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My Evaluation

For my FMP (FinalMajorProject) I had the choice to do anything I want, like a 2D or 3D animation or even a still image. My plan for my project was meant to be models of different parts of a car and then I would of made an animation where all the car parts come together as one. Once I had done that I was going to take it into Adobe AfterEffects and put some effects init, then I was going to put some text in with a slogan so it looks like I've done an advert to advertise different car parts. In the end I decided to make a still image so I modelled a whole car instead of doing an animation because I didn't have enough time to take it into AfterEffects because It took me longer then I thought it would to model the car. I have never modelled a car before or anything similar to it so it was a tricky challenge for me. I wanted to have a challenge for my FMP so I could really test myself and see how well my skills have improved from over the last year. The car that I modelled didn't have all the full details in it like the head & back lights, back window, glass for the windows, exhaust, number plates, wind mirrors and door handles. I really wanted all the full details In my model so it would look proper but unfortunately I just couldn't get them in my model cause I spent so much time on the main car body to get the right shape. I do have a chance to improve pervious projects and my FMP so I would like to improve my work so whatever I want to improve I will make sure it will get done cause I wanted this project to be my best work. I thought my work turned out quite well even though I had to change my plan. My final rendered views looked really nice of my car, the main body shape looks really good and so does the wheels that I added. Thought out this project I have learned many things and I now know what are my strengths and weaknesses are. I chose to model a car because my passion for cars is unreal and I wanted to improve my 3D modelling skills in Maya so I can improve my 3D modelling grade. I wanted to improve my modelling skills so it becomes one of my strengths not one of my weaknesses. Once I leave college I would like to get a job in 3D modelling because I find it so fun and interesting, I can see myself doing it as a job. Planning is one of my weaknesses I'm not strong at planning an idea when it comes to my head so that let's me down. If I could change or improve my work I would of stuck to my original idea and would of pushed myself to get it done with the time that I had. But for the work that I did produce I would of made sure that all the details were added and I would of had a camera in it too so I would of made it an animation so I could do a 360 degrees turn so I could see all the car. My overall thoughts of my work that I produced were quite positive cause even though I changed my idea I still think I did a good job at modelling my first ever car, so yeah I was pleased with my FMP and I hope I will get a good grade.

My final piece all rendered! I wanted to add more detail to the car and I would of liked to add a camera but I rang out of time.

My car is coming along quite nicely, slowly but I'm nearly there. Once I've done one half of the car I will just mirror it and then joint it together with the other half.

Plan for this week

Monday 12th May, Debs morning session - Check up on all research, improve if needed.

Mikes afternoon session - Continuing modelling my 3D work and also screenshoting.

Wednesday 14th May Mikes morning session - Continuing my 3D Maya work

Debs afternoon session - finish/improve written work   

In this screenshot I've started on the front bonnet of the car by just using a  polygon plane. I've only used a few subdivisions for this so far, I've had to use the Vertex mode a lot so I could level out the plane so its level with the blueprint and so thats its the same height and also so its the same shape as the bonnet on the blueprint. I've had to extrude this as well so I could start doing the front wing of the car which is the most trickiest part of the car. 

This screen shot is of my blueprint in the four different perspective in Maya for the car that I will be modelling. I have made sure that all three images are levelled up with each other like their height and width. 

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Shared with Dropbox

Shared with Dropbox

Monday 17th March Debs session

Todays session I have been using a website called SXC.hu to gain ideas and images for my research for task 2. I have a few images already but not enough to post up yet, they will soon be up shortly.

Strengths & Weaknesses

Weakness:

Planning and keeping a schedule for my work

Getting my research out of the way first

PhotoShop, AfterEffects & AdobeFlash skills

Gaining ideas

Concept Art

Strengths:

3D Modelling 

Punctuality

Illustrator skills

Group work/discussion 

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My online Tumblr Portfolio page

This is my final rendered video for my 3D animation 

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My 3D Animation Evaluation

The aim of this project was to create a 3D animation of my choice for around about 10 seconds. For my animation I used a shark rig from CreativeCrash.com it was a very useful rig because I could animation the sharks back and side fins and also I could animate the sharks mouth. I decided to use the shark rig because I haven't used a rig before and I haven't used any animals in any of my animations before. Also I really like sharks I find them so fascinating.

Research is a big part of any project you have to do your research so you know and understand the project fully. For this project I had to research the theory and applications of 3D Animation and also how is 3D Animation is used in the industry. I had to describe about Key Framing, Rigging, Graph Editor and Batch Rendering. Ideas/Proposal are important in a project because you must know what you are doing though out your project and you have all you ideas written down so you don't forget them plus you can do storyboarding. You can even do some sketches and also do a weekly plan so you can stick to it and make sure your on time with all your work. Make sure you do screenshots because they will go towards your grade and plus so you know what your work looks like. Also make sure you explain what you have done and how have you done it. All of my ideas/proposal, research and screenshots are all on my Tumblr page.

The start of my animation begins with an ocean where the shark swims along where you can just see the dorsal fin above the water. Once the shark swims along, the camera will go under water facing the sharks face. The camera will move towards the shark at a slow speed and also at an angle. When the shark stops in front of the camera the shark starts to chomp its jaws while its head is turning left to right like its eating something. After the shark stops and all of a sudden comes rushing at the camera face on with its jaws chomping.

Through out this project I learnt many things. I learnt how to create a Ocean Shader which was a bit tricky at first cause I had to play around with the settings for it, like get the right wave speed, height, turbulence and peaking. Another thing I had to play around with was the Wind UV so that the waves blew in the right direction, I also had to play around with the Foam Emission and Foam Threshold, this effect makes the water have the white foam effect when the waves crash against eachother so it just makes it look much more realistic. Though out this project I also learned how to use different lighting and also how to animate a rig.

Animating my shark rig was successful because the joints on the rig moved really well and I didn't have any problems. Also creating and animating an Ocean Shader went really well because I made sure the settings were all right for my animation, I also didn't have any problems. I had some problems animating my camera because the speed could of been improved and the angles when the camera moves and stops. I would like to improve my camera skills in Maya because I'am a bit weak on animating cameras so this could be a task for me to improve in the future. 

If I had more time and could improve my 3D animation I would of made the shark jump out of the water and eaten something or would of made someone swimming in the ocean and then the shark attacking them. I would of also changed the camera views of the shark and not of made it just basic.