Toolkit 3 || Tutorials Part 4 - Mel Scripting

Mel Scripting

Part 2: Building a Shelf

As an extra exercise instead of downloading software I decided to set up a shelf for my preferred normal map generator which is found online;

For the icon, I went to the source code for the website and located their favicon.

Part 3: Random Placement

I can see how this would useful in creating random shapes for all sorts of situations, like bubbles or asteroids. Usage of the 'rand' and 'float' could come in useful for other things like making random movement in joints by using the transform.

Toolkit 3 || Moom 5 Minute Posing 9 and 10

Testing boundaries, an important note; most real life poses don't work very well in cinematic sense, especially with cartoon characters. it is really important to experiment and understand the limitations of the model, by attempting the most extreme poses you will discover a lot about the model, and begin to apply artistic license where necessary.

A lot of issues arise when you try to base the moom pose solely on a reference, because the moom has different proportions to an actual human, it is better to study the reference image first and then model based on your memory of it. This way also helps to focus on Maya and any issues in the viewport.

Toolkit 3 || Moom 5 Minute Posing 6

When creating the pose I should pay attention to their center of gravity because with balance poses like this, it matters to avoid a floaty sort of look. Also while making this pose I was caught out by the limitations of the model as the leg folded in on itself, next time I do this I will make sure to remember these experiences. Perhaps after posing the spine I will focus on the more extreme limbs before working on the others to save time from fixing it afterwards.

Toolkit 3 || Moom 5 Minute Posing 8

I think there some poses that this model wasn't meant for.

Toolkit 3 || Tutorials Part 3 - Rigging Techniques and Mel Scripting

Rigging Techniques
Part 8: nCloth Attract to Matching Mesh

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This one didn't work as well on my home computer, the simulation animated differently because of the frame skips, which was interesting... I should probably upgrade my graphics card but then I'll have to upgrade my motherboard too and then I'll have no computer for a couple days.

Part 15: Object Exchange

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Mel 1: Practical Mel 
Part 1: Creating an Interface

This is a sample of the template I did, it has some informal language in it to prove that its mine.

Toolkit 3 || Moom 5 Minute Posing 7

This time I've used a karate picture as a base for this pose, although I wasn't able to reference said image, you can see how I've developed my abilities by positioning the spine first before anything else, so the rest of the rig wouldn't be distorted. Even if I make mistakes however I should be able to work with it, since the pose is never completely accurate because of limitations present in the character rig.

Toolkit 3 || Tutorials Part 3 - Rigging Techniques

Part 6: nHair Dynamic Rigging Part 1

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Part 7: nHair Dynamic Rigging Part 2 

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Toolkit 3 || Moom 5 Minute Posing 3

A post I missed over the term, I didn't use a reference for this one either as I just wanted a figure sitting down on the floor. Unfortunately I spent too much time getting him to sit, and didn't realise the importance of adjusting the spine first in my rush to get the hands into position. I need to recall how to use my mental filter to look at the things I need to work on first without getting distracted by non details, also to do things in order would definitely get my speed up with minimal error. When starting out with any character rig, it is important to play around with it a lot so you can get a feel for it before actually making animations and renders, that's what I bring forward from these exercises.

Toolkit 3 || Tutorials Part 2 - Rigging Techniques

Rigging Techniques

Part 3 - Curve Driven Squash and Stretch

Part 4 - No Flip Pole Vector

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Toolkit 3 || Moom 5 Minute Posing 5

This lesson I decided to practise my silhouettes, but without a reference maybe it took longer than it should have. Next time I do this I'll make sure to bring some stuff that I want to recreate, and maybe look at some other classmates work, so I can get some inspiration.

Toolkit 3 || Moom 5 Minute Posing 4

While I was making this pose, I was tempted to add a facial expression, but then I thought not to, since the exercise is about posing not emoting. Still, the final result has a sort of expressiveness behind it. In the future I need to remember to turn off the controls so I don't get unwanted shadows in the scene.

Toolkit 3 || Tutorials Part 1 - Photogrammetry and Rigging Techniques

Photogrammetry

Option 1 (Static match) - Non Compositing (Single Pass) Integration of Objects

Rigging 3: Rigging techniques

Part 1: Basic Squash, Stretch and Volume Preservation

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Part 2: Conditional Squash and Stretch

Toolkit 3 || Moom 5 Minute Posing 2

I missed the session, so I timed myself, this is the result. 

When posing cartoonish characters like the moom model here, it is important to note that the pose isn't going to be accurate because of the large spherical head and lack of clothes. Instead it is important to use your artistic integrity to fill in the gaps according to natural posture. You can see this distinction by the way I've posed the arms around the head, because it and the hands are larger, a compensation was necessary in order to convey the correct pose.

Toolkit 3 || Moom 5 Minute Posing 1

Pukey moom I did in 5 minutes. The silhouette could be better, and I could have spent more time improving the facial expressions.

Autodesk Maya || Lighting and Rendering Tutorials: Part 5

Arnold Part 14: Physical Sky Light

I used a more natural yellow light in these instead of the white light, becasue it looks more natural.

Arnold Part 16: Mesh Lights

Arnold Part 17: Ambient Occlusion

Arnold Part 18: Photometric Lights

Arnold Part 22: Subsurface Scattering

Autodesk Maya Jetpack Jones Tutorials Part 2: Head

Toolkit 2 || Check In

Maya Head Model

Lighting and Rendering 2 Exercises
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4

Weightlifting Moom (Youtube)

Collaboration Animation Contribution

Character Design Workshop Production Bible (Scribd)


Life Drawing (scribd)

Autodesk Maya || Lighting and Rendering Tutorials: Part 1

Sampling and Noise Reduction

Ray Depth

Autodesk Maya || Jetpack Jones Tutorials Part 1: Head

Blocking in the head helps to provide foundation for details in later stages.

When modeling it is important to avoid 'tram lines'; where vertices are more tightly packed, it may form darker lines.

Vertices should be evenly distributed throughout the surface of the model to have accurate shading.



As features are completed it is a good idea to cleanup geometry as you go, to avoid having to do more work later.

Autodesk Maya || 5 Action Poses

These poses were done with the character rig called 'moom', and the assignment was to pose the character rig off of real life examples five different ways, in combination with our knowledge of animation. 

Mid-Run

Dynamic Punch

High School musical Jump

Axe Kick

Mid-Fall