A sample process for modeling your environment project!

As requested: Below lies an example for creating your environment project!

• Gather reference images that relate to the idea you are creating.
• Start by sketching out a draft of your scene. Use the techniques we mentioned in class to get a decent idea of basic size relationships, lighting, composition, and the like.
• Give your objects basic shaders so you are aware of the color relationships in each part of your project!
• Then, put that version of your scene in a layer. 
• Set the layer to "Reference(R)" or "Template(T)" so you can start building the actual models of your scene.
• Model your objects at this point! Work one at a time, working from the origin (place where the x, y, and Z axis intersects).
• Place the objects in their respective locations.
• Once 90% of your models are created, start texturing your scene! Use this time to flesh out the basic shaders you have already created!
• Go back to the lighting you originally established. You will probably need to make updates! Add, remove, or enhance the lighting and shadows you have to make a more believable scene!
• Continue texturing your scene, creating test renders to check different parts of the scene.
• When you are almost done, add in any last elements you need to tie the scene together!
• When you are done, produce your final renders! Open those images in photoshop and make any final edits to contrast or depth of field that you choose to create.

MIDTERMS CHECKLIST

Midterms Checklist:

On Wednesday, February 27th, please make sure you have the following items turned into the server. For each project, you should turn in two folders: (1) Your project folder so I can check your organizational methods and (2) snapshots or renders of your projects.

Proper naming conventions for your renders are also listed.

• Project 1: Your first composition project. 
• [lastname_p1a, lastname_p1b, lastname_p1c]
• Project 2: Your first three models you created.
• [lastname_p2a, lastname_p2b, lastname_p2c]
• Project 3: Your second set of three models you've created.
• [lastname_p3a, lastname_b3b, lastname_p3c]
• Project 4: Your Set of three simple interiors, built with lighting.
• [lastname_p4a, lastname_p4b, lastname_p4c]
• Project 5: The environment sketches we built -- one of the lab, and one of a chosen location on campus.
• [lastname_p5a, lastname_p5b]
• Project 6: All current progress on your big environment project! Produce 3 renders of your current environment's progress in 1/2 resolution! Refer to VIDEO 3 for instructions on lighting and rendering! (960 x 540).
• [lastname_p6a, lastname_p6b, lastname_p6c]

Homework for Monday, February 25th, 2019

• Come to class with as much of your environment modeled as possible! We will talk more about texturing methods next week.
• In addition to this, bring project files and snapshot images of everything you have created so far to class! I will post a writeup that will show you how to turn in your assignments.
• For any questions or concerns, please email me! Have a great day!

Prelude to your Environment Project

ENVIRONMENT PROJECT:

• Deadline: TBD
• 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)
• Reminder: 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! The quality of your assets should be determined by how close those environments are to the camera!

Homework for Monday, February 11th

Using what you have learned, build 3 simple interiors!

• Each should be built in a seperate file.
• Make sure you light each one!
• Each scene should have a minimum of four objects in it! (not including copies!)
• When done, make a render of your scene and take a snapshot of it with COMMAND + SHIFT + 4!
• Tips:
• this project is about taking what you understand about models to build larger scenes. We will start talking about texturing next week, so this will give you some projects to experiment with! That said, I will check for each scene!
• Don't shoot for the most complex, most detailed scenes in the world. Shoot for overall composition and feeling within the space. 
• Treat each scene like it's own location!

NOTES FROM CLASS ARE BELOW:

MODELING MENTALITY:  what you should think about when modeling objects!

• Number of Polygons: How do you create that object with the least amount of polygons?
• Topology: The way edges and vertices FLOW across your model!
• Basic Silhouette: Which basic shape to choose when modeling an object and how to build off of it!

LIGHTING TIPS:

• Key Light:  Strongest light in the scene.
• Fill Light:  Slightly weaker light that fills in shadows and makes them softer.
• Rim (or Back) Light: Lights the edge of your characters from behind. Separates them from the background.

TOOLS TO MAKE MODELING EASIER:

• Paint Selection Tool
• Sculpting Tool (Sculpting Brush tool)
• Modeling Toolkit: A collection of tools to make cutting your object easier.
• Connect tool: Draws an edge loop in the center of your object.
• Duplicate Special: Make a LOT of copies of your object!
• Soft Selection Tool: 

SCENE BUILDING TIPS:

(how many of the following were you able to do?)

• Ideate a scene (come up with an idea)
• Pick a few objects to model.
• Model those objects.
• Position those objects in a composition.
• Qualify your arrangement as a scene?
• Start to light your scene?
• Finish lighting your scene?
• Produce a render of your scene?

Lighting Tips!

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.