There will be no class meeting on Monday, September 29.  In lieu of meeting, complete the following:

• Read chapters 1 through 3 in the HTCM 2014 book if you have not, yet.
• Download the materials from the book’s website.
• Try the goon rig as discussed in class.
• Load the groggy rig and see if you can find similar controls.
• Complete the overlapping action exercise in chapter 1.  Complete a play blast or rendered movie of your result.
• Complete movie files for two of the other exercises of your choice in chapter 1.
• Create a web_exercise_01 folder in your Dropbox and place your three animation movie files there before Wednesday.

 

Read chapter 3 in the Character Animation book.  Complete the lift exercise using the goon rig.  While doing this, though, it may actually be better if you mostly ignore the “Maya directions” and focus on the suggested key poses and weight shift in the hand-drawn example and discussion.  As mentioned in class, focus on getting the timing, spacing, and over-all feel with ease, etc. correct and so that it feels right for just the center of gravity (hips/pelvis) of the character (the top of the hierarchy).  Work with your keyframes, curves, and tangents in the graph editor so that the timing works well, then move down the hierarchy and work to pose and work the timing on the rest of the torso, arms, etc., working “top-down.” Place your Maya project folder in your Dropbox folder by Monday, October 6.  Your play blast or rendered movie of your animation should be placed in the “movies” folder.  Also bring your movie to class to present and discuss.

Read through chapter 2 in both books.  In the character animation, look at the examples for different ball bounces (based on mass, responsiveness, etc).  Choose one for a hand-drawn animation and two for a 3D Maya animation to complete (such as ping-pong, bowling ball, and soccer ball). Upload your Maya project folders with movie files to Dropbox by Monday, September 22.