In Animation, we modeled, textured, and rendered several different scenes, learning the 3D pipeline. At the end of the unit, we culminated our skills in a 3D Narrative Animation, working in teams to create a ~1 minute long short.
3D Weapon
First, we modeled 3D weapons as if they were going to be implemented in a video game perhaps. Our teacher showed us how to create a low poly model and bake high poly textures into it to make it appear detailed without losing performance.
3D Environment
Next, we followed the same procedures with a more complex 3D environment scene. For this one I created a work desk with ivy growing on it.
3D Character
Finally, we designed and modeled 3D characters. I wanted to make a simple design with a limited color palette and skewed proportions. We went through the whole process, modeling, texturing, and rendering.
3D Character Animation
We then started to rig and animate for the first time. Rigging the character was quite a challenge, and there’ still some strange deformation at the pants seams (polygons of the model stretching unnaturally). We were tasked to create generic video-game animations for our 3D character, like walking, running, and jumping.
3D Lip Sync Animation
Next, we learned how to create different face shapes and interpolate between them to make mouths move. Here is my Lip Sync test with the character I modeled.
3D Mocap Animation
This animation was particularly fun to make: we were given mocap data from a large library, and we could map the captured movements onto our characters. I chose a dance movement and rendered it out from different angles, and added editing for extra effect.
3D Narrative Animation
The longest and most rewarding project we created was the 3D Narrative Animation. After learning the basics of 3D animation from our previous projects, my team felt ready to tackle a longer, higher quality animation. We took inspiration from the game Journey, manually painting the textures instead of using materials to give it a hand-drawn feel.
Reflection
I am most grateful for being given the opportunity to learn 3D. In the past when I tried to get into it the massive wealth of knowledge overwhelmed me, and I didn’t know where to start. This class has given me a surface-level understanding of the basics, making me more comfortable with the nebulous software. The narrative animation was by far the most valuable experience, as it taught me not only 3D skills but time management and collaboration as well.