3D Character Design

In this intermediate level course, students will learn how to design and model their own character in 3D. Once this is established, students will be taught how to texture and rig. Finally, you will create simple animations like walk and run cycles on your character realistically while applying the principles of animation. Next students are taught 3-point lighting set up and how to render out their animation to video. The course is practical oriented with lots of homework and one-on-one help from the instructor. The last week will be devoted to completing their final projects and production of a 15 second animation reel.

This course is a great start for students who are already very familiar with Maya. We adopt a simple production-based training methodology and our students gain valuable inside knowledge from our years of hands-on experience in 3D animation.

INTRODUCTION TO STORY TELLING
• Story Lecture: Once upon a time… Story is King
• Three parts of a great story (Introduction, Build up and Resolution)
• Storyboard
• Art Lecture: Importance of Pre-Production Art
• Production Pipeline

POLYGON CHARACTER MODELLING
• Introduction to character design and modelling using polygons
• Project Start- Modelling the low poly character
• Setting up photo references and Image planes
• Modelling Techniques (box method vs edge loop method)
• Introduction to Maya’s polygonal and surface modelling tools – Extrude tool, Vertices, Edge and bridge, Split poly tool, Combining, Smooth, Sculpt geometry tool etc
• Modelling with symmetry – Mirror Geometry, Merge vertices
• Edge Loops, Clean Topology using quads and few triangles and n-gons
• Development of form and detail (low poly count, surface quality, hard and soft edges)
• Using the Insert Edge loop Tool
• Homework will be graded on creativity, usage of tools, and complexity
• Homework – Students will create a low-poly character and Instructor to review

UV MAPPING
• Purpose and applications
• Types of UV Mapping (planar, cylindrical, spherical etc)
• Unwrapping UV and proper UV mapping on models
• Unfolding and stitching UVs of objects
• UV Snapshot for exporting UV to image files
• Homework – Student will create UVs for their character

SHADING AND TEXTURING
• Introduction to Shaders/Materials
• Mapping texture to Shaders (fractal, noise, wood, file textures etc)
• Diffuse and bump map
• Reflections and transparency
• Painting textures directly onto 3D surface which includes skin and clothing’s and props in Maya using 3D Paint Tool
• Introduction to texturing with Mudbox
• Toon Shaders
• Glow textures
• Paint effects
• Background colour and picture
• Homework – Student will create Shaders/materials and texture their character

CHARACTER RIGGING
• Create facial expressions using blendshapes
• Set up and rigging a character using Human IK or a simple manual rig
• Adding joints to characters
• Skinning the character, adding IK/FK, constraints and controls
• Painting Skin weights
• Homework – Student will have completed the rig of their character

PRINCIPLES OF ANIMATION
• 12 Principles of Animation (Overshoot, anticipation, secondary motion etc)
• Introduction to Timeline and range slider
• Setting up basic key frame
• Animating simple objects
• Playblast for review
• Using graph editor to perfect motion
• Path animations
• Working with Deformers on simple objects – Twist, Lattice, Flare, Bend, Flare
• Homework – Students will practice the basic principles on simple primitives

CHARACTER ANIMATION
• Introduction to character animation
• Scene referencing and working with passes
• Walk/run cycle animation starting with the blocking pass
• Doing additional animation passes
• Basic Facial Animation
• Final polishing of animation with focus on the principles of animation
• Homework Student exercises include walking and run cycle and basic facial expression

LIGHTING & CAMERAS
• Free and Aim Cameras
• Types of lights (point, spot, ambient and area lights)
• Creating Shadows
• Light special effects (flares)
• Three (3) point lighting (Key/Fill/Rim)
• Homework – Student will light their Character Model

RENDERING
• Render Setting
• Render Engines – Maya Software, Hardware, Mental Ray
• Mental Ray in general: Motion blur, depth of field, Ambient occlusion, Final Gather, HDRI, Sun and Sky
• Resolution film and resolution Gates
• Batch rendering an image sequence
• Reviewing renders with FCheck

BASIC EDITING & COMPOSITING
• Putting It All Together/Work Day using Premiere Pro
• Adding Sound Effects and music
• Finishing and exporting the final 15 sec video
• Final Exam – Student must work on their character Project to finish their animation reel development for final Assessment. Instructor will review the finished piece for their personal portfolio and student will be graded.

FINAL VIEWING PARTY! Kick back, relax, and watch student reel