AUSTIN COMMUNITY COLLEGE

School of Visual Communication and Design

PRESENTS:

3D Computer AnimationTechniques
With Instructor Troy Burkman

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Course Descriptions in the Visual Communication Design Department.

Table of Contents

Syllabus Introduction Student Audience Course Requirements Attendance Class Participation Lab Participation Tests Food, Drinks & the Restroom Etc., Instructional Resources Software: Grading Course Outline

To my Intro. to Multimedia Page To my Traditional Animation Page Back to my Home Page 3D Studio User's Meeting

Course Syllabus

COURSE TITLE: COURSE NUMBER: SECTION NUMBER: DAYS & TIME: PREREQUISITE: INSTRUCTOR: OFFICE HOURS: OFFICE PHONE: VOICE MAIL: LAB HOURS: E-MAIL:

3D Computer Animation CAT2133 7241 T TH 5:40- 8:20pm CAT2103 Troy Burkman Will be Posted 223-4830 223-1795, 22055# Posted on door. troy@tivoli.com

Introduction

This class is an introductory course in three-dimensional animation using the computer as the output medium.

This course is designed to inform and teach the student the use of the computer as an alternative art medium to create sculptural and animated art. This course involves modeling, rendering, drawing, animating and compositing. A short overview of polygonal and spline-based modeling will be covered as well as overviews on Model sheets, Storyboarding, keyframing, in-betweening and 3D conversion techniques. Discussions and information concerning the future of three-dimensional computer graphics and animation will be covered as well as employability in this field. The student will create small portfolio animation pieces that when put together at the conclusion of the semester will make an adequate portfolio piece that will show their talents, creativity and personality. Keep this in mind when working on a project.

Student Audience

This course is aimed at the Commercial Art/ Visual Communication major who desires a more in-depth knowledge of the use of computers used in video, film, gaming and animation settings where movement and emotions play a lead role. Students will receive a basic understanding of the following :

• Basic hardware configurations and set-ups.
• Knowledge of software applications used and software choices available to the 3D animator.
• Students will create no less than three (3) animation projects using keyframe and/ or inverse kinematics/ bones methods.
• Applying surfaces and adjusting attributes skillfully, including preset sufaces and other imported maps/ images created in 2D paint and imaging programs as learned in the prerequisite course(s).
• Application of light sources & projection maps to models and scenes.
• Rendering modeled objects using a variety of surfaces, maps and camera views and saving the rendered images/ animations in various formats that allow manipulation in other software/ hardware packages.
• Understanding of fundamentals and differences between various types of modeling/ animation programs and their differences as concerned with 3D modeling & animation techniques.
• Creation of environments/ scenes in several rendered settings.
• Creation and application of compositing effects such as Lens Flares and backgrounds to at least one project during the semester as well as 'Dirtying down," and creating image maps in other programs as necessary.
• Working in multi-view orientations and working with Plug-ins.
• Creation of drawings, storyboards, animatics or model sheets/ designs prior to modeling and animating.
• Use of reference materials and resources in and outside of the class.
• Demonstration of editorial skills in refining their work.
• Participation in individual and group critiques.

  

  

Course Requirements

You will be asked to provide the following:

Required text- Inside Lightwave 3D by Dan Ablan- New Riders publishing

ISBN #1-56205-799-5 ~$55 at Bookstop (try also Amazon.com)

• 1(one) three-ring notebook w/ dividers.
• 1(one) pen or pencil to take notes.
• 1(one) pad of graph paper.
• 1(one) gum eraser.
• 1(one) ruler
• 2(two) (at least) 100 MB ZIP PC formated diskettes
• 1(one) VHS video tape for recording your work. (This will not be needed until the end of the semester.)

   

  

Attendance

Regularly attend classes and you will have no problem doing the work in order to pass the course. Three (3) unexcused absences will force me to consider withdrawing you from the course. Withdrawing from this course for any reason is the student's responsibility! If you do not drop, I have the option of failing you. Falling behind in this course is a serious problem with very little opportunity to catch up due to the vast amount of information that must be covered. If you must miss a class, it is your responsibility to contact me PRIOR to the missed class through the VCD office, my voice mail or e-mail. Please e-mail me at the very least! You will also be responsible for getting missed notes & information from fellow classmates. I can not and will not hold up the rest of the class to help those students who do not attend class regularly. I am not joking about this- our enrollment has doubled and many students want this class- I WILL drop you after 3 absences, period.

