Quarter 1

Why I am taking 3D Modeling and Animation

I took 3D Modeling and Animation because I want to be ready and able to take game design next year. Game design is a class I've always wanted to take due to my prior experience with coding but it's a class I never thought I could find space for until now.  Another reason I took 3D Modeling is I already have some experience in Blender that could help me succeed in this class. I also wanted to add another certification to my increasingly growing count. From this class I want to receive the skills and knowledge to be proficient at 3D Modeling, and I want to familiarize myself with the basics of Animation. I also want to have the experience to go into Game Design next year confident and ready to succeed in every aspect of that class.

What I learned in Module 1

In Module 1 I learned many skills in 3ds Max and for 3d Modeling and general! We started by using primitive objects, aka basic shapes, to create simple scenes. From there we learned how to modify primitives to develop more intricate designs, like making a pencil! Additionally, we learned how to use features like the align tool, which allowed us to create multiple references of a single object quickly and easily. In the end we used what we've learned to make a final project called the Temple of the Primitives, which was our first ever scene with full walls, floors, and roofs.

I can use these skills I've developed over the course of Module one to help plan ideas in the future. I can take primitives and modified primitives to build basic versions of what I want the final product to look like. And I can also use these basic designs for small background set pieces if I don't want to take unnecessary time modeling them. Speaking of I can also use the align tool to make environments with multiple of the same pieces scattered around.

What I learned from Module 2

In Module 2 we learned about how to specifically place primatives to make more advanced models. The 2 projects we did this model were the 4 Corners Scene and Alfie Hitchcat. The first overarching thing we learned how to use was planes. These are perfectly flat objects we can use as either floors, walls, roofs, or to place reference images on. We used a plane as a floor for the 4 Corners Scene and to display the reference image for Alfie Hitchcat. Using that reference issue and the modification tab we turned some primatives into the Alfie Hitchcat model. We also used how to import model files into 1 3ds Max file, which will prove very helpful in the future when we make bigger scenes.

I can use these skills I've developed over the course of Module 2 to help stay organized. Using planes I can see in a simple and organized manor how scenes look not just in the basic space they provide to all 3ds Max files, especially floors. I can also use planes for reference images to help with making sure my models look just like the originals. Finally I can use importing files to help organization by combing similar objects into 1 file.

What I learned from Module 3

In Module 3 we learned about how to modify privatives and use splines to make much more complex objects in scenes. We first learned how to place objects on a spline while modeling a screwdriver, where we made a line then filled various objects on to said line to make a precise screwdriver. Then we continued expanding our knowledge of splines by modeling a Pawn from Chess using a reference image and the line tool to make a custom spline with the shape of the pawn. Then we learned about modifiers like edit poly, melt, noise, and the various types of smoothers and used those to help make objects for our Field Scene, Toy Submarine, and Space Ship. Then finally we used everything we've learned on our big Object Modeling project, where I modeled a full scene around a Home Depot Sink with additional items like plates, mugs, and pears.

I can use these skills I've developed over the course of Module 3 to model complex objects that aren't just flat shapes. Using splines I can make original or unorthodox shapes for objects work much cleaner then trying to replicate the same shape with privatives. And with modifiers I can use things like edit poly to drastically change an object's shape to better reflect it's purpose in the scene. Together these 2 tricks form the backbone of modeling complex objects in 3ds Max.

What I learned from Module 4

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QUARTER 1 REFLECTION:

In Quarter 1 I learned a lot about many aspects of 3D Modeling, including many techniques that helped me make more advanced models. In modules 1 and 2 we learned about objects called privatives that are basic shapes you can place into a scene. By changing just the values on these privatives we made basic objects with linear structures, like the temple of privatives and Alfie Hitchcat. But module 3 is where we learned much more advanced modeling with modifiers and splines. Modifiers are ways to, well, modify privatives. These open so many possibilities like smoothing the object, adding randomness to the object, and melting the object. But the most important modifier we learned about was edit poly, because it let us modify individual vertexes, edges, or polygons in an object. For example I used edit poly to chamfer, or smooth, the top edges of the toaster in the Sink Scene so it looks more realistic. The other major feature we learned in module 3 was splines, a way to make completely custom shapes in 3ds Max. I used this in Object Modeling with the mugs for the handles. which I made by combining a curve made with the line tool and a cylinder taking it's shape.  Finally in Module 4 we learned about cameras and lighting. Both of these objects work very similarly to how they work in real life; we point them at certain objects with certain angles to get the best looking visual result.

