Modelling in Autodesk Mudbox.

Another portion of this term's project's was based on learning the extensive modelling program Autodesk Mudbox.
A tool that can be used for producing detailed models by using more traditional methods of sculpting but in a digital 3D environment.
The format works in a similar fashion of Photoshop allowing you to organise any changes you make to your current model in a managable Layer system, Making things lot easier when it comes to trying out and experimenting new methods to acheive a look.

To acquaint ourselves with the software and it's capabilities we were assigned to sculpt a fellow student's bust (Head and Shoulders) into Mudbox, this would involve taking a photo of the subject's bust and using these images for referance.
I chose to sculpt Jake Neal for this project, his hair would be a task to do but I felt that with it being tied back it would be managable.

After sculpting the model I had to texture on the topology of the model, showing were lines would be placed onto the model to show where parts of the face would move if the model would be rigged for animation.
Overall, I really enjoyed working with Mudbox and plan to use it anytime I can to develop my skills with it and experiment.

Animating in Autodesk Maya.

We had been assigned for this project to learn and develop skills in the 3D animating program: Autodesk Maya.

We were first instructed and given a walkthrough animating a 3D rig of a ball, exercising the techniques of squash and stretch to get a grip of the main interface of the program. The core functions and learning how to set up chains of motions were difficult to get a hang of but it was barely reminiscent of how Adobe Flash's motion tweens worked.
An example of what we did for this exercise can be found in an earlier post to this blog.

After we had completed that first step into what Maya is capable of, the main task we had been given was to animate a character (In this case it was of a rig called MooM) to a choice of one of three set pieces of audio/dialogue tracks.
The dialogue I had chosen from the three was: "Lobo. He's tough, he's a brute. But he's got a good heart. At the end of the picture, he saves the girl." from the film Ed Wood.
Unlike what other's have done I wanted to animated the character as if it was actually saying the lines of dialogue rather than acting out the lines as if the scene is being narated.

I used gestures and notions to make the character looks as if it is "talking with his hands" accompanied by facial expressions and positioning the head.
Overall Maya, is very compotent software with an interface that needs to be learned and fully explored and experimented with. But with enough exerience some vastly impressive work can be done.

Evolution of Computer Generated Imagery.

Computer Generated Imagery (CGI) is the application of the field of computer graphics. Creating 3d modelled objects or scenary are usually what is intended in this area of it's requirements.
Computer animation is a process that is affiliated with CGI for generating animated images by using computer graphics in a 3D space. Because CGI can be referred to static and moving images, Computer animation is a more accurate term.

Being essentially the digital sucessor to stop-motion animation, 3D models and even traditional frame-by-frame animation of 2D illustrations.



Tin-Toy was Pixar's first venture into 3D Computer-Animation, it was completed in 1988 and it was never sold to the public.
This was the only Pixar short to be rendered on a RM-1 Computer, overall the animation is impressive for it's time butthere are obvious signs of deteriation in the animation and models, It's movement being very unnnatural and wooden.



But after Tin-Toy, it had attracted attention from Disney when the won an Oscar award in 1989, with a new funding from Disney the newly developing animation studio had the oppurtunity to show the full potential in this new age of animation.
They produced Toy Story, which was a colossal success and launched the new industry straight into business, practically beginning the Computer Animation front for Films.



Now in these present days, CGI and animation is now implemented into real live-action scenes. Being able to interact with actors, environments, effects etc.
You can see that the quality of the animation, models and immersion has been magnified many times over.



CGI and Computer animation is being developed and implemented into many forms of entertainment. Movies, Games, TV Industries and lots of other opportunities will be pushing this line of animation and industry forward.

Flash Animation from Traditional Animation.

Traditional animation (most commonly referred to as Classical animation or hand-drawn animation) can be seen as the oldest and historically the most popular technique of animation.
Usually in a traditionally animated cartoon, each frame is drawn by hand, each cel of the character has to be repetively drawn and keeping the consistancy can be both tedius and difficult.
The term "Tradition Animation" is often used to keep the seperation with the now more commonly used and easily produced computer animation.





A Flash animation or Flash cartoon are animated film which are created in Adobe Falsh or similar digital animation software.
With dozens of Flash animated televison serise, countless advertisements and award-winning animated shorts that circulated over the internet. Flash animation is currently at the peak of it's exposure and is enjoying a renaissance.





Both styles of animaton are usually eas to spot. There are some styles of Flash animation tha have "cut" characters where the limbs or bother body parts are obviously static images being manipulated.
Whilst Traditional animation can be seen to be of a much higher quality, but requires alot more funding, time and skill.



A series called "Star Wars: Clone Wars" created by Gendy Tartakovsky (Of Samurai Jack fame). The series utilized a very distinctive style to the characters and environments (consisting to Tartakovsky's art style). But what was most interesting was it's blend of Traditional and Flash animation techniques. Having the smooth and impressive attributes of Traditional and making use of the shortcuts that Flash animation can provide. Some scenes in the series even have cel-shaded CGI.

Animating Experiments

This short animation was created on our first exploration of the Autodesk Maya software. We had to learn the properties of keyframes and composing correct shapes depending on the wieght and speed an item is travelling, such as on this video clip; When the ball is plummeting down to the floor the speed is causing the shape of it to stretch making it appear to be moving faster than usual.
But when the ball comes into contact with the floor the shape squashes out horizontally giving the impression that it had hit the floor with an impact. This technique is referred to as the "Squash and Stretch" Technique and is useful for over exaggerating forces and movement.



This animation was done on Adobe Photoshop CS5, The animation settings that are built into the software are very in-depth and useful.
Being able to utilize the settings of photoshop and creating animations from them save alot of time and referencing.
In this video I was trying to portray how the balls would react with differant angles and wieght properties.



I also did this quick animation of the character Optimus Prime, I always aspired to these animations from the original show when growing up and couldnt resist from exercising what I had learnt by completing something like this.
Figuring out where each part would fit into and having to redraw the character for each frame was tedious, it made me understand why the animating teams had to be of such a large number of people back in the days of traditional animating.

Animation Fundamentals: Good Examples

Squash and Stretch - Tom and Jerry.
This means to difine the mass of an object by distorting it's shape during the motion of an action.
As seen on the character in this image he is leaping down to the ground making his body appear flatter.




Timing and Motion - Star Wars: Clone Wars.
This means to space the action and define the weight and size of the object in motion fitting the personality of the object of moving characters. As seen on this image it appears that there are two pistols but one is just the after image of the other, giving the effect that it is spinning on his finger.



Anticipation - Star Wars: Clone Wars.
This style of layout in animation means preparing for an event of another animation or action. Building up the tension to a crucial plot turn or action like in this image which shows the calm Clonetrooper's panels flashing at him and reflecting in his visor as his ship is about to crash.


Staging - Star Wars: Clone Wars.
This means to make a certain scenario or pose unmistakably clear, As if that the story can be told by just looking at this freezeframe image. The Troopers are shown to be in a triumphant pose showing that they had just completed thier mission/objective.



Follow through and Overlapping action - Star Wars: Clone Wars.
When one animation stops and another begins in the same scene, for example two animations on the same screen starting at different times, like on this particular image, The rocket is the first animation that is seen hurtling toward the window of the building, the second is the two Battle Droids who flinch and try to escape the blast.

Straight ahead and Pose-to-pose Action - Star Wars: Clone Wars
This is a contrast to standard animation, when characters pose before an animation starts, In this scene the red trooper ducks and avoids a blast before hand signalling another soldier to flank thier enemies.


Slow in and out - Hulk Vs. Wolverine.
When the animation itself slows down to set the scene or atmosphere for a certain event, even achieving a slow motion effect, in this scene Deadpool lunges at his enemy from above as the scene cuts to slow motion as Wolverine slices his arm into differant segments, the Slow motion effect displaying each part of him slowly sliding off one another.




Arcs - Star Wars: Clone Wars.
Where something animated follows a realistic pattern when thrown, Like in this image where a Trooper hurls his rifle at an enemy as a last hope of fending off his attackers.



Exaggeration - Tom and Jerry.
An animation style which distorts the possibilities of reality and is mostly used for comedic effect. Pushing the features of a characters face or body to the extreme to portray an emotion on levels that wouldnt be possible on a realisticly animated character.



Secondary Action - Star Wars: Clone Wars
The secondary action is when a second animation is caused by the first, In this scene the Red Clone signals out the rest of his squad after emerging from the wreckage, once he had given the hand signal two more troopers emerge from behind him and jump down.



Appeal - Star Wars: Clone Wars.
This is a classic fundamental of animation used to make a character or action seem appealing to the viewer either in a sence to impress or entertain. The Red Trooper in this image rolls into frame and dispatches his foes with great skill and precision, not missing a single shot and turns to the viewer.


Personality - Star Wars: Clone Wars.
When through just the actions and animations can determine and portray the personality of a character, such as in this shot where this Clonetrooper Captain spins his pistol on his finger and places it in his holster after impressively dispatching his foes before giving a hand signal to his squad behind his back without looking, giving an almost cocky and calm mood to him.