess detail or excess simplicity, but I am looking for a resolved scene that further pushes your skills beyond what we learned in class!

Here is an example:

• Give yourself no more than 5 hours on this project!  Below are notes from our first class. Use them at your discretion!
• For this project: I am grading based on the following:
• Composition: Can we identify the object or scene you have created?
• Understanding of tools: Can you identify the basic tools you have used and walk us through your scene?
• Naming Conventions and Organization:  Can you create a project that properly names every element you have used in your scene? (DID YOU NAME EVERYTHING?)

As a reminder: refer to the previous post for information about the interface and basic navigation!

Welcome to AN 310!

COURSE# AN310 | 3-D Computer Animation

Location: Mac Lab 4 – Room 202

Instructor: Michael Shaw

Time: Monday and Wednesday

Block A: 1:00 PM – 3:30 PM

Block B: 4:00 PM – 6:30 PM

Contact: mshaw@mca.edu | 901.282.3902

Office Hours: Monday and Wednesday: 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM

Course Description:

Welcome to AN 310!  This course explores the finer workings of producing 3-D content and the processes we have at our disposal for achieving this endeavor!  The course utilizes modern 3-D and CGI tools to create environments, high-resolution models, cinematic studio lighting and realistic lighting, as well as introductory animation and video renders! The computers are outfitted with all the software needed to make the work of your choosing!  While in this class, every student will be given the chance later in the semester to pick a focus for a “final 3-D assignment,” where the student will be given the opportunity to produce content within a centralized medium and theme.

Methods of Study – The Flow of Class is as follows:

Class Readings / Video Demonstrations:

Due to the nature of our content, each week, students will be given video demonstrations and reference material to cover new material discussed in class. This will serve as preparation for the next class’s content as well as permanent resources for you!

In-class discussion and lessons:

Often we will reflect on the material in class via group discussion. This is an opportunity to field questions and prepare us for content creation.  Often we will consider strategies, methods, and established concepts, then innovate our own.

Interactive Demonstrations:

For our class: Demonstrations will often be given with an interactive twist. You will be asked to demonstrate a skill, which we will then add on to, piece by piece.  This will be done to help you learn, implement, and master new techniques for art making within this class!

In addition to this: You can download a copy of Maya 2016, 2017 and Mudbox from the Autodesk website for free. They will be compatible with the computers in Mac Lab 3, so you will be able to do work from home computers/laptops, granted you have the proper software updates! The goal of all class work and lessons will be to give you the tools necessary to develop into a better artist, character modeler, designer, and animator!

Projects:

Projects will be divided into two types:

In-Class projects will be shorter assignments tied to demonstrations. These are projects that will help you understand and implement new concepts.  Often they will be due at the end of class, or by the end of the following class.

Large-scale projects will be the longer assignments that work towards building a body of work you will turn in at the end of the semester.  These projects include short sequences, models, environments, and animation tests.  For some of these assignments, you will be given the choice to work together as a group, or alone. Prior to the first assignment where this is a possibility, we will have a day where we discuss group dynamics. Each project will be executed in stages including the following: Investigation; Brainstorming; Creation; Reflection; Revision.  

Reflection time will be given for the day after a project is turned in. We will take a day to review all assignments, and come back to class with our findings in an open discussion. This process gives you the tools to leave what (for many of you) is your final animation class with the ability to direct yourself into new avenues of exploration! This will help you quite a bit when we get to professional development

Class time will be divided between instruction and implementation, both often occurring at once.  You will be notified of any scheduled studio days for projects. On those days, I will be in class and serve as a guide to help with problems, critique assignments, and answer questions!

Fields of Study Include:

----------------------------------------

Basic Maya Interface: Learning how to work in 3-D.

Lighting: How to create bones for a 3-D Character of your creation, and how to make the subsequent skeleton function properly within an animation. (We actually have a software granted to us by a third party to help alleviate this process! i.e. save time!)

Texturing: The meat of this class:  How to apply your 2-D animation skills in a 3D environment, and make believably moving and acting 3-D characters!

Modeling: What it is, how to do it, and how to do it faster?

Mudbox and Organic Modeling: How to integrate organic 3D modeling software into your workflow.

Cinematography: Using Cameras in 3-D Animation

Blend Shapes: Making an animated objections morph and act in space.

Basic Character Animation: Using a pre-constructed rig to practice character animation and movement!

-------Assignments and Requirements ------

You are required to attend class everyday, on time.  We will start class @ 9:00 every day, unless otherwise noted.  The first 7 minutes of class will be for students to load projects and assemble assignments for the day. Any student in the door after 9:07 will be considered tardy. As with the Student Handbook, students who miss 6 days of class (three weeks of course instruction) will fail the course.  This will be strictly enforced. Prior to this event, any student that must miss a day needs to notify me ahead of time, long before the start of class.  Anyone who wonders into class at least 30 minutes after class begins will be considered absent for the rest of the day. 4 absences (two weeks worth of absences) result in a loss of one letter grade. Three tardies equate to one absence.

------- IN THE EVENT THAT YOU ARE ABSENT --------

If you are absent, you must catch up on assignments via consulting other students first, and myself via email second. I reserve the right to notify students ahead of time for any day that MUST NOT BE MISSED due to course content be it finals, assessments, midterms, or other coursework.  It is YOUR responsibility to stay caught up in class during the semester.

