ART 488 Advanced Topics in Animation and Interactive Media: The 4D Landscape
Pre-req: ART 384
Fall 2014
M, W 10 - 11:50 AM, ENGR 005B
Dan Bailey, bailey@umbc.edu, x2163, ITE 101E

From painting to photography and from dioramas to virtual reality, the challenges of effectively representing or recreating a landscape are enormous - and we are using a very broad definition of landscape that includes small interior spaces similar to a traditional still life. This course will explore these issues of landscape using advanced rendering techniques in Maya.

This rigorous and intensive animation course builds upon ART 384 Computer Animation and focuses on lighting, texturing, and rendering in 3D computer animation.  The course is designed for the serious 3D animation student who is expecting to continue working in animation or gaming.  The course will be the most beneficial to students who can take the skills learned in this class and use them in Senior Projects, Independent Studies, Graduate Research, IRC Internships or subsequent senior level special topic courses.  This is not just a software training course. While understanding advanced software tools will be necessary to attain the objectives of this course, grade evaluation is based on your development and successful demonstrations of mastery of creative direction, timing, visual design, and cinemagraphic abilities.

The requirements for the course consist of 3 major projects, each with their own required tutorials, work-in-progress presentations, and/or tech exams. The course schedule and assignment due deadlines are subject to change. These will be announced in class. The work required to complete an assignment is significant. It is expected that a student is working towards the due date weeks in advance. Waiting until the day or weekend before an assignment is due will make it difficult to accomplish all the work at a quality level required for an "A" or "B" grade. Many technical aspects will be demonstrated during class, students can select which ones they want to use for their assignments.

Throughout the class, students will be encouraged to find their own artistic voice. Work presented in class that is primarily derivative will be graded extremely low.  Sometimes copying another artist's work or ideas can be an important learning process and it is encouraged, but this work should be done outside of class assignments.  The more animation a person produces, the more skilled they become.

Presentation of renderings and animations are expected to be done professionally. Participation during class is important. Discussion between peers and introduction of concepts and concerns shared by the entire group makes a more dynamic and interesting semester. Students are expected to attend regularly and participate in discussions. Topics of interest may never be covered if the questions are never asked.

Students can expect to spend a minimum of 8 hours outside of class per week completing the assigned work (10-20 is more realistic).  The software programs used in this class are very powerful, but also very complex to master fully in a short time. Classes will start promptly at 10 AM.  Chronic lateness or more than two unexcused absences will result in lowering the student's final grade.  Assignments turned in late may not be accepted or will be lowered by 1 letter grade for each class meeting missed. Re-doing an assignment or project for a higher grade is based on a conversation with the Instructor. Incompletes are not considered without extreme circumstances and with medical or other documentation.

In planning for this course it is critical for students to schedule time each week to complete assignments. Students should not think that they can catch-up on assignments at the end of the semester. Assignments build upon previous ones. Being behind only compounds problems. Also, this course demands much rendering. The ENG005B lab has many students working in it. It will require much planning and preparation in advance to complete rendering of final animations. Learning how to streamline renders and selecting rendering effects that are "doable" in a class lab environment will be helpful. Students should not assume that they can use computers for long periods of time.

Students must adhere to the policies of the Visual Arts Department and the Division of Information Technologies regarding the Computer Labs.  Failure to do so will result in the student loosing access to the Labs. Downloading pre-existing models, shaders, lights, animations from the INTERNET to fulfill an assignment and claiming them as your work is plagiarism and will be considered to be academic misconduct. See policy below.

Academic Integrity. By enrolling in this course, each student assumes the responsibilities of an active participant in UMBC's scholarly community in which everyone's academic work and behavior are held to the highest standards of honesty. Cheating, fabrication, plagiarism, and helping others to commit these acts are all forms of academic dishonesty, and they are wrong. Academic misconduct could result in disciplinary action that may include, but is not limited to, suspension or dismissal. To read the full Student Academic Conduct Policy, consult the UMBC Student Handbook, the Faculty Handbook, or the UMBC Policies section of the UMBC Directory [or for graduate courses, the Graduate School web site].


Text Book. There is no text book required for this class. Tutorials will be available online for some topics. Other readings will be handed out to students during the semester. The most successful students will be regularly finding online tutorials to fine tune their technical skills. This is a tremendously important skill to have. Who will be teaching you Maya 2016? Probably no one. You will be having to teach yourself all the new programs and techniques over the course of your career.

Blackboard. This course will use Blackboard for grading of assignments, comments, tech exams, and final grades. Assignments that require turning in JPEG still image previews will also be submitted through Blackboard. Animations will be turned in via a student's vimeo account.

Vimeo Account. All students are required to create a Vimeo Account for submitting completed animations. The free account from Vimeo is all a student needs. This account could be designed as a permanent one that a student can use for their professional work, or it can be created just for this class. If students already have a Vimeo account, they can use that. YouTube accounts are not acceptable.

UMBC Box. The course includes numerous tutorials available from this web page, and example or tutorial files are available via the Instructor's UMBC Box account. Students can share complex Maya projects with the instructor through their Box accounts.

Grading. Numeric grades are given: 90 - 100 = A; 80 - 89 = B; 70 - 79 = C; 60 - 69 = D; grades below 60 are considered an F. Projects are weighted in terms of the final grade. Students can view their grades via Blackboard and see their current average grade for the class based on the assignments. The column titled "Weighted Total" is the numeric value of the final grade as of that date. If a student's average final grade for the course is 89.9, they will receive a B.


Projects:

1) Still Life: Portrait or Self-Portrait with Arranged Objects. Using at least 5 major objects, arrange a simple still-life that gives a sense of a specific person's personality, emotions, interests, and/or life-story. The resulting 3D modeled setup will be used to create both a printed image suitable for exhibition and to create short animation. The arrangement can be a self-portrait or a tribute to someone else you are close to. Pay attention to where this still-life will be located: table, bedroom, dashboard, desk, work-bench, bathroom, outdoors, backpack, etc. This project, including tutorials and work-in-progress presentations is worth 40% of the Final Grade. Project requirements include: A.

Create 3 different but possible still-life sketches that you are considering creating. Do not present 3 views of the same objects. This a sketching excerise to try out things for yourself and get feed-back from colleagues. Use the actual objects you want to model from and photograph them with any type of digital cameras (including cell phones). The 3 sketches will be presented during an in-class critique. Be prepared to discuss your interests, motivations and challenges in creating them, as well being able to articulate why you are favoring one of them over the others. Bring the 3 images as simple JPEG images. These will also be submitted for grading via Blackboard. Based on the class's and instructor's comments, the student will narrow down the sketches to a final idea that they can begin modeling. Students who have completed ART 484 should tackle more complex shaped objects. Students with lesser experience should keep their modeling requirements simplier.

  1. Create 3 different but possible still-life sketches that you are considering creating. Do not present 3 views of the same objects. This a sketching excerise to try out things for yourself and get feed-back from colleagues. Use the actual objects you want to model from and photograph them with any type of digital cameras (including cell phones). The 3 sketches will be presented during an in-class critique. Be prepared to discuss your interests, motivations and challenges in creating them, as well being able to articulate why you are favoring one of them over the others. Bring the 3 images as simple JPEG images. These will also be submitted for grading via Blackboard. Based on the class's and instructor's comments, the student will narrow down the sketches to a final idea that they can begin modeling. Students who have completed ART 484 should tackle more complex shaped objects. Students with lesser experience should keep their modeling requirements simplier.
    1. Example project
    2. 5% of final grade.
    3. Due in class Wednesday, 9/3, at the start of class. The digital jpeg files will also be submitted via Blackboard
  2. Model the individual objects and create an arrangement from a single camera point. Work from photographs you have made of the objects. This assignment is not for real-time or video game playback, so models can be highly refined with a medium amount of polygons. Low polygon count is always helpful, but when rendering for animation or print, being able to resolve detail and have non-faceting (smooth curves) is important. Non-textured (or lightly textured) models will be presented during an in-class critique.
    1. Example Project
    2. Modeling NURBS Dog
    3. Organic Modeling
    4. NURBS Modeling
    5. Modeling NURBS Head
    6. Modeling Poly Head
    7. 10% of final grade.
    8. Due in class Wednesday, 9/17, at the start of class. Students will have their scene in Maya so that viewers can move around the models and see them in wireframe or shaded views. The maya scene file, without any bitmap textures, will be submitted via Blackboard.
  3. Completion of UV Texture Mapping Tutorial: Suitcase
    1. Basic UV Texture Mapping
    2. All needed files are located in the Instructor's UMBC Box account. You will need the scene file and images in the 3 bitmap images in the sourceimages directory.
    3. Create an autonmous Maya Projects Folder just for this project. It should have a unique name. Put all the source images in the correct directories. Shaders should link up automatically. Rendered images should be in the images folder. Assignments submitted incorrectly, not in a Maya Projects Directory, or textures not linking up, will receive a low grade. An important aspect of this assignment is learning how to move Maya Projects around from computer to computer and making sure that all related files move with it seamlessly.
    4. 5% of final grade.
    5. Due Monday, 10/1, 10 AM. This tutorial will not be critiqued in class. Submit Maya Project Directory with all needed sub-directories and files via Blackboard as a "zipped" or compressed file. The Maya Project Folder should have at least 3 folders in it: 1) "scenes" - should contain your final .mb file of the finished suitcase; 2) "sourceimages" - should include the 3 bitmap textures for the shader; and 3) "images" - will contain your final rendered images of the finished suitcase.
  4. Test Work-In-Progress Render of Textured Still-Life with Direct Lighting.
    1. 10% of final grade.
    2. This is a work-in-progress milestone that showcases the fully textured models in their final arrangement using simple direct lighting methods. The camera angle has been determined and work is beginning to understand how lighting would move across the scene. For the critique, students will have available their Maya Scene file in the perspective window along with a 1920x1080 rendered image.
    3. Due in class Monday, 10/20, for in-class critique. Digital jpeg rendered file and zipped Maya Projects Folder submitted via Blackboard
  5. Render an image of the finished still-life using 3 different lighting or rendering styles. Camera position, viewpoint, and arrangement of objects should not change. When submitting the final 3 images via Blackboard, include a short comment as to what you are trying to achieve in each of the three different lighting/rendering styles.
    1. Example Project - Page Two
    2. Creating High Quality Bitmap Textures in Photoshop
    3. Ray Cast Shadows
    4. Rendering Options Breakdown
    5. Depth Map versus Raytrace shadows in both Maya and Mental Ray Renderers
    6. Depth Map and Raytrace shadows of a Tree in both Maya and Mental Ray Renderers
    7. Rendering with an Area Light using Maya and Mental Ray Renderers
    8. Ambient Occlusion Render.
    9. Using Final Gather to Create Soft Shadows
    10. Comparison of the best soft shadows from above different techniques
    11. Using textures in Ramp or Toon Shaders
    12. Additional and Optional Tutorials on Lighting are available on vart/pub/bailey/Maya/projects/Tutorials. See Dan for instructions.
    13. Each render should be 1920 x 1080
    14. 20% of final grade.
    15. Due in class Monday, 11/3, for in-class critique. Digital jpeg files of the 3 renders will also be submitted via Blackboard.

