Nikki Dunsire

(Film360) Introduction to 3D Modeling & Animation

About the Course

In this course, students learned foundational concepts and skills for creating 3D content in Maya. The course focused on poly modeling using proper topology while avoiding and/or fixing geometry errors, applying textures using files and manipulating UV coordinates with projections, lighting with standard lights (spot, point, directional) while evaluating the role lights play in a traditional 3-point+ setup, animating simple objects using the principles of animation, evaluating how each task is woven into the production pipeline, and rendering using the Maya Software rendering engine. This course was ideal for those who were beginners to 3D content creation. Prerequisites: None

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The projects below are representative of two assignments that bookended the course. Vehicles were their first modeling challenge in which students needed to create an imaginary vehicle using Maya’s polygon primitives and basic set of cutting tools. For most, this represented their first ever 3D project. The final stage assignment was a culmination of all they had learned in the course - project organization, basic modeling, 3-point lighting, texturing with projections, simple camera animations using the principles of animating and rendering.

Project represented below: ​

• Stage: create a scene that consists of a stage with 3-point lighting, models from previous assignments, texturing and camera push. Scene must tell a story. Occlusion and higher end rendering not covered in this course.

Software used: Maya, Photoshop, After Effects

Credits: 3 | 1 Quarter

Student Examples: