About this Project
This project was inspired by a childhood book that left a lasting impression on me. It beautifully portrays the journey of an underprivileged lady who, despite starting with nothing, maintains a strong moral compass. The book served as a catalyst for my interest in animation, leading me to develop an animation pipeline. Within this project, I document my creative process, from script development to retargeting techniques.
Roles & Responsibilities
- Establish visual direction and goals in collaboration with the project team.
- Create 3D models, textures, and assets following art style and specifications.
- Rig and animate characters
- Attend team meetings, provide progress updates, and offer solutions.
- Collaborate with 2D artist for seamless integration of elements.
- Communicate and coordinate with project manager for sprint deliveries.
- Troubleshoot technical issues and optimize workflow efficiency.
- Ensure final output meets quality standards and original vision.
Length Of The Project
Character modelling
Developing the hero character proved to be a formidable task due to the limited reference provided by the 2D artist, who only supplied a front view. Additionally, acquiring suitable photographic references online proved to be a challenging endeavor. However, by resourcefully sourcing references from Pinterest, I was able to overcome this obstacle. Employing Maya, Zbrush, and UVlayout, I successfully crafted the design for this character. Furthermore, I replicated the same workflow for the remaining characters, ensuring consistency throughout the development process.
Cloth simulation
During the character design process, the team faced the decision of determining the optimal method for animating cloth. Various options were explored, including the use of ncloth. However, the team desired greater control over how the clothes conformed to the characters, as well as the ability to easily make modifications and additions to the cloth pieces. Consequently, the decision was made to employ marvelous designer. This software provided the team with the desired flexibility, enabling them to export animation cache from Maya and simulate dynamics on the cached geometry with ease.
Blender particle hair system
Blender’s hair particle system offers a wide range of options and settings to create and manipulate realistic hair or fur. Particle system seamlessly integrates into the overall production pipeline the system utilizes advanced algorithms and optimizations to ensure real-time viewport performance and quick rendering. Blender has a combination of grooming tools, physics simulations, and shape keys to achieve the desired look and style.
Rigging the bird
Blender particle hair system
Blender’s hair particle system offers a wide range of options and settings to create and manipulate realistic hair or fur. Particle system seamlessly integrates into the overall production pipeline the system utilizes advanced algorithms and optimizations to ensure real-time viewport performance and quick rendering. Blender has a combination of grooming tools, physics simulations, and shape keys to achieve the desired look and style.
Texture
Texture optimization
All bipeds involved in the project utilized a shared UV space, resulting in efficient texturing. This approach in combination with a layered procedural approach allowed for real-time modifications, leading to the creation of diverse texture maps for the remaining four characters.
Motion Capture
Outcomes
Showcase of Technical Skills: The project demonstrates proficiency in motion capture techniques, 3D modeling, rigging, animation.
Artistic Vision and Style: The animation showcases a unique visual direction and art style, highlighting creative choices and aesthetics.
Collaborative Teamwork: The project involved collaboration with a diverse team, showcasing effective communication, coordination, and the ability to work together towards a common goal.
Problem-Solving Abilities: The challenges encountered during motion capture cleanup, retargeting, and integrating 2D and 3D elements demonstrate problem-solving skills and the ability to overcome technical hurdles.
- Versatility and Adaptability: The project’s use of motion capture and collaboration with other artists demonstrates the ability to adapt to different animation techniques and work within a multidisciplinary team.
- Portfolio Diversity: The project adds diversity to the portfolio by showcasing proficiency in motion capture and its integration into the animation pipeline.