Description:

Students will continue to refine their skills in a variety of character animation media. The computer and cutting edge software has become an increasingly important tool in creating character animatics, 2D and 3D character animations. More principles and elements of character animation will be introduced to create more realistic, believable and engaging stories. Continued focus on the importance of plot, character development, key principles of animation and artistic skill will push students into realms of endless creativity and imagination. 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. Think critically and solve problems to communicate ideas visually
3. Produce character animation for shorts, commercials, and film that demonstrate knowledge of expository and narrative communication processes and design theory
4. Communicate ideas and stories with a variety of character animation techniques and media
5. Select appropriate character animation media, techniques and processes for specific purposes
6. Produce character animation and final rendered drawings that demonstrate basic control of a variety of media, techniques and processes in traditional and emerging technologies

Content Outline & Competencies:

I. Introduction to Character Animation
   A. Define animation terminology
   B. Explain animation technology/development
   C. Identify visual milestones
   D. Create 2D/3D character animatics

II. Digital Production Process Production strategies
   A. Identify character animation tools
   B. Define creative and production teams
   C. Discuss character animation process
   D. Create 2D/3D character animation

III. Key Principles of Animation
   A. Compare straight-ahead action vs. pose-to-pose action
   B. Explain slow-in and slow-out
   C. Describe squash and stretch
   D. Identify arcs
   E. Define anticipation
   F. Explain staging
   G. Describe secondary actions
   H. Define timing
   I. Discuss follow-through and overlapping action

IV. Cartoon Animation
   A. Identify cartoon form
   B. Discuss exposure sheet
   C. Define line of action
   D. Illustrate line of action in animation
   E. Establish rhythm and design 
   F. Discuss movement of body masses
   G. Identify movements of the two-legged figure
   H. Explain movements of the four legged figure

V. Character Subdivision & Polygon Modeling
   A. Define polygon menu
      1. Create Polygon Tool
      2. Append to Polygon Tool
      3. Combine
      4. Split Polygon Tool
      5. Extrude Face
      6. Extrude Edge
      7. Split Vertex Tool
   B. Define subdivision surface menu
      1. Polygons to Subdivision
      2. Subdivision to Polygons
      3. Full Crease and Partial Crease Edge Vertex
      4. Uncrease Edge Vertex
      5. Mirror and Attach surfaces
      6. Match Topology
      7. Clean Topology
      8. Collapse Standard Mode and Polygon Proxy Mode
      9. Convert Selection to Face
     10. Refine Selected Components
     11. Expand Selected Components
     12. Component Display Level
     13. Component Display Filter
     14. Display Subdivision Surface Components
     15. Portray Detail in Another Level
     16. Define the Smooth Value for the Subdivision Surface

VI. Character Polygon, Subdivision Surface Mapping
   A. Define polygon mapping
   B. Assign shader to each projection
   C. Create UVs
   D. Edit UVs
   E. Define subdivision surface mapping
   F. Identify planner mapping
   G. Discuss automatic mapping
   H. Define layout UVs
   I. Describe the UV texture editor
   J. Define UV snapshot
   K. Identify subdivision menu
   L. Create view
   M. Select Image
 
VII. Advanced Subdivision Surface Character Modeling
   A. Make the basic face
   B. Define UV setting of subdivision surface
   C. Convert to polygons
   D. Use cylindrical mapping
   E. Edit UVs
   F. Transform the basic face for face modeling
   G. Import image plan
   H. Edit subdivision surface model
   I. Divide levels for details
   J. Discuss mirror copy and attach
   K. Define hand modeling
   L. Discuss modeling and mapping in parallel
   M. Define using subdivision surface mapping after modeling
   N. Model clothes

VIII. Advanced NURBS Modeling
   A. Describe the Basic Menu
   B. Define curve Menu and surface Menu
   C. Discuss rebuild surface
   D. Describe the stitch edge tool and the global stitch tool
   E. Explain one patch modeling
   F. Discuss face modeling
   G. Model the eyes and the ears
   H. Match surface curvature in mapping
   I. Define multi-patch modeling
   J. Discuss face and body modeling
   K. Construct muscle man
   L. Model hands

IX. Facial Expressions
   A. Use skeletons
   B. Model blended shapes
   C. Describe the muscular structure of the face
   D. Model teeth and tongue

X. Binding a Character
   A. Define rigid bind
      1. Draw skeleton
      2. Bind skin
      3. Edit membership/CV and point weights
      4. Define flexors
   B. Defining smooth bind
      1. Discuss smooth bind options
      2. Edit smooth skin
      3. Add and remove influences
      4. Set max influence
      5. Paint skin weight tool
      6. Export and import skin weight tools
      7. Mirror and copy skin weight
      8. Reset and prune weight 

XI. Character Setup
   A. Define and discuss forward kinematics and inverse kinematics
   B. Explain switching forward and inverse kinematics

XII. Advanced Character Setup
   A. Utilize extra joint
   B. Discuss leg and arm control 
   C. Utilize IK spline handle
   D. Incorporate constraint and cluster
   E. Setup facial expressions

XIII. Nonlinear Animation
   A. Create character and sub-character sets
   B. Discuss attribute editor
   C. Add to and remove from character sets
   D. Merge character sets
   E. Select character set and character set members
   F. Set current character set

XIV. Trax Editor
   A. Make the clip
   B. Manipulate the clip
   C. Edit clip attributes
   D. Cut, copy, and paste clips
   E. Duplicate clip
   F. Instantiate clips
   G. Slice, merge and bland clips
   H. Edit the animation curve of a clip
   I. Modify the original animation curve of the clip
   J. Enable/disable clips
   K. Add to/delete from tracks
   L. Demonstrate motion wrap
   M. Use pose
   N. Export/import clips
   O. Export and edit character maps

XV. Render Utility & Mapping Techniques
   A. Define node and shading networks
   B. Describe hyper shade
   C. Explain shader attributes
   D. Define bump 2D and bump 3D
   E. Discuss condition
   F. Define reverse
   G. Set range and clamp
   H. Define stencil utility
   I. Discuss 2D, 3D placement
   J. Define contrast
   K. Identify blend colors
   L. Define surface luminance
   M. Describe gamma correct
   N. Explain luminance
   O. Discuss general utilities
   P. Define switch

XVI. Character Animation
   A. Identify fundamentals
      1. Define animation principles
      2. Explain the use of keyframes
      3. Discuss timing and spacing
      4. Identify graph editor
      5. Define key tangents, breakdown keys, offset keys and hidden keys
      6. Cut, copy and paste keys
      7. Apply weight to objects
   B. Animate Bipeds
      1. Give the definition of cycles
      2. Adjust weight on f-curves
      3. Discuss the use of layering
      4. Copy and paste keys
      5. Describe the use of breakdown keys
      6. Apply weight to movement
   C. Animating your first scene
      1. Focus on story
      2. Set-up poses
      3. Hide keys
      4. Move holds
      5. Contact positions
      6. Adjust timing and spacing
      7. Overlap action and weight
      8. Use the graph editor
      9. Describe F-curve tangent weights

XVII. Character Lip Sync/Expressions Fundamentals
   A. Describe dialogue expressions
   B. Dialogue character acting
   C. Define Vowels
   D. Define Consonants
   E. Explain lip sync

Methods of Evaluation of Competencies:

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

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

Grade Criteria:
  A =  90 – 100%  
  B =  80 –  89%  
  C =  70 –  79%  
  D =  60 –  69%  
  F =   0 –  59% 

Caveats:

1. Because of the need for high-end hardware and software, students need to be prepared to schedule significant open lab hours in order to complete the projects.

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.