----Turning in Assignments -----

Each Assignment will be due on a scheduled date, given at the beginning of the assignment.  Often, this will be the day before the class, to give students time to listen to, and review other students’ work.  Part of your grade depends on turning each of your assignments in on time at designated checkpoints.  As long as you are meeting current deadlines, all assignments can be turned in for final review at the end of the semester.  Any missed checkpoints during the semester will factor into your final grade for that project/assignment.

Supplies:

1)    Sketchbook and Notebook for taking notes. You will want to keep track of your notes and illustrations. I expect you to make comments and constantly critique your own work, in addition to others!

2)    External Hard Drive: Can purchase online and use with other classes. If you already have it, great! If not, it’s an investment that can last you long beyond your undergraduate career.  The Computers primarily use USB 3.0 connections. The hard drives listed below are examples, compatible with mac and PC, but require formatting to go cross-platform.

Western Digital Example:

3)    3TB My Passport (Already formatted for mac) https://tinyurl.com/driveexample for keeping track of your computer files.

4) A three(3)-button computer mouse:  These can be purchased anywhere. You want to bring one with a scroll wheel to class so you can better navigate maya! A good mouse will only cost $5 - $10.

GRADING:

Each assignment will be awarded a grade based on the following rubric.  Plus(+) and minus(-) will denote more or less intricate mastery of objectives.  Students will be allowed to turn in higher-quality versions of their projects midterm for a higher grade.

Group assignments will be graded on individual achievement, and group achievement.  Both grades count 50% of any group assignment.

A - Excellent.  Assignment objectives are completed above and beyond the course requirements to great effort and great success.  Technical and conceptual skills are on display in a masterfully coherent manner with clean craftsmanship.

B - Proficient. The assignment completed demonstrates most mastery of the skills presented, and objectives are completed beyond course goals. Much effort, and a clear and concise direction shines through the final result. There are still a few issues that can be pushed further.

C - Competent.  The assignment completed demonstrates relative mastery of the skills presented, and objectives are completed to average sufficiency.  Assignments are successful, and craftsmanship and technical skills are on display -- All are completed at an average level.

D - Deficient.  The assignments completed are missing demonstrations of the skills presented, and/or required objectives have yet to be completed. There are conceptual and technical flaws and hurdles that have not been overcome.

F - Failure.  The majority of the project is either not completed, and/or objectives for assignment are not met.

Final Grades will be based on a comprehensive average of all of your projects, as well as midterm and final milestones for portfolio upkeep.

Always BACK UP YOUR FILES IN THREE SEPARATE PLACES. In the event that you lose your projects, remember that I can not grade what does not exist!  You are solely responsible for the security of your files. Your files are not 100% secure on the server or computer. You should have multiple copies on multiple sources at all times. Utilize google drive, external hard drives, cloud storage solutions like Dropbox, and other uses!

Copyright

You must receive copyright permission for all non-public domain media used in your film projects. Public domain material can be found at http://www.publicdomain.org/ and http://www.creativecommons.org/. Visit American University's Center for Social Media Website for detailed information regarding the difference between rights infringement and fair use.

LEARNING ACCOMMODATIONS:

            In compliance with MCA policy and equal access laws, I am available to discuss appropriate academic accommodations that you may require as a student with a disability. Request for academic accommodations need to be made during the first week of the semester, except for unusual circumstances, so arrangements can be made.

HEALTH and SAFETY PRECAUTIONS

As more and more work, education and recreation involves computers, everyone needs to be aware of the hazard of Repetitive Strain Injury to the hands and arms resulting from the use of computer keyboards and mice.  This can be a serious and very painful condition that is far easier to prevent that cure once contracted, and can occur even in young physically fit individuals. Paul Marxhausen - visit his site below.

            http://eeshop.unl.edu/rsi.html

            http://www.mydailyyoga.com/yoga/rsi.html

DEPARTMENT AND LAB POLICIES:

Immediately submit an online tech request to report any problems with a lab computer or printer. 

Main MCA computing info site = mca.edu/labs -- go here for answers to frequently asked questions and online tutorials for MCA specific technologies.

No Food or Drinks in Lab.

Keep the Lab Clean. Dispose of all trash -- Paper scraps, old media etc.

Leave your workstation in an orderly fashion. All materials left on the desktop will be deleted. Organize files within the documents folder on your account. Delete your trash from your desktop and trash bin. 

Back up work to an external source. Remember files are only safe if they exist in 3 separate locations. MCA servers are not to be considered secure and used only for temporary storage.  

Log Out of your workstation prior to your departure. Upon your departure, the chair should be pushed in. Your monitor, keyboard and mouse should be placed in their proper positions.

COPYRIGHT:

You must receive copyright permission for all non-public domain media used in projects. (Music, film footage, etc.)  Public domain material can be found at http://www.publicdomain.org/ and http://www.creativecommons.org.  Visit American University's Center for Social Media Website for detailed information regarding the difference between rights infringement and fair use. We will discuss fair-use policies during class.

OSHA MANDATE:

Memphis College of Art students and faculty are required to follow the standards detailed in the "OSHA” Materials guidelines.

The schedule for this class can be viewed by clicking this link. I reserve the right to update this schedule whenever I deem necessary.