Description:

This introductory course will provide a historical background and general design and production issues for 3D animation and game art creation. The details of modeling dimensional objects and environments and a range of simple to complex rendering techniques will be covered. Issues associated with telling a story through moving pictures such as screenplay writing, storyboarding and techniques for bringing an animated character to life will be explored. 6 hrs. integrated lecture-studio/wk.

Associated Costs: These are additional (out-of-pocket) expense considerations that students should expect in addition to the course tuition, fees, and textbooks. $10 to $20.

Supplies: Refer to the instructor's course syllabus for details about any supplies that may be required.

Textbook(s): For information see - http://bookstore.jccc.net

Course Fees: NONE

Course Objectives:

Upon successful completion of this course the student should be able to:

1. Apply visual communication knowledge and skills to express ideas imaginatively
2. Demonstrate critical thinking and problem solving by communicating ideas visually
3. Produce storyboards and animations that demonstrate basic knowledge of expository and narrative communication processes and animation theory.
4. Communicate ideas and stories with a variety of basic animation techniques and media
5. Select appropriate animation media, techniques and processes for specific purposes
6. Demonstrate basic 3D modeling and rendering techniques
7. Produce computer animations and visual effects that demonstrate basic control of a variety of media, techniques and processes in traditional and emerging technologies
8. Identify and discuss post-processing issues such as: compositing, color grading, image resolution and final output

Content Outline & Competencies:

I. Animation, Visual Effects, and Technology
   A. Define the digital creative environment
   B. Discuss the development of the technology
   C. Identify visual milestones
   D. Define and use key terms
 
II. Basic Concepts of Animation
   A. List the types of animation
   B. List the principles of animation
   C. Discuss the importance of storytelling
   D. Discuss the storyboarding process and create storyboards
   E. Define character development and develop characters
   F. List animation file formats
 
III. Digital Production Process
   A. Discuss production strategies
   B. Identify components of the digital computer animation studio
   C. Participate in creative and production teams
   D. Define the computer animation process
   E. Assemble a Demo Reel
 
IV. Modeling
   A. Discuss basic modeling concepts
      1. Explore space, objects and structure
      2. Explore building with numbers
      3. Explore points, lines and surfaces
      4. Explore ways of moving things around
      5. List file formats for modeling
   B. Define basic modeling techniques
      1. Work with geometric primitives
      2. Work with sweeping
      3. Work with free-form objects
      4. Work with basic modeling utilities
      5. Work with real-time polygonal models

V. Game Art Creation
   A. Explore extrusion based low-poly modeling
   B. Explore texturing
      1. Explore UV texturing
      2. Work with move and sew UV’s
   C. Explore rigging
   D. Explore game animation

VI. Explore Rendering
   A. Discuss basic rendering concepts
      1. Explore color
      2. Explore steps in the rendering process
      3. Define hidden surface removal
      4. Define ray tracing
      5. Explore software rendering
   B. Define the camera
      1. List types of cameras
      2. Define the pyramid of vision
      3. Discuss types of camera shots
      4. List types of camera lenses
      5. Explore camera animation
   C. Discuss lighting
      1. Discuss lighting strategies and mood
      2. Identify types of light sources
      3. Identify the basic components of a light source
      4. Explore lighting the scene
      5. Identify basic positions of light sources
   D. Explore shading and surface characteristics
      1. Experiment with surface shading techniques
      2. Experiment with surface shaders
      3. Experiment with image mapping
      4. Experiment with surface reflectivity
      5. Experiment with surface color
      6. Experiment with surface texture
      7. Experiment with surface transparency
      8. Explore environment-specific shading
 
VII. Create Animations and Effects
   A. Discuss basic computer animation techniques
      1. Define and explore keyframe interpolation
      2. Define and explore model animation
      3. Define and explore camera animation
      4. Define and explore light animation
      5. Define and explore hierarchical animation
      6. Define and explore two and three-dimensional integration
   B. Employ basic visual effects techniques
      1. Discuss basic concepts
      2. Define and explore particle effects 
      3. Define and explore rotoscoping
      4. Define and explore blue/green screens and chroma key
      5. Define and explore set and character extensions
 
VIII. Define Post-Processing
   A. Discuss retouching, compositing and color grading
      1. Define and explore basic concepts of image manipulation
      2. Define and explore image retouching
      3. Define and explore image compositing and blending
      4. Define and explore image sequencing
      5. Define and explore color grading
   B. Discuss image resolution and output
      1. Discuss basic concepts of digital output
      2. Work with image resolution
      3. Work with image file formats and aspect ratio
      4. Output on photographic media
      5. Output on video
      6. Output on DVD

Methods of Evaluation of Competencies:

Evaluation of student mastery of course competencies will be accomplished using the following methods:

Exercises, papers or exams 25% of grade
Minimum of two projects    50% of grade
Final project              25% of grade
   Total                  100%
 
 



Grade Criteria:
   A =  90 - 100%  
   B =  80 - 89%  
   C =  70 - 79%  
   D =  60 - 69%  
   F =  59% and below 

Caveats: NONE

Disabilities:

If you are a student with a disability, and if you will be requesting accommodations, it is your responsibility to contact Access Services. Access Services will recommend any appropriate accommodations to your professor and his/her director. The professor and director will identify for you which accommodations will be arranged.

JCCC provides a range of services to allow persons with disabilities to participate in educational programs and activities. If you desire support services, contact the office of Access Services for Students With Disabilities (913) 469-8500, ext. 3521 or TDD (913) 469-3885. The Access Services office is located in the Success Center on the second floor of the Student Center.