WEEK 10

Autodesk Maya – final outcome

The culmination of the fundamental animation lessons with George marked a significant milestone in the learning journey. Throughout the course, we engaged in a comprehensive exploration of essential animation principles, techniques, and tools under George’s guidance. The final outcome of these lessons was a showcase of acquired skills through individual projects and assessments.

We were tasked with applying animation principles such as timing, spacing, and weight to create compelling and believable character movements. The focus on body mechanics, walks, and weight shifts added layers of complexity to the animations, pushing students to refine their understanding of realistic motion.

The assessment involved animating a ball, a ball with a tail, a ball with the legs and a real character incorporating key principles like anticipation and follow-through. This project served as a practical application of the principles covered during the lessons, allowing students to demonstrate their grasp of fundamental animation concepts. Additionally, we received valuable feedback from George during the review of their animations. This feedback played a crucial role in identifying areas for improvement, refining techniques, and enhancing the overall quality of the animations.

The final outcome, therefore, was not just the completion of a specific assignment but a collective showcase of growth and proficiency in fundamental animation. We emerged from the lessons with a solid foundation in animation principles, laying the groundwork for more advanced and intricate animation projects in the future.

Unreal Engine – Unreal Island

For the Unreal project, we started by creating a moodboard as a creative approach. Moodboards helped us establish the visual direction, tone, and atmosphere that we wanted to convey in your scene and serving as a reference point for design choices.

Moving on to modelling is a pivotal step where we brought our ideas into the three-dimensional space of Unreal Engine. This involves creating 3D models of props, or environments that have populated our scene.

After the models are in place, the next steps involve shading and texturing. Shading involves defining how light will interact with the surfaces of our 3D models. This includes considerations for materials, reflections, and the overall appearance under different lighting conditions. Texturing adds another layer of detail by applying images or patterns to the surfaces, enhancing realism and providing visual interest.

Unreal Engine provides a powerful set of tools for shading and texturing, allowing you to achieve a high level of fidelity in your project. The engine’s material editor, lighting features, and texture mapping capabilities offer a wide range of creative possibilities.

I utilized Blender to craft a set of mushrooms. Initially, I engaged in modeling, followed by employing texture painting with a graphic tablet. Subsequently, I developed an immersive environment, incorporating lights, and introduced particles using physics animation.