Technical-Animation-cadd151

Robot Arm Rigging

2008-10-11T11:29:00.003-04:00

Here are some character rigging tutorials
Robot Arm Tutorial

Or go to Three Dee Nuts dot com
for a Robot Arm Rigging Tutorial

Three Dee Via Dot Com

Try looking in 3d via dot com for free models

Test

2008-09-13T09:23:00.001-04:00

Hello I'm new to this Blog and the 3D animation world.

Welcome to the Fall 2008 session of Tech-Animation

2008-09-09T12:38:00.003-04:00

To all the students in the Saturday session of the

Fall 2008 semester Cadd-151, welcome.

here are a few links that may interest you.

If you are interested in purchasing your own copy of

the 3DS MAX software...

JourneyEd has 3DS max 2009 for $100 for 13 months

JourneyEd also has 3DS max for Fifty Bucks!!! ...but it's only version 7 (and only for 13 months)

You may also want to check Studica for their prices on 3DS max

BOOKS

If you don't have your book yet try looking on

Half dot com , StrandBooks or Powell's books

Ice Time

2008-05-17T10:58:00.002-04:00

My animation is of a hockey puck being dribbled down the ice from the view of ice level. It takes place in what would look like a neighborhood ice rink. I used the Vertex sub-object level to manipulate the line that was used as the path of the puck to give it the back and forth motion. The glass "panes" above boards are vertical planes with the "Soap Bubble" effect from the Material Library applied to it. A omni light above lights up the rink.

Keep it simple!

2008-05-17T00:48:00.005-04:00

When first planning my project, I had big ideas for all these objects that I wanted to create and how I was going to animate it. I wanted to go the whole (not just 9, but) 50 yards! So, after getting deep into my project I began to realize that I had waaayyyy too much going on at the same time. Instead of making my animation "action-packed"; I ended up making it cluttered and too busy. My objects didn't have much room to move around the way I had imagined it, and there was no way anyone would have been able to capture the essence of my animation with 70 billion things moving, flying, and bouncing at once. So, I decided to simplify my animations and get rid of some objects. And my project turned out wonderful. Therefore, the moral of the story is........................... keep it simple, it will still turn out great!

building an airport

2008-05-10T10:48:00.002-04:00

This is a great birds eye view that you don't get to see to often. Unless of course your employed as a gound worker at a airport. As you approach the runway you begin to feel and see the taxi lights which cast a deep blue glow. In the distance you also see the fuel farm as well as the water tower and control tower. The textures were imported with combination of bitmap to help with realism with a surealistic computer game look.

Creating Bowling Animation

2008-05-10T10:02:00.002-04:00

I've just created a simple version of a bowling ball going down a bowling lane and hitting pins. Each pin was individually animated giving the pins a realistic and as close to the best looks of physics possible. Though frame by frame animation wasn't to difficult it can become slightly complicated when moving ten pins in uniform movements. This was to insure the fact that my pins looked realistic and that the ball look like it was actually hitting them. The hardest part of this animation was the fact that it took tedious and detailed key framing to get an accurate depiction of bowling. I've also added omni lighting to give everything a cool glowing effect and shadowing effect. All in all its a fun animation to create and watch.

Having too much detail can hurt your final project!

2008-05-10T09:08:00.003-04:00

I learned that even in the beginning of your final project, that you do not know that things don't always quite go as you plan. Having too much detail can hurt your final result. Due to having too much detail in the flowers of my final project, I could not get the final result I had anticipated. The computer would crash and the program ran awfully slow. Having too many vectors into your file can result in a less than perfect result of your final project.

animation study

2008-03-29T09:15:00.003-04:00

click it

Here's my 2-D study sketch (a GIF animation) for a 'hopping' cigarette. The idea for the project is a kind of minimal character animation, with a cigarette coming to life & hopping around on a table. We'll see if I can make it work in 3-D.

The final frame there just shows all the positions of the character motion simultaneously.

