Animation 12 - Semester 2 2024

Welcome to Animation 12

In this course, we will be delving into the world of animation and the various techniques that animators use to develop impactful and meaningful productions. We will exploring both the more complex nuance of 2 D animation work and then moving on to begin working in a 3 D context where we learn more about meshing, sculpting, modelling, rigging, animation, dope sheets and camera and lighting. This is a vast course with many exciting technical and creative challenges ahead. It should be noted that this is challenging technical journey and it takes a considerable amount of time and patience to gain competence within the 3 D aspect of the course. Therefore, we will start small and build out our ideas as the course progresses.

Animation 12 - Hand - In-Box

Create a one Drive share link - create an 'on line' spreadsheet for sharing course assignments

Create and Share links in ONE drive - A 'how to' guide

Example - T Linburg - (using Google Sheets - but you could use your Microsoft version of Excel)

T Linburg - grade and assessment link spreadsheet (adjust the share permissions to allow Mr. Linburg to edit)

Please make share links that can be opened JUST by Mr Linburg ONLY .(to find me for sharing - start typing in tel... (and my name should pop up!)

An Excellent Materials site ' HDRI Haven '

Module # 5 - Creating a Full Length 3 D Animation Production

In this major semester project, you are tasked with creating a major Animation project. You may recycle some of the art work and characters from previous work but the goal here is to have a fully developed production with (more than one character) that tells some sort of story (see Animation 11 for examples)

Here is a 'Story Boarding' link to assist you witgh the organization and planning of your animation production

Now its time for use to take our Animation skills to the next level! Can we, using what we have covered in the course, create a full length animation production? We will be able to harness the models and scenes we have created earlier plus any additional on line resources that you have located. These could include still models, rigged character or any other scene enhancing props and designs.

The focus of this semester portfolio project is two fold:

Showcasing our 3 D Animation skill set / Storytelling in the 3 D animation environment (certain opportunities and limitations)

You are tasked with developing a meaningful story line that would be of interest to an audience. Telling stories, let alone within the 3 D animation medium, is never easy. You may tell a more conventional story with the usual plot elements or your piece could, perhaps, be more artistic in nature. Your work could also be theme based. You might make your production a study of movements, a dance, all the ways that a robot could jump or move....the list is endless . The style and final form is up to you. However, the most scare resource here is your time and your need to complete this by the end of the course. You are permitted to recycle any of your previous projects or scenes in order to speed up the development process.

By ways of a rough criteria outline, one would expect:

A 3 D production with at least one 'scene'. Use one of the 3 D rigged characters that you made yourself / use of imported models / textures / other online resources. Your production should have some coherence and feel as if it is telling a story or conveying a message. The length of the production can't easily be quantified. However, I can't see it lasting less than 10 seconds. If you have the time, I would also strongly encourage that you add some sound effects or music to your production.

Specific Feature Production Criteria Details

Use both the Timeline / use Keyframes and Dope Sheet in blender

Create an original environment (you may recycle one made earlier in the course if you are short on time)

Incorporate at least ONE character that you have constructed in Blender and brought up through to rig and texturizing

You may use downloaded Pre-rigged puppets in your production. You may also download and use other Blender objects to support the production (eg 3 D buildings, trees, scene enhancements)

Please use story elements and plot devices as outlined in the Animation 11 section. (*) Note: story telling in 3 D animation is very time consuming so consider ways to convey meaning or plot structure through other means (the environment - the posture of the characters - sound effects - the lighting - dark or bright colours to convey mood etc...)

Project Resource Section

Timeline use in Blender / How to create Poses in Animation / Character movement refinements (after major poses) - Re: Dope sheet / timeline intro (start at 14 minutes into this video ) / Adding sound in Blender files / Adding sound to your renders / Adding sound to blender files

Story telling for 3 D animators / A guide to story writing / Storytelling and Animation / How lighting and camera angles change the mood

Award Winning 3 D Animation 'shorts'

Fetch (space adventure) / Sprite Flight (Blender studios) / A respository of Blender created film productions

Module # 4 - Create a Low Poly Animation Character Unit -

In our next segment, we will be working towards modelling our very first character in a low poly format.

Instructions

Part A - Low Poly Character creation and basic rigging techniques

Option 1 - A low Poly Animal

Low Poly Animals / Low poly modelling explained (long video - skip along to relevant sections)

Option 2 - A 'humanoid' character

Be sure to add personality to this low Poly character - i.e. either texture or even just a coloured shirt etc...(see below)

Part B - Rigging a Low Poly Character

Rigging a character in Blender 2.9

In this tutorial, you will be asked to take your "rigged" character and weight paint the "child" joints in order to give your character a realistic collection of movements. For example, knee joints don't rotate 360 degrees nor can then bend backwards (unless your character has particular "superpowers" ) Take a look at this video to learn more about weight painting.

Weight painting # 1 / Weight painting # 2 (low poly) / Weight painting # 3 / Weight painting # 4

Part D - Bringing it all together (Lighting /Camera angles) - 'Sandbox activity'(do not submit anythere here) - just experiment with different lighting (times of day and viewing the scene from different camera locations)

In this next segment, we will be learning all about how we might add or modify the object lighting which will allow you to cast shadows and affect the object's hue and saturation. In addition, we will experiment with camera angles and perspectives to bring your 3 D models to life.

Module # 3 - Create our FIRST 3 D Animation with 'pre-rigged' puppets

Now its time to create our very first animation sequence. To accomplish this, we will be using ONE of the landscapes from Module # 2 and then together with a "downloaded pre-rigged" character / car / robot / animal in order to create our first 3 D animation.

In this segment we will explore the following:

The Animation timeline / locating and importing rigged characters / working with keyframes / the dope sheet for animation refinements / camera and lighting.

To keep track of the complex movements of arms, limbs, fingers joints, hands, eyes and heads we use what is called a 'dope sheet' to help manage the different movement aspects.

Instructions

Using one of the many Blender rigged puppet free download sites, you will try to create a believable animation sequence. The puppets should, if possible, relate the scene in which they are set in. You may also import other prefab objects (non-animation) to enhance the environment. Locating the 'right' free puppet will take a bit of effort to source out. I would suggest downloading a collection of them (say 5 to 10). This will save us time later as we add more characters and objects to the animation.

A list of Blender 'free' download sites' (*) Please note: We don't ever PAY for anything in this course. If downloading the object requires a fee then move on to a different link. If possible select the search filter to 'free'.

Blender pre fab download site # 1 / pre fab download site # 2 / pre fab download site # 3 / pre fab download site # 4

To actually Animate your character...

Load up one of your previously constructed landscape 'scenes / learn about the import process in Blender "Append and Link' for importing your PRE-RIGGED model

Once you have your scene and your rigged character loaded and ready to go, you are ready to learn about poses / timeline keyframes / dope sheet movement refinements etc...

Animating a pre-rigged character in Blender. Please use this link to help you get started with your first movement cycle.

In future lessons we will explore the 'rigging process' to learn how to customize our character builds. However, this is a time consuming process and we'll set it aside for now.

Module # 2 - Working with both Low Poly and 'Realistic' Landscapes / Urban Cityscapes - Setting the "scene" for our Animation Work

Due: March 11th (Monday)

We will now turn our attention to developing dynamic background scenes that will set the stage for our future animation work. We will be exploring both the Low Poly Style and 'urban realism' in order to learn about different approaches to texture and scene development. In order to construct these TWO very different landscapes you could follow one of the tutorials listed below OR search out one more to your liking. If you are intending to follow your own, then please email me the link to this.

The aim here is to learn about scene creation, camera angle(s), texture, lighting...with the goal of using ONE of these for your first feature animation. If you would rather create this in more of a 'free flow format' then please go ahead.

Additional Tool suite add-ons to help with creative Terrain work flow

Part ONE - Create a Low Poly Landscape

Please use one of these helpful videos to assist you as you develop your skills with this style.

Low Poly Landscapes / Low Poly Landscape 'tricks' / Low Poly Landscapes (Winter has set in...) -

Part TWO - Create an Urban Landscape while exploring material and texture options (choose a tutorial or create your own!)

This landscape could be clean and modern, it could be warn torn, it could be 'post apocalyptic', it could be 'alien' extraterrestrial, this is up to you. In this lesson you will also have the opportunity to explore the world of free 'prefabs' to add realistic enhancements to your scene.

Tutorials

(*) Note: These are quite complex to follow, so if you would rather, then you could simply freehand your own using privative objects and your knowledge of shapes / textures and edits.

Post apocalyptic 'scene' (complex) / cityscape / Urban landscape / Urban Landscape # 2 / Collection of essential skills - Blender!

Resources

Blender "free" prefab store / Free Blender models /

Module # 1 Introduction to 3 D Animation with Blender

Introduction to the Blender interface and basic functions of the program.

Important reference guides

Primitives - Blender (manual)
Blender hotkeys /

Always the most important function (undo function Control 'ctrl + alt + z' )

Part I - Introduction to the Blender Interface Due: February 15th (Thursday)

Watch these videos to get started:

Instructions (once you have gone through these videos)

When you have watched these first intro videos you are asked to make your own Blender summary sheet (please use the snipping tool or screen shots to add a visual where possible) that describes the following:

A clear Description of the different parts of the Blender workspace
Identify all the different tabs in Blender (see above image - eg layout modelling....)
How do you add a mesh object in Blender? What is the difference between the different modes: eg Object Mode / Edit Mode?
How can you change the faces and number of vertices in a blender Mesh object?
How could you use the sculpt mode function in Blender

Part II - Create your first Primitive Object Image in Blender Comprised entirely of primitive shaped objects. An effective analogy is...playing with child's wooden block set.

How original can you be? Due: Wednesday Feb 28th ,2024

Instructions

In this first section you will be adding a collection of Blender primitive objects together to create a scene. This scene could be a castle or a forest or a collection of fruit in a bowl. Please try to incorporate into your scene at least one of EVERY single mesh object into your picture. Please add a high degree of complexity and detail to this. As we proceed we will also be joining objects together, smoothing the faces (by subdividing the vertices), using sculpt tools, adding textures and materials and creating a complex scene. Some examples of this could be a complete castle, a town, a bowl of fruit, a collection of ice cream cones...the possibilities are only limited by your imagination.

To Join Objects together:

Left-click to select the first object, one which you don't want to be the parent. ...

Once everything you want to be joined is selected, click on the “Join” button in the object menu (as shown in the above image) or simply press “Ctrl + J”.

To Merge Two Objects Together:

To Merge two objects together