Walt Instructors: Moshe Mahler (mo.mahler@gmail.com)
James Krahe (james.krahe@gmail.com)
TA: Catherine Luo (catheril@andrew.cmu.edu)
Office hours by request
General Information
Time: IDeAte - Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 10:00AM - 11:20AM
ETC - Monday and Wednesday from 6:30PM - 7:50PM
Location: IDeATe - BH140E (Section A)
ETC - PTC 5208 (Section B)
Course Number: 60-125a, 60-125b (53-125)
Term: Spring 2018
Class Overview
Intro to 3d Animation explores the amazing world of computer animation from initial concept to final production. The course is designed to give students exposure to several key job descriptions that align to the animation industry. We will cover 3d modeling and digital sculpture, look development, lighting, storyboarding, layout, cinematography, rigging, and animation. These topics are taught in 2-4 week based sprints, that allow a student to learn the fundamentals of the craft, while moving quickly enough to cover an entire CG pipeline from start to end. In a mixture of class lectures, critiques, and training workshops, students will become acquainted with the necessary skills needed to create their own characters and animations. By completion of the course, students will be familiar with industry-standard, capable of taking a concept through the entire animation pipeline, and ready to take on more advanced courses related to animation, vfx, and video games. This course specifically offers insight on how the craft of animation is always evolving at top studios such as Walt Disney Animation Studios, Pixar, and Industrial Light and Magic.
Class Policy
Attendance: Tardy or absent days require permission from the instructor. More than 3 unexcused absences results in a lower letter grade.
The School of Art recognizes the diversity of racial identities, religious backgrounds, sexual orientations, and gender identities that is fundamental to our culture. All classes and studios in the School of Art are safe spaces for self-identification, self-expression, and inclusivity.
Grading
Grades will be determined from the overall quality of the assignments, student professionalism, dedication/willingness to learn, ability to meet deadlines, participation, and the quality of the final assignment. A letter grade will be given at the mid semester and end of semester.
Assignments: Full assignments will be posted on the assignments webpage. See for more details and submission guidelines. Shorter descriptions are also posted in the syllabus schedule below.
There is an assignment for each week for a total of 15 assignments. Each assignment will build towards the final assignment.
Participation: It is important for everyone to participate during class discussions and ask questions whenever needed. Participation is part of the overall grading, and students are expected to focus on the topic at hand instead of on the internet or texting.
*Plagiarism/Copying work from others will result in an automatic failing grade for the course
Important Links (Please bookmark)
Course Webpage: cmuanimation.weebly.com
Course Piazza: piazza.com/cmu/spring2018/60125
Course Box: https://cmu.box.com/s/anc0cglomnyl5j830b1yuhr9q8j9s5w6
James Krahe (james.krahe@gmail.com)
TA: Catherine Luo (catheril@andrew.cmu.edu)
Office hours by request
General Information
Time: IDeAte - Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 10:00AM - 11:20AM
ETC - Monday and Wednesday from 6:30PM - 7:50PM
Location: IDeATe - BH140E (Section A)
ETC - PTC 5208 (Section B)
Course Number: 60-125a, 60-125b (53-125)
Term: Spring 2018
Class Overview
Intro to 3d Animation explores the amazing world of computer animation from initial concept to final production. The course is designed to give students exposure to several key job descriptions that align to the animation industry. We will cover 3d modeling and digital sculpture, look development, lighting, storyboarding, layout, cinematography, rigging, and animation. These topics are taught in 2-4 week based sprints, that allow a student to learn the fundamentals of the craft, while moving quickly enough to cover an entire CG pipeline from start to end. In a mixture of class lectures, critiques, and training workshops, students will become acquainted with the necessary skills needed to create their own characters and animations. By completion of the course, students will be familiar with industry-standard, capable of taking a concept through the entire animation pipeline, and ready to take on more advanced courses related to animation, vfx, and video games. This course specifically offers insight on how the craft of animation is always evolving at top studios such as Walt Disney Animation Studios, Pixar, and Industrial Light and Magic.
Class Policy
Attendance: Tardy or absent days require permission from the instructor. More than 3 unexcused absences results in a lower letter grade.
The School of Art recognizes the diversity of racial identities, religious backgrounds, sexual orientations, and gender identities that is fundamental to our culture. All classes and studios in the School of Art are safe spaces for self-identification, self-expression, and inclusivity.
Grading
Grades will be determined from the overall quality of the assignments, student professionalism, dedication/willingness to learn, ability to meet deadlines, participation, and the quality of the final assignment. A letter grade will be given at the mid semester and end of semester.
Assignments: Full assignments will be posted on the assignments webpage. See for more details and submission guidelines. Shorter descriptions are also posted in the syllabus schedule below.
There is an assignment for each week for a total of 15 assignments. Each assignment will build towards the final assignment.
Participation: It is important for everyone to participate during class discussions and ask questions whenever needed. Participation is part of the overall grading, and students are expected to focus on the topic at hand instead of on the internet or texting.
*Plagiarism/Copying work from others will result in an automatic failing grade for the course
Important Links (Please bookmark)
Course Webpage: cmuanimation.weebly.com
Course Piazza: piazza.com/cmu/spring2018/60125
Course Box: https://cmu.box.com/s/anc0cglomnyl5j830b1yuhr9q8j9s5w6
SCHEDULE (subject to change)
Week 1 - 2D Exploration, Concept art, and Character design
Week 2 - Intro to Modeling
Week 3 - Digital Sculpture
Week 5 - Remeshing and Mesh Flow
Week 6 - UV Mapping and Texturing
Week 7 - Materials, Lighting and Rendering 1
Week 8 - Materials, Lighting and Rendering 2
Week 9 - Spring Break
Week 10 - Layout
Week 11 - Rigging 1
Week 12 - Rigging 2
Week 13- Rigging 3
Week 14 - Animation 1
Week 15 - Animation 2
Week 16 - Animation 3
Final Crit: TBA
Week 1 - 2D Exploration, Concept art, and Character design
- Monday, Jan 15 - No class. Martin Luther King Jr. Day
- Wednesday, Jan 17 - Introductions, class overview, general pipeline overview, and character design lecture
- Friday, Jan 19 - Lab
Week 2 - Intro to Modeling
- Monday, Jan 22 - Lecture and demo, intro to Maya and box modeling. Differences between sub-d and real time assets.
- Wednesday, Jan 24 - Theater, work time, 1 on 1's
- Friday, Jan 26 - Lab
Week 3 - Digital Sculpture
- Monday, Jan 29 - Demo mudbox and zBrush. Digital sculpture workflows and dynamesh .
- Wednesday, Jan 31 - Theater, work time, 1 on 1's
- Friday, Feb 2 - Lab
- Monday, Feb 5 - Lecture on anatomy and muscle form, demo Maya re-mesh tools. Topology and synergies between anatomy and mesh flow.
- Wednesday, Feb 7 - Theater, work time, 1 on 1's
- Friday, Feb 9 - Lab
Week 5 - Remeshing and Mesh Flow
- Monday, Feb 12 - Recovery week.
- Wednesday, Feb 14 - Theater, work time, 1 on 1's
- Friday, Feb 16 - Lab
Week 6 - UV Mapping and Texturing
- Monday, Feb 19 - Demo texturing techniques. zBrush vertex colors. Photoshop workflows. Substance painter demo.
- Wednesday, Feb 21 - Theater, work time, 1 on 1's
- Friday, Feb 23 - Lab
Week 7 - Materials, Lighting and Rendering 1
- Monday, Feb 26 - Demo materials, lambert, blinn, SSS. Creating normal maps and bump maps.
- Wednesday, Feb 28 - Theater, work time, 1 on 1's
- Friday, Mar 2 - Lab
Week 8 - Materials, Lighting and Rendering 2
- Monday, Mar 5 - History of lighting technology. From secularities to global illumination. Enviornment lighting and Arnold.
- Wednesday, Mar 7- Theater, work time, 1 on 1's
- Friday, Mar 9 - Lab
Week 9 - Spring Break
- Monday, Mar 12 - Break
- Wednesday, Mar 14 - Break
- Friday, Mar 16 - Break
Week 10 - Layout
- Monday, Mar 19 - Cinematography lecture. Simple ideas that allow you to control an audience.
- Wednesday, Mar 21 -Theater, work time, 1 on 1's
- Friday, Mar 23 - Lab
Week 11 - Rigging 1
- Monday, Mar 26 - Lesson - skeleton and control creation. Painting weights
- Wednesday, Mar 28 - Theater, work time, 1 on 1's
- Friday, Mar 30 - Lab
Week 12 - Rigging 2
- Monday, Mar 2 - Lesson - IK and reverse foot setup
- Wednesday, Mar 4 - Theater, work time, 1 on 1's
- Friday, Mar 6 - Lab
Week 13- Rigging 3
- Monday, Apr 9 - Rigging wild card. Specific demos to aid in your character animation.
- Wednesday, Apr 11 - Theater, work time, 1 on 1's
- Friday, Apr 13 - Lab
Week 14 - Animation 1
- Monday, Apr 16 - Lecture - History of animation and style in animation. From an art to a science.
- Lesson - Everything starts with a ball bounce.
- Wednesday, Apr 18 - Theater, work time, 1 on 1's
- Friday, Apr 20 - Lab
Week 15 - Animation 2
- Monday, Apr 23 - Lesson - block, spline, polish workflow
- Wednesday, Apr 25 - Theater, work time, 1 on 1's
- Friday, Apr 27 - No class. Carnival.
Week 16 - Animation 3
- Monday, Apr 30 - Vanilla walk. Simple locomotion and body mechanics.
- Wednesday, May 2 - Theater, work time, 1 on 1's
- Friday, May 4 - Lab
Final Crit: TBA