Class Participation

I expect eveyone to act in a scholarly, courteous and appropriate manner during class. I will not tolerate inappropriate actions, behaviors or remarks. Please conduct yourself properly and we will not have any problems. Missed critiques will automatically lower your grade 10 points per missed class- we learn more from each other than from the computer by itself!

Lab Participation

At the moment, labs are not required. However, I believe that they should be and I assign lab times as homework throughout the semester. Tutorials will be done during this time also. It is important to spend as much time as possible repeating concepts presented in class and if you cannot attend lab times then you should NOT take this class! There are rules and sign in sheets for the lab. You are required to follow the rules and sign in each time you attend a lab. I keep my copies of the lab sheets and they are part of my grading system. Attending labs can only help your grade! Be ready to live there...(ha ha)

Tests

There is one major exam in this class worth 5% of your final grade. I will also periodically quiz you on topics covered in class. (You will be forewarned.) These quizzes will account for another 5% of your final grade. This is the difference between a "B" and an "A" in the class. Also, attending all the classes and spending time in the lab will help raise your grade (my determination of effort) per assignment.

Food, Drinks & the Restroom

You are not to be gone for more than 15 minutes at a time (unless permission is given), yet lectures and critiques are not times to be gone. We will have 1 scheduled break during class. If I feel that the class is abusing my leniency concerning breaks, I reserve the right to alter my policy. Please don't push my good nature in this matter.

Food & drinks are not allowed at the computers due to their sensitive nature. There are NO EXCEPTIONS to this rule!

Etc.,

Problems always seem to come up and I understand when things happen. I expect you to speak with me so that we can work out a solution. Please call the CAT office and leave me a message to call you (I will), or see me during my office hours. Class time is not an appropriate time to discuss personal issues. Failure on your part to talk with me at the proper time will result in a problem, and I reserve the right to withdraw any student who is a continual disruption to the normal class routine.

Instructional Resources

Dell WinNT 4.0 sp3 PCs (different models and MHZ, 400mhz up) 9 gig Hds, 128 megs RAM etc.

Full- color single pass flatbed scanner

Iomega 100mb ZIP drives on every machine

Industrial VTR & audio dubbing VCR

DPS Perception Video Card and HD

One color inkjet printer (when it is working)

Laser printer (other room)

T1 internet connections (every machine) Very fast downloads!

Software:

Lightwave 3D 5.6, Photoshop 5.5, Adobe Premiere, Macromedia's Flash 4.0, QuickTime 4.0 Pro and Debabelizer Pro

Grading

Projects will be graded on the basis of whether they meet the requirements on each assignment sheet and if they surpass those requirements.

You will be required to have the following for each project:

Drawings and concept sketches (before you begin modeling) Final rendering of each project (Saved on MY zip disk for grading and backup). A color printout (of one of the keyframe panels- you pick the coolest) This can be a fiery print or color ink-jet on High glossy paper. A self evaluation sheet An animatic of your intended animation shot directly from your storyboard. A QuickTime or AVI movie, or a videotape of the animation. Participation in critique

A passing grade of C is automatic if all the minimum requirements are met. Effort, creativity, attendance and meeting deadlines on time will determine the "B"s and the "A"s. My grading criteria will be outlined on each assignment sheet that will be handed out before each project.

You will be required to keep all papers, notes & articles related to this class in a notebook which will be checked periodically throughout the semester. I tend to check during the mid-point of the semester and again at the end. This notebook should be GOOD! Full of 3D info, with labeled dividers, cover, handouts, etc.

Final Grading is determined by the following method:

Completion of all tutorials/ readings = 30% Quizes = 5% Projects = 30% Attendance, Participation and Creativity = 5 - 25% Notebooks = 5% Final Exam = 5%

Grading Scale:

90 - 100% =A 80 - 89% =B 70 - 79% =C 60 - 69% =D less than 60% =Failing (don't let this happen to you!)

Any questions? Please don't be afraid to ask...

Please e-mail me at: troy@tivoli.com

Voice mail: 1) 223-1795 2) enter 22055# 3) leave a message

Web Page: http://www2.austin.cc.tx.us/burkman/3D

COURSE OUTLINE

Spring 2001 (this is tentative)

* Field trips will be arranged during the semester, and the schedule may change due to time constraints. Remember this class takes a lot of your time and dedication...be professional and adapt accordingly.

Class time will be spent in lecture, discussion and demonstrations on computer, terms, concepts and skills over which students will be required to show competency. After material is covered you may work on projects and tutorials for the remaining class period. Guest lecturers, video tapes, field trips and the computer may also be used for the purpose of quizes.

Any other questions? Please e-mail me troy@tivoli.com

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