Welcome to Spring 2008

2007-08-11T15:59:00.000-04:00

To all students attending the
Spring 2008 Saturday session of

CADD-151 Technical Animation

Welcome to your Blog.

This blog is here for you to seek information,
ask questions, answer fellow students 3DS max technical questions
and post jpeg images of your 3DS max work while in this course.

Signed,
Your Instructor,
Bill Discher

Spring 2008 Outline

2007-08-09T14:03:00.000-04:00

Thanks for a Great Semester

2006-12-19T16:23:00.000-05:00

You've been a great class,
I have never seen such a variety of work
as in your final projects.

You all just missed Jon by a few minutes
He baked 3 pizzas at his wifes 'Ledo Pizza'
on Old Annapolis Road in Hanover MD
and rushed them to class for us.

Pizza

2006-12-19T09:04:00.000-05:00

Class is over and I seriously doubt anyone will check this blog, but in case they do....As it turns out, our intrepid instructor Jon was a little late to our last class because he was slaving away making pizza for us. Unforunately, we were running ahead of schedule. The long and short of it is that Jon arrived not long after everyone had left with pizza in hand. He was greeted by a near deserted classroom for all of his trouble and hard work. Poor communication here, obviously. Anyway, I don't know anyone's email, but if you could write to me I'd appreciate it. There's something I want to try to do. My work email is (removed)
My home email is having issues due to a phone line with issues....still have dial-up....

Final project

2006-12-15T10:08:00.000-05:00

Final Project
The final project which I have presented includes a walk through a house. I have tried my best to have a good output from my project. The project includes various steps, which are as follows:Step 1: Import process:I have used the house from my ADT class. The house just included the basic structure. All the rendering and material was added in 3DS MAX 7. While importing the file into the program I ran into couple of obstacles. With the help of the professor I was able to pass through easily.Step 2: ObjectsI created a lamp, table and dining table in other max file, which has been imported into the house. The lamp and round table are located in the hallway on the 1st floor. The dining table has been located in the basement. Lamp was creating using the loft, editable mass and various commands.Step 3: AnimationAnimation was a little hard at first for me. As the camera being a fly through the house, it’s a long time frame. The path for the camera and the camera target are two separate closed lines. Creating the line for the path and attaching them together was the longest process. I created separate lines for every floor, steps and the outside of the house. After the lines were created, I changed them into editable mess. They had to attach to one closed line, for the camera and camera target path.
Step 4: Camera and LightingThere are different type of cameras and lighting available in 3 DS MAX. In my project I have use 1 camera, which is attached to a path. The path is for the walk through the house. I have used a target camera for my house. The camera and target are on separate path. To maintain the speed and curve for the camera and targets, I used the dope curve editor. To slow down the camera I added few points and lowered the slop from each point. The time frame for the camera came to be 900 frames.There are various lights that can be used. I have used a few Omni lights, free spot, target spot (for the lamp) and free direct. I have placed lights in every room, which would help in the visualization. Step 5: Material3DS MAX has a great material library. In the project I have applied different materials for doors, walls, windows and roof.

Importing AutoCADD

2006-12-15T09:59:00.000-05:00

• File Import
• Browse the file that need to be imported into 3Ds MAX.
If the drawing you have created in other program, doesn’t show as the same then the one you have created. Please follow the following steps:
1. Open File link manger from the file menu.
2. Link the original file you want to be shown in 3Ds MAX.
3. Start a new drawing.
4. Import the file in the software.
5. Import file is located in the file pull down menu.

