[ Assignment 2 ]

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Assignment 2

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This assignment is for rigging and animation :D Enjoy!!

The following image shows the robot that was given to us and we're suppose to rig it into an animation :)

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Quick Edit

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YES!! Finally done with my Animation!! Feel so awesome!!

Time Spend: 18~19 August

To be honest i did mine in a few solid hours :x so i think maybe it doesn't really have quality ):

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Character
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My character would be named "Mike". He's a clumsy and dreamy but hardworking and highly motivated robot arm. He does his job well, but can get carried away too often. Sometimes, he does things so much it becomes muscle memory!! And when something's a miss, he doesn't even realizes it till something goes wrong.

Although deep in trouble at times, he doesn't give up. When he finds progress in what he's doing to solve the problem, he'll keep doing the same thing till he gets the result he's looking for.

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Storyboard
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Here's the story board based on scenario 4 :)

Here's the story board!!! Not very detailed ): a better one will be uploaded soon!!!

But the gist of the story is there !! :D

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Self-Critique
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[10:22 pm - 19 August]

After Finishing my Animation i feel so accomplished!!! But it's frustrating... I'm trying to Render now but I can't seem to Render in Batch!!! ARGH!! It doesn't allow me to change my frame range settings!!!! NOOOOOO!!!!!!!!

;____;

[10:26 pm -19 August]

Ok, i'm clearly an idiot or i'm simply blind. Read a forum: http://area.autodesk.com/forum/autodesk-maya/lighting---rendering/maya-2011-trial---cant-select-frame-range-to-render/

And obviously i made the same mistake of not changing the (Single Frame) to nothing. OHHH!! At least it's rendering :D I wonder if my clip is too long ._. 1350 frames :x

1350 / 25 fps = 54 secs ._. nearly a minute..

Is it too long??

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Reflection
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Starting out now XDD Gonna be a long way from finishing...

[Edit 1]

Well, i've got the personality all thought out, now to get started on finalizing my storyboard XD Seems like my storyboard so far is lacking personality ):!!!

[Edit 2]

Great!! My story board has been approved. Now to do a good one and Animate and bring my lil Mike to live!! :D look forward to it!!!

[Edit 3]

AHHH My ANIMATION WONT RENDER. WAI D:!

[Edit 4]

Ok, like above said. I'm clearly just blind for not seeing that mistake. Well we all make mistakes XD hahas ok. So Reflections are gonna be serious now!

I've learned a lot from this exercise. To be honest i'm not completely pleased with my work. However, i am really happy i'm able to learn so much!! Searching up Youtube and Google searching Forums really help when it comes down to self learning.

So far i've learned how to Rig and set the limits. And From Animation, i've learned to well animation, of course. As well as setting key points in the time line (short cut key - S) and gauging where and when to put the key-frames and what point to set on the key-frame with my lil character - Mike.

Of course, Key-frames are fundamental and a must-know when it comes to animation. But learning how to bring out characters and their emotions. This, i admit, is a tough challenge.

I mean, we were all animating a mechanical arm! There's no facial expression to boost the sense of emotion coming from the person! Its all about body language!!! It was definitely a great challenge to me.

Other things i've learned:

-Key-Frames

- Cut and Paste the time line!

- Deleting key-frames

- Setting movement limitations for Mike

- Bringing out the character in Mike (although i'm pretty much fail at that)

- Using Constraints to make objects follow each other

- Creating and setting cameras

- Rendering

- Story-boarding (in a nut-shell.. > > i know i sucked at it)

- Looking through the camera to confirm the right angles to the video

It was indeed a fruitful journey i had there.

Hope to be able to keep doing modelling and animation!!

Well, this marks the end of this school-termed blog. I might update more in future on my own works that i might do in my free time.

Or you can perhaps find them here:

http://white-karnival.deviantart.com/

Until next time!

Take care and have a wonderful time in learning 3D!

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Cheers,
Elixian

[ Rigging ]

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Rigging
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This week we did rigging on a model provided on OLIVE!

Following are screenshots :)
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SNAPSHOTS
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The Final Rigging! :D
Tools We Used to Rig!: Joints, Constraints
Skeleton! :D
Using the IK Handle Tool :)
Formed the IKHandle!
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Reflections and Stuffs
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At first i thought about how hard Rigging was, after trying it hands on, it wasn't that hard! I did struggle a little when i did my rigging for the mech arm. I was able to create my basic joints but i didn't really quite get how to link everything together and to the 3D model.

But i got it after a little help from my teacher! All i was missing was really using the parent constraint to join everything. So silly of me. Well at least a mistake learned from!

The joints and using of the 2 IK handles were really fun to play with! and simple. The constraints could get a little confusing at times on which to use, but i got it after a little "trail and error" hehe.

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Cheers,
Elixian

[ Bouncing Ball ]

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Bouncing Ball
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This week i did the bouncing ball!!
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Questions to answer:

1) Do you need to be able to draw well to create good 2D animation? Explain your view.