2) Still-Life in its Environment. Using the still-life from the previous project, create an appropriate surrounding environment to add more detail, information, and ambiance. This project will be presented as a single continuous shot from an animated camera. Small animations of the objects used in the still-life and environment can also be added to continue to bring the scene to life. This project, including tutorials and work-in-progress presentations is worth 25% of the Final Grade. Project requirements include:

  1. High Resolution Print on Paper of final still-life
    1. Print Size should be at least 11x14" and printed on a professional printer or by a printing service.
    2. Make every effort to get a high quality print on high quality paper
    3. Depending on print size, rendered image will be about 3,600 pixels across.
    4. 10% of final grade.
    5. It is highly recommended to use Visual Arts Photography printing service. Specifications for printing using UMBC Photography. Currently an 11x14" matt print is $3.90
      1. A 7 x 12.5" image would look good on 11x14 paper.
      2. Use a fine print resolution like 240 dpi. That would make the image 3000x1680 pixels.
      3. In Photoshop set color profile to Adobe1998. Tweak color and exposure. etc.
      4. Save as highest quality jpeg.
      5. Email (or dropbox) to umbcphoto@gmail.com. Include print information (1 copy, 11x14 paper, matt, etc), name and contact info.
      6. Payment is made with your UMBC card. Photo is on the 4th floor of the Fine Arts building. Chris Peregoy runs the printing service.
      7. They need your file by Friday, 11/15, to complete the order for Wednesday's class. earlier is better and safer.
    6. Due in class, for in-class critique Wednesday 11/19, Prints will also be turned into instructor.
  2. Animated camera movement through the environment with still-life.
    1. Exterior Direct Lighting Techniques
    2. Interior Direct Lighting Techniques
    3. Negative and Shadow Lights
    4. Global Illumination, Quick and Dirty Reminders
    5. Convert to File Texture
    6. Incandescent Lighting
    7. Image Based Rendering Part 1: Acquisition
    8. Image Based Rendering Part 2: IBL node in Mental Ray
    9. Animation should be 15-30 seconds, 1280x720, 24 or 30fps
    10. 15% of final grade
    11. Due in class for in-class critique Monday 11/24. Animation screened in class and posted on Vimeo.

3) World Building. Create a world of your own with a main focal point that provides meaning and context. This project, including a work-in-progress presentations is worth 25% of the Final Grade. Project requirements include:

  1. Work-In-Progress Presentation
    1. Prepare a 5 minute professional presentation that explains your idea and work so far.
    2. The core of the presentation is an animatic of the animation.
    3. 10% of Final Grade
    4. Due in class for in-class critique, Wednesday 12/8,
  2. Final Animation Presentation
    1. Animation should be at least 1 minute, 1280x720, 24 or 30 fps
    2. Sound is encouraged, but not required.
    3. Rendered in at least 2 passes and composited together in After Effects. Separate passes should be included on Vimeo.
    4. 15% of Final Grade
    5. Due during official Exam Time, Monday, 12/15, 10:30 - 12:30. Animation screened in class and posted on Vimeo. Separate passes should also be included on Vimeo.