Kims-Glass

2006-12-14T22:25:00.000-05:00

Thursday, December 14, 2006

The empty glass object was created to explode. This perticular object would slide of the table then proceed to fall onto the floor where it would then explode. The tools that where used for this object was difficult for me. So I began with these steps.Under geosphere I first select space warps ,geometric/deformable and click the bomb button. The bomb button is then placed next to the object so that I can began to connect the bomb and the object.
In order to do this you must click on the Bind to Spacewarp button.At this point you will need to use the time slide,which will allow you to ajust to the appropriate moment you would like the event to happen. The object it self had to be ajusted due to the fact that when the glass exploded it exploded into the air up wards.
The changes where done at the parameters box and bomb parameters. The gravity button needed adjustment and the deflector button was also used.
The glasses and bottle it self was created thru material modifier and architectural texture. This was how I created the glass effect with some modifications.

kim cadd 151 saturday class 12/2006

Final Project - sneak peak II

2006-12-14T19:22:00.000-05:00

bed view..

my ceiling fan with decorative lights and crystals and my fake fire place

Final Project - mirror effects

2006-12-14T19:14:00.000-05:00

In this picture in the left corner.. my door was not yet done .

I have applied so many different materials to my project. One of them is my tea area, there is a tea set with tray laying on top of the table with glass. I applied editable mesh on my glass to assigned 2 material ID and selected 2 face one is on top and one is the other side. I used flat mirror in reflection button in maps roll-out in the material editor for my flat mirror effects. And by adjusting the setting of ambient/diffuse, specular: specular level and glossiness. And I came up with mirror effect, it’s the same thing I did in my mirror on top of the drawers.
Next is the carpet effects, I got the carpet picture/file from online textile store, I just save it as jpg. The carpet is made of a box, with bump map that I got from the website.

2006-12-08T18:23:00.000-05:00

A jpg from my final project. Carship going to refuel. That blue thing in the field is the Fuel Depot.

to see the movie
right click here and
save movie to yor desk top

How to morph

2006-12-07T16:34:00.000-05:00

One thing that I found a little differcult was creating a morph animation. So the teacher gave me this from the book.

To create a morph animation:

1. Create a seed object and some target objects for morphing

2. Select the seed object

3. From the Create/Geometry drop-down list,choose Compound Objects>Morph Targets list

4. Click Pick Target, nd choose a method for creating targets from your originals: Reference, Move,Copy, or Instance.

5. Click the morph target objects in the viewports.

6. Highlight the next targetto which you want to morph the seed object.

7. Drag the time slider to the frame number or time where you want to set the first morph animation key. Note that it is not necessary to turn on the Auto Key button.

8. Click Create Morph Key.

9. To preview the animation, srub the time slider back and forth. The seed object automatically

10. Repeat steps 6 through 9 until you are finished.

samone

2006-12-02T12:42:00.000-05:00

Constraint Path

I am creating a roller coaster for my final project.

One of the main things that I was able to accomplish
was creating an animation constraint path that follows that track. After creating my car, I attached it to the track by highlighting the car, going to Animation > Constraint > Path Constraint and selecting the track. I used the same method in attaching my camera to my car and the camera target to my focal point (the roller coaster track).

my blog

December 16th LAST CLASS

2006-11-12T23:31:00.000-05:00

If I'm not mistaken, and I certainly could be...this is the date of the last day of class. This is the day for the written final and the "Project Critiques". So, on that day we'll sweat through a grueling written exam and then view our Final Projects where there could be some moaning and groaning (I'll be doing that about my own) and even ooooh's and aaaaah's. I thought after all that it might be fun to view a movie after that which uses animation/special effects like say "Shrek" or "Pirates Of The Caribbean...Part II" or whatever movie someone would suggest except "Gigi does Dallas" or something of that nature unless, of course, it was animated in which case WE might reconsider it interesting but a "Human Resources" department probably wouldn't, and neither would I for that matter but I digress. Not that everyone can stick around for that, but I thought it might be fun to spend our last moments of class in an anbience of fun and hopefully inspiration. I thought we could invite Tom Barrett and anyone else who might be interested. There are other 3d classes. Maybe Mr. Zink would like to come as well. Maybe we could bring popcorn. We could watch it on the screen in the lab if someone has a DVD to bring in. I'll bring one in if no one has one. What do we think?