I don't think so. As long as the content is well and good with all principles used at the right amount and right points it can make a good video. Of course being able to draw well is a plus. Cause people tend to more attracted to better graphics :)

2) Do you need to be able to draw well to create good 3D animation? Explain your view.

Well, no. Not at all, 3D is created with 3D objects. Thus, it's almost as if it is "custom" and skills on drawing doesn't really matter here but creativity. Yet again the content of the video plays a big part to making a good video :)

3) What do you think would separate a piece of poor animation from a piece of good animation? In other words, how would you go about deciding if a piece of animation is good or bad?

To me, it is the impression the video leaves me with. If the animation has a strong impression with a good storyline. Then i'll think it's a good video. Also if it has good to excellent graphics and music that matches. A Poor animation would be an animation where there's no impact at all and the storyline is horrible or terribly confusing. Graphics doesn't really matter too much. Stickmans can be awesome! :D

4) In 2D Animation, you need to be very aware of timing at a frame by frame level, using timing charts and other techniques - but for 3D animation, this is handled using graph editor, which is more concerned with manipulating rates of charge over time.

Does this affect how you approach your animation work? Explain.

No, it doesn't. In the end, a good animation to me is the story line. If the base of the story is already not there, what's the point in animating? If the artist can't carry forth the message he wants to carry to his audience, then the animation itself is poor. But, it does affect the time taken to do the animation itself.

5) Give a brief critique of Maya as an animation tool. Don't just say Maya makes animation difficult or easy or that you need to learn a lot of stuff to use Maya - explain what Maya does well and not so well in terms of creating animation.

Maya is a great tool at making 3D models but when it comes to doing animation, it doesn't have many functions unlike Adobe Flash which gives (to me) the user more freedom in the kinds of effects, tools to draw, layers to do my animation.

If Maya had functions such as Layers, it would help me greatly, for i'm someone who likes to do progressive kinda work where when i do a part that seems nice to me, i'd like to keep it. Then add on to it on another layer. If i make mistakes on a certain later i can delete it but keep the ones i feel is good.

However Maya is good for simple animations without much layering needed. Thus, it has its pro and con, to learn Maya to do simple animation, is easy and definitely useful.

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Reflection!

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Cheers!
Elixian

[ Animation!! ]

The Animations
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Here's the video my group did!! :D special thanks to Jason for compiling and editing the video!

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The First Clip: Girl Squatting then Jumping and Landing

This clip shows Anticipation when she squats down in preparation for the jump which happens next.

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The Second Clip: Girl Squatting then Jumping and Landing (With Bag)

This clip shows Anticipation too, as the girl squads down to prepare for the jump. It also shows a little Follow Through and Overlapping Action, when the bag goes upwards together with the girl's hair.

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The Third Clip: Girl Running Towards Camera

This clip shows Appeal, when the girl's facial expression when running and when stopping. Another principle shown is Staging, when the camera only focuses on the girl and nothing else. Thus showing the essence of the principle of keeping focus and avoiding unnecessary details.

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The Forth Clip: Girl Running Towards Camera (With Bag)

At the start the girl pulls back getting ready to rush out thus showing Anticipation. Staging is shown when the camera only focuses on the girl running, following her all the way and nothing else. It also shows a little Appeal when the girl turns and look around as if she's late for something or lost.

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The Fifth Clip: Boy Doing the Robot Dance

This clip shows Appeal when the boy dances and also Staging such that the camera only focuses on him and him alone.

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The Sixth Clip: Boy Punching Another Boy

This clip shows Anticipation when the Boy pulls back his arm in preparation for a punch. It also shows a little slow in slow out whereby the action of pulling back then punching.

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The Seventh Clip: Boy Punching Another Boy (more fierce..?)

This clip shows Exaggeration and Secondary Action when at the start the boy does a little "roar" thingy by putting both fist at his side then Anticipation when the pull backs and punch the boy in his stomach as hard as he can. Then another Exaggeration when the second boy does a arc to show how intense the punch was and then "flying" backwards to the wall.

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The Eighth Clip: Pounce for the Wallet!

This clip shows Staging, where the camera only focuses on the wallet. It also shows slow in and slow out when the boy pounces for the wallet.

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The Ninth Clip: The Bouncing Ball

This clip shows Squash and Stretch a little when the ball bounces. but it's not clear unless it's slowed down by a lot. It also shows Slow in and Slow out.

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The Tenth Clip: Ball being thrown upwards

This clip shows slow in and slow out when the ball bounces and Anticipation when the ball is being thrown up and it slows down a little just before going downwards.

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The Eleventh Clip: Passing the Ball

This clip shows the principle of Arc, when the ball is passed from one boy to the next

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The Twelve Clip: Boy Shooting the Ball

This clip shows Anticipation when the boy bends down preparing to shoot the ball into the hoop. And the secondary action of him walking and swinging his arm for a brief moment after he shot the ball.

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So here's the first part of the exercise!! hehe :D

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Reflection
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This exercise was pretty much really fun and i've learned many key points about animation. How exaggeration can make a clip funny and anticipation allows the user to prepare for the next action before the person in the clip actually does it. Learning how to apply these techniques who be touch, i'm sure. But if i try, i can do it!!

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Video Analysis
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The Clocktower, by Arenyth; Deviantart.com
http://browse.deviantart.com/film/?q=clock#/d1djjez

When the character reached for the exit of the city and felt sad knowing she can't leave the city, it was Appeal showing her character, of how she longed to leave but cannot.

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Timing

After time stopped, when she touched the balloon and time moved for the balloon, it floated up. And when she pulled it down it moved upwards. Showing the weight of the Balloon.

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Slow in Slow Out

This is shown when the main character first stopped dancing and ran towards the window to look at the balloons floating by.

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Follow through and overlapping Action

This is shown when the girl first stop dancing however her skirt still turned even though she has stopped moving.

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Secondary Action

This is shown when the girl was walking while swinging her arms.

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Anticipation

It is shown when she reaches out for the exit of the city but takes slow steps back before turning around and running towards to tower again.

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Cheers!,
Elixian

[ Assignment 1 ]

The Rifle

The Story

As the chase went on along the dangerous trap. The mouse found himself on the losing end, the mousetrap car was catching fast! But the rat was determined, he pulled off all sorts of tricks, like throwing what whatever was in his reach in attempts to trap the car over, but to no much avail. Finally, the mousetrap car had enough. A rifle was pulled from the car and shot the poor mouse dead...

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The Shape

My Gundam's Gun is of a pretty simple shape made with basic cubes stretched to rectangles and flattened to the widths of the gundam's slim gun. The details however would be of a little challenge for me to do. It includes a lot of extruding of small odd shapes. The part where the gun can be split in two is also a little challenge. For that part is a 6 sided shape with a circle hollow in the center. The number of shapes i would really use is cubes, pipes, cylinder. The object is smooth so it shouldn't have too much problem with texturing.

The Techniques i would most likely use are the extrude function, adding edge loops instead of using the function bevel to give a better control of shape and also the simple reshaping and moving tools. I would also use the Special Copy Tool (i can't remember the exact name @.@) as well as combine and reflection tool. I would use Vertexes as well, faces and other modes of selection.

Basically, i thought this was an interesting model to do. As simple as it looks, it is actually quite a bit of work to do... Also one more reason i chose to do this was because i didn't really have many objects laying around my place that i can model. Most of them were either too easy, or too difficult, although doable. I love gundams so, i guess its a good opportunity for me to make what i like the most? (:

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The Design

My Model, Apparently, it broke again ): Side view

Top View

Bottom View

The other Side

Front View ( didn't hold it so i made it stand with the side thingy

Back View

Front detail

Same as above

The Back View (see the flip thingy?)

My broken piece ):

Drew This (Wire Frame)

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The Research

http://www.spafi.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=468&Itemid=29
Found a Maya Tutorial on Texturing Glass :O

But i can't really get it to work )): Fail like such a failure...sigh

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That's it for now @.@
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Cheers,
Elixian

[ Bucket Remake ]

Bucket Remake
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Screenshots
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Creating a plane and importing the image onto it; Normalize to centralize the image

After Tracing the image, we revolve it and rotate to give it shape

Extruding the sides to make the "handle"

Creating the hole in which the knob would fit

Knob fitted

Creating an arch then a plane with handle shape and extrude along the line to form the handle
Final Product
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Well that's that~ onto the reflections...

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Reflection
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This is a pretty challenging exercise. I had problems with sticking the plane to the line before extruding it...I can't remember how i did it the last time ): so i tried everything (was fun doing that and frustrating at the same time; i admit) but in the end i manage to get it XD

Well, this exercise has taught me a lot. From using revolving tool to many others such as extruding (yet again) and drawing arches.

At first i kept getting holes in the center of my bucket...but i manage to fix that with a little help from my friend XD Strange however, when i did it in class with the teacher's guide i didn't get any holes. That includes me doing it at home not following the template given. But once i followed the template i kept having problem with the holes =.=

The knob was the more challenging thing ;_; i can't get it to revolve right.. it keeps going inverted!! ): At least i solved that @.@

well, until next time (when i post more missing/updated works)
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Just a little note: Click on the word "Others" at the top of the screen to see the older posts :P

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Cheers,
Elixian

[ GEARS ]

Gears
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Usual Images
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This step basically is just creating a pipe by the given dimensions and selecting face mode
following that is the selections of the faces to where i want to extrude the faces
Scaling and extruding the faces to make the gears
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Ok so what i've learned here is simply the selection/deselection of faces and then extruding them to certain dimensions to create a gear (:

This was a simple exercise focusing on how to extrude. Clear and straight-forward :D

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Cheers,
Elixian