Animation 12 - Spring 2025

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. 

Vancouver Film Festival 2025

 April 11, 2025

Final Submission Deadline

Vancouver Film Festival 2025 - Animation 3D

Categories 

Rules for Entry

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 ' 

• Blender 4.3 - release - please upgrade or install

Module # 4 - Experimentation with Blender assets and 'Pre-rigged puppets'

Now we will get the opportunity to experiment with a collection of 'pre-rigged' puppets and downloaded assets to create a series of practice animations. For this, we will use of the two 'scene's we created earlier in the course. 

In this segment we will: 

• Download an assortment of 'pre-rigged' puppets 

• Explore the timeline in 3 D and practice moving puppets in space and time

• Use of the animators 'Dope Sheet' to refine movements to make them more precise 

• Download and incorporate a collection of free Blender objects and assets into a scene and sequence

The purpose here is to practice the use of the timeline, dopesheet and other aspects of 3 D animation BEFORE we use our own characters in a full length production. What interesting scenes and situations can you create with an entire 'community' of characters and assets?

Instructions 

Using some 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 

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

Module # 3 - Create Model and Rig a Character for your Animation Production

In our next course segment, we will be moving on from scene creation to making a character or an object of our own. This could be a person, an animal, a car or another relevant object. Choose this next project wisely as you will be using this in your upcoming FULL 3 D animation production. For example, if you modelled and rigged a car then you would use this in your production. This car might be driving along the streets of  your urban scene during a rain storm. Our goal here is to be able to both create a rigged model and to use it in an animation production. You only need to go through this development process ONCE as we will be looking to download the rest from various free sources such as Blender.org. 

You are not required to use ANY of the links listed below. I have just provided some examples more for illustrative purposes. Give some consideration to how this character will play a key part of your upcoming 3 D Animation project.

Instructions 

Part A - Low Poly Character creation and basic rigging techniques

Option 1 - Create a 3 D car Model in Blender 3.5 and above

Create a 3 D car model / How to Rig a car model (to get the wheels to spin, for example!) 

Option 2 - A low Poly Animal 

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

Option 3 - A 'humanoid' character

• Best Blender Character Models

• Create a Low Poly "humanoid" character   

• adding the rigging to this character

•  Alternate instruction set for rigging

• Making a 3 D Low Poly Animation 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 4.3

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 C - 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. 

• Adding Realistic lighting -excellent tutorial (simple) 

• All about lighting effects / Light object widgets  

• How to operate and move the "camera" in Blender 2.8

• 15 Camera Tricks in Blender 2.8 

• Sculpting a 3 D character 

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

Due: 

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 ONE 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 ONE 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 / 

Help Guide

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: 

Watch these videos to get started: 

• Introduction (fundamentals)

• Fundamentals Part II 

• Workspaces in Blender 

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: 

1. A clear Description of the different parts of the Blender workspace

2.  Identify all the different tabs in Blender (see above image - eg layout modelling....) 

3. How do you add a mesh object in Blender? What is the difference between the different modes: eg Object Mode / Edit Mode? 

4. How can you change the faces and number of vertices in a blender Mesh object? 

5. 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?        

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 

Other helpful links:

1. Creating meshes in Blender

2. Object versus Edit Mode 

3. Creating a mesh object scene in blender 

4. How to join objects in Blender / Using the new Primitive Add feature in Blender 2.1

5. Working with a "curve modifier" - to make your vertex curved for a variety of applications - Great video on the topic! to "bend an object

Part III - Use at least FIVE of the modelling tools to create a refined scene 

Due: 

30 Blender Modelling tools explained / adding texture in Blender models (image texture) / texture UV unwrapping 

 Sculpting in Blender 2.8

(Extrude / Bevel tool / loop cut / inset tool / knife tool / Bisect tool / Split tool / Merge / Subdivide / sculpting) 

Part A - More sophisticated modelling using tool suite

30 Blender Modelling tools explained 

In this second follow up activities, you will be asked to create a second primitive object scene. However, you will be experimenting with some of the many modelling tools to help you sculpt and create scenes in 3 D. For example, the extrude key will allow you to pull or push a face on your mesh object. Some of the other tools allow you to merge vertices, cut objects in half or carve into one of the faces. Our goal here is to build an object and then practice using at least FIVE of the different modelling tools as described in the "30 Blender modelling tools explained" link. 

Part B - Add texture to your objects / UV texture unwrapping 

In this next segment, you will be working on adding texture and then using UV texture maps to place the texture in the exact locations you wish. 

Before you begin - take a look at some of these links: 

• adding texture in Blender models (image texture) /

• texture UV unwrapping 

• summary of the various methods (also you can use an image for this - see second half of tutorial) 

• A good video explaining how to add texture!

We will now take our scene and work on our texture / texture unwrapping. How do we accomplish this?  Image texture cube example / texture unwrapping (UV map) 

You will hopefully learn to add texture to all the objects on your scene. However, I would strongly suggest you exit out and just practice the texture unwrapping with a basic cube shape (as outlined in the video). 

Other Links and resources

• Blender User Manual 

• Introduction to the console / apple scene construction 

• Blender beginner introduction  / beginner intro

• Blender tutorials 

• How to use the navigation console 

• Interface overview 

Part IV - Sculpting - What can you sculpt from a basic 'lump of virtual clay'...? (a Snowman, a rocket ship? ) 

Due: 

Lets expand our 3 D modelling optiions by exploring. "Blender Sculpting". Blender has the capacity, through the sculpt tools, to treat a digital primative object (such as a sphere) as a 'ball of clay. Open your mind and imagination to decide what you might be able to sculpt and create from a 'ball of clay' . Use the various Blender scultp tools to mold and shape an object into something relatable (a tree, an apple?) Try to do this process 'organically' without tutorials. However, you may, of course, search something up, if needed! 

Here are some examples of what you can sculpt using these tools. 

Please refer to this link to review the basics of sculpting and the use of sculpting tools. 

Help Resources 

Changing the color of primitive objects in Blender. Here are the steps:

1. **Select the Object**: Click on the primitive object you want to recolor in the 3D viewport.

2. **Open the Material Properties**: Go to the Material tab (red sphere icon) in the Properties panel.

3. **Add a New Material**: If the object doesn’t already have a material, click the "New" button.

4. **Adjust Base Color**: Click on the color box next to "Base Color" and choose your desired color. You can use the Hex, RGB, HSV, or color wheel modes.

5. **Viewport Shading**: To see the color change, switch to the Material Preview or Rendered mode in the Viewport Shading options.

Adding a new material to an object in Blender

1. **Select the Object**: Click on the object in the 3D viewport that you want to add a material to.

2. **Open the Material Properties**: In the Properties panel, click on the Material tab (it looks like a red sphere).

3. **Add a New Material**: Click the "New" button to add a new material slot to the selected object.

4. **Adjust Material Settings**: Once you've added a new material, you can change its properties. For example:

    - **Base Color**: Click the color box next to "Base Color" to choose a color.

    - **Specular, Roughness, etc.**: Adjust these settings to change how the material interacts with light.

5. **Assign the Material**: If your object has multiple materials, ensure the newly created material is selected and click "Assign" to apply it to the selected faces.