For me the hardest challenge I faced this corner was the pace, especially at one specific choke point: The Lego Minifigure. The Lego Minifigure was by far the most complicated tutorial based assigned we've done thus far; It took me around 1.5 weeks to follow the whole tutorial and complete the model. Because of this and my 4 days being sick in the first 2 weeks  I had the exact oposite of a head start going into the rest of Module 3. Despite that I worked hard and got done the remaining assignments in the module before the Object Modeling project I had extra time compared to others to get it done. The Screwdriver, Spaceship, Submarine, and Chess Pawn all took me only about a day each. Another one of the challenges I faced during this quarter was trying to do too much when I didn't need too. For example when I was just supposed to model the physical lamp in Module 4 I instead spent a whole day modeling in unnecessary detail the whole table and book under the lamp so it looked identical to the original image under it to make a whole scene. Why did I do this? If your looking for an answer I don't have one, just decided that day I wanted to make life harder for myself.

My goal for the next quarter is to learn as much about 3ds Max modeling as possible in the limited time so I can become the best modeler I can be. I have enjoyed the free modeling part of this class much more then I thought I would when I first entered. I also believe I am much better at it starting out then I was at Adobe Visual Design at first, which is a nice bonus. I'm especially proud of my work on the big object modeling project because of how strong I believe the final project turned out. I found great satisfaction in spending 2 weeks modeling small individual parts of the object that you barely notice individually, but together they paint a scene that is very eye catching. I hope to make even more eye catching models as I develop my 3ds Max skills in Quarter 2.

What I learned from Module 5

In Module 5 we learned all about the basics of adding textures to objects with the Material Editor. Our big overarching assignment for Module 5 was called Still Life, where we textured 3 different objects then added them all to a single display case for rendering. We added a red and black texture to a bowling ball and adjusted a lot of settings with it to achieve the intended effect. We textured a gold ring and made it look much more metallic and reflective. And lastly we tetured multiple layers of a diamond to achieve an object with transparency and a changing color in the middle. We also textured a back wall with a brick texture and a plant on the floor behind the objects.

I can use the skills I've learned in Module 6 to add unique textures to all future objects I model. This opens up so many more opportunities with modeling beyond just basic primatives. Combining texturing, modifiers like edit poly, and lighting we can now make full scenes that look almost life like. This module has prepared me very well for the upcoming PBM assignment at the end of the year.

What I learned from Module 6

I'm not going to lie, this Module was miserable. Module 6 was based around the Unwrap UVW modifier and the Lego Indiana Jones assignment. The unwrap UVW modifier is what you use to apply image based textures to 3d objects. Towards the start of the module there was some tutorial videos built around the arms that turned out to be completely useless for the final assignment. I ended up wasting a large amount of time trying to follow that segment exactly all for it to mean nothing. As you would expect I was thrilled by this news. The first part of the lego figure we added a texture too was the face, which was by far the easiest as we just needed to add the image to the head with Unwrap UVW.  The hardest part of this assignment, besides how convoluted parts of it were, was definitely the pelvis. The tutorial gave us no way to automatically sort the parts of the texture on the object, and no way to adjust the texture file besides scaling and rotating, meaning I had to spend a solid half hour solving a confusing and probably realistically impossible puzzle. Solving said puzzle was not fun.

Going forward with 3ds max I can use the skills I learned with Module 6 to allow me to map 2d image textures onto 3d objects.  I can do this by using bitmaps on pre made images. I can also use my knowledge of the unwrap UVW modifier to help reduce or remove distortion from textures on objects in 3ds Max. Going forward I will continue to be patient with the questionable tutorials, and will be checking if the steps followed are necessary more often.

What I learned from Module 7

Remember last module when I said that I disliked Module 6 because of how tedious UVW maps were? Well it did not get better in Module 7 with rigging. We first started by messing around with chains, links, bones, and IK solvers. Around half of the module was dedicated to these 4 strategies, and yet almost none of them ended up being used in the finale assignment, called "It's Alive". Instead the It's Alive project revolved around the skin modifier, specifically using heatmaps. In reality these are decently simple, unfortunately the video massively overcomplicated the purpose of these and made multiple hypocritical changes throughout the module. But once we got out of heatmaps we quickly moved on to animation constraints, which were very intuitive when we made a ring that could be used to rotate the head of The Doctor. Finally we used a biped and skinning to fully rig the Monster for animation, specifically allowing it's arms and legs to move and be positioned naturally and easily. 

Overall Module 7 taught me a lot about more complex and hidden parts of 3DS Max. These are elements I'm going to become even more familiar with when I rig my 4 character models for my PBM assignment. I will continue to use strategies like IK solvers, heatmaps, and especially bipeds to make more advanced models and animations in 3DS max. I definitely did not enjoy this module, but I view it as a much more necessary evil then Module 6 (which was just as evil, just less necessary).

Quarter 2

Quarter 3

Quarter 4