Water, water everywhere and not a drop to drink

2006-11-08T12:26:00.000-05:00

(Sorry for the literary reference). Here is another water view. This was done via a turorial in the book "Deconstructing The elements". If anyone is interested, I can make a copy of it and bring it to class. Also, here is a web page that has some 3d models of fish, plants and insects. There's even a migratory locust for those of you who are into plagues.

http://toucan.web.infoseek.co.jp/3DCGE.html

3D Modeling at Home

2006-11-07T10:53:00.000-05:00

I just came across this program. Blender. I am unsure if it will work with 3DS max but wanted to share this program with others.

Creating Glass in 3DS max

2006-11-05T20:35:00.000-05:00

Here are four links to tutorials
that relate to modeling glass i 3ds max

m3corp.com GLASS Tutorial

3-D Nuts Glass tutorial

Tutorialized.com 'Modeling Glass'

Tutorialized 'Glass Table'

I'll try to test them out this week
and let you know what I find out

Creating An Ocean Horizon

2006-11-05T12:08:00.000-05:00

My initial task: I wanted a water surface that was round, like the horizon of the sea. When I used cropped geospheres and all that, I could not resolve the issue of trying to sandwich a fog environment (with "square" parameters, as far as I can determine) between two round geosphere objects (like a sea floor and my sea surface) so that I would have the murky sea environment (below the sea surface) that I was seeking.

The problem took care of itself by accident while I was completing an unrelated tutorial to create a sky dome and water surface. I first created a sea surface using a plane and then a sky dome using a geosphere.

I made the plane longer and wider than the diameter of the geosphere so that its edges extended beyond the geosphere and cut through it. I positioned the plane just above the center of the geosphere. One has to position a camera inside the geosphere (high and towards the interior surface of the geosphere, but not directly overhead) and direct the camera towards the center of the geosphere. This camera view reveals the effect of the intersection, a sea surface that, although flat, looks like a horizon on a globe.

Sandtrap

2006-11-04T11:01:00.000-05:00

This sandtrap started out as a spline and I converted it to an editable spline. In the modifier list I selected extrude to give the shape some depth. I placed it into my fairway and created a boolean to union the two pieces together. I converted that to an editable poly. I edited the vertices by pulling in the middle and removed some from the top edges so it would have some depth. I applied a texture of sand on it.

The garlic plants on the left edge were found with 3DS Max under AEC Extended, object type foliage.

The red maple in the background was a free image from turbosquid

Making of a Tree

2006-11-04T10:38:00.000-05:00

The tree on the left was made by creating a cylinder for the trunk. Then I used the spline feature to draw branches and lofted them. I converted these to editable polygons and added the bevel modifier in order to bend the branches. I also converted the trunk to an editable mesh and moved the vertices until I obtained the root structure that I wanted. I also used the bevel modifier on the root to give them some height and make it look as if they were going into the ground.

To make the leaves, I downloaded a free leaf which was a pin leaf and not the type that I was looking for. So, I edited the vertices to make the leaf look more like an oakleaf. Then I cloned the leaf, cloned both leaves, cloned all four leaves, etc. until the tree looked the way that I wanted it to appear.

To make the branches appear covered and peek through the leaves, I used the left viewport and changed assorted leaved along the X & Y axis.

The red maple on the right was a free download from turbosquid.com.

PERSONAL 3DS max Log

2006-10-31T18:29:00.000-05:00

Don't forget your personal 3DS max Log is worth
5% of your total grade.

If you have run up against a problem that wasn't covered
in the book and you found the solution to that problem
Please
share your experience with the rest of the class via this blog.
If you describe your solution or discovery thoroughly
and in a way that your class mates agree is ledgable and
that they are capable of following your steps
than this will cover the requirement completely.

Remember to use the '>' symbol when describing where to find
something in the menu system.

For instance
Animation>Constraints>Path Constraints
describes how to access the 'path constraints' feature
in the 3DS max software.

You should also participate in critiquing your fellow students
log entries with friendly, but useful feed-back
( "thats nice." is freindly but it ain't useful)
Use the 'comments' feature to give feed-back to a post.

UNDERWATER TUTORIAL

2006-10-28T11:26:00.000-04:00

Here is a link to a great

UNDERWATER TUTORIAL

You will also need this
CAUSTIC.jpg file to go with it
When the image appears, right click on it and
use 'save as' to save it as a jpeg.

Creating a Lamborghini Murcielago

2006-10-14T11:01:00.000-04:00

http://www.3dm3.com/tutorials/realsoft3d/car/index.php

December 16th Written Final Exam

2006-10-09T13:26:00.000-04:00

December 16th Written Final Exam

Thats a long way off, for now,

The entire Written Final will be made up of
questions selected from the take-home
written homework you have been doing.

Together the 7 Homework assignments are worth 15% of your grade
and the Written Final is worth 15% of your grade
Together they are worth, almost, a third of your total grade.

By doing the written homework you have been
preparing yourself for the written final.

Mid-Term is coming

2006-10-09T13:12:00.001-04:00

check the class calender at:
Mid-Term is...

Your storyboard will count as your mid-term project.

Also, Remember,
If you have Labs and Homework Papers that have not been
handed in yet, the 14th of October is the time to get them
in and out of the way.

If you want an assesment of your current grade at mid-term
I can only base it on what you have turned in at this point.

Top, Front and Left ViewPorts

2006-10-08T14:22:00.000-04:00

What type of view is depicted in the

Top,

Front

Left

Viewports ?

click this link to

WIKIPEDIA

to find out.

STORYBOARDS Samples, Examples, blank form

2006-10-05T17:39:00.000-04:00

For a blank stroyboard sheet click
Here for a jpg file & Here for a pdf version

For an example of how you might use the blank storyboard click
Here for a jpg file & Here for a pdf version

Here is one more exmple from
Begleiter's book "From Word to Image"

Make a Meshy Fishy

2006-10-04T17:00:00.000-04:00

Wanna really go hog wild with the editable mesh feature?

Here is a tutorial to do in your spare time.

Maistri's Meshy Fishy

click on the "Hyper-Text" above

Final Project Due December 9th 30% of Grade

2006-10-04T15:45:00.000-04:00

CAD 151 Fall 2006

Final Project

Due 9 December 2006

300 points / 30% of your total grade

Your final project represents at least four weeks of work on an original idea demonstrating several key skills & concepts learned during the semester. You will propose the concept and present it to me (or Jon) at mid-term (October 14th) In the form of a StoryBoard. This first storyboard represents a work in progress, it is understood that not all problems will be worked out at this point. The Final Project is Due December 9th 2006. At the time that the final project is due you are required to turn in a written list of all the elements listed below describing
where they can be found in your finished animation, this can be supported by a final storyboard if you wish.
(Put this list in a ‘Word’, ‘Notepad’ or ‘Word pad’ document and place this document in a file folder with the 3DS7 file and an AVI or QuickTime file of your final project.),

Key Skills to be included:

Chapter 2: Include at least one original object of your design

that is A primitive object that you have transformed into and

editable mesh and altered by moving or scaling its vertices as

you did on page 64. You can also include a Boolean object and

claim this as your chapter 2 elements.

Chapter 3: One LOFTED object or one LATHED object. You need not include both but you must have an object in your scene that represents a function that you learned in chapter 3.

Till’s Animation Book Chapter 2: Describe in writing, how you used the Dope Sheet and Curve Editor when animating you project. Put this in a ‘Word’, ‘Notepad’ or ‘Word pad’ document and place this document in a file folder with the 3DS7 file and an AVI or QuickTime file of your final project. You may also use chapter 5 of the 3D ANIMATION .

Chapter 5: Apply a material to at least one object in your scene. Give a short explanation of what skills from chapter 5 this object represents.

Chapter 6: Include at least 2 different kinds of lights in your

scene. Make adjustments to the light parameters as in chapter 6.
Create and set up at least one camera.

Animation: In addition to the work from

Till’s Animation Book Chapter 2,

a basic path-constraint animation of your camera is require.

You may use a circle as the path constraint and aim the cameras target at the center of the scene or you may create a complex path for the camera so that it flies through the scene.
Whichever camera animation you choose,
your flying camera animation must clearly show all the features listed above.

Note: look at project 3 in chapter 7 of the 3D MODELING book &

chapter 5 of the 3D ANIMATION book for an example of a

possible project, but remember, this is your project,

be as original as you can.

Something To Inspire Us

2006-10-02T13:12:00.000-04:00

Don't know how easily this will load for everyone, but I thought it was worth the few minutes.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-5503582578132361295&q=animusic

Enjoy!

-Cheryl

3ds Max 7 to 3ds Max 5

2006-09-30T19:04:00.000-04:00

For anyone who may benefit from this...I was able to do the "Wheel Curve" project in class and then open it at home in 3ds Max 5 by exporting it as a "3ds" file from version 7 and then inporting that in the version 5 at home. Of course, If I hadn't saved the materials (such as for the road), I would have to recreate them. Anyway, it's helpful to find a way to work with previoius versions.

-Cheryl

STORY-BOARDS

2006-09-26T10:23:00.000-04:00

Start thinking about...

STORY-BOARDS

Check out the website that's
linked to the word 'story-board' .

Take a look at this one
for PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN

...and here is another good example of storyboards

No, you don't have to draw like a Hollywood
story board artist, but
pay attention to composition and
camera POV (Point of View)
These are planned out ahead of time
in the story-board

Microphone using chp3 golf tee

2006-09-24T10:31:00.000-04:00

I use the image from the last exercise in chp3 to create a microphone. I took the golf tee made it into a handle, added a ball with texture and a cord.

My Lathe and Lofting experiment

2006-09-23T23:40:00.000-04:00

Chap 3 .My idea came from the first object that I created, the lamp by using a line tool and lathe modifier. The headboard, bedframe, pillows, carpet and side tables were just a geometry objects, boolean functions and applied materials to it.

As you can see in zoomed view, the handle in sidetable and the design in my headboard was a lofted 3D object by making lines as a path and circle as the cross-section. I asked Jon, how to make the edges of my pillows and mattress to smooth it out so it would'nt look like its a hard object. He tought me to used NURMS and Quick slice for making the object soft. I though of Jon to what he said, that this could be my FINAL PROJECT! :p

Tee Box

2006-09-23T20:18:00.000-04:00

After creating the tee, I decided to try and create a tee box. The view is looking head on with the camera view. I am envisioning the camera swinging around the back and following the ball from tee to green. Sounds like a final project to me. **smile**

Chapter 3 Golf Tee

2006-09-23T11:46:00.000-04:00

I created the golf tee per the chapter instructions. Then I wanted to add the Ping logo onto it. I did this by creating a spline and selecting the text option under the object type rollout. Within the parameters rollout, I typed the text "ping" and adjusted the text size to the desired height. Then using the selection rotate tool to fit the text onto the tee.

For the text to display on the rendered object, it needed to be changed to an editable mesh. Then a boolean feature applied to it and union used instead of cut.

Note: Change for Week 4 (September 30th)

2006-09-22T23:01:00.000-04:00

exploring editable mesh, clone & boolean functions

2006-09-17T00:56:00.000-04:00

I was making a tube to bend from chapter 2 p.57, and then I thought i could make a flower from that. I started making a sphere for the center of a flower and made a cylinder. And then I used editable mesh to make a cylinder look like a petal. After that, I rotated the petal towards me and I cloned a cylinder(petal) and moved it next to sphere to form a flower, and then after that I used "group" and I moved it next to tube. I made a flower vase by creating sphere and cylinders. and arraged them to make it look like a vase. I used boolean to make the objects "join", and i used a cylinder (boolean-subtract) to make it look like a real vase, and right now I'm thinking, I should have made a tube instead of cylinder.The petals from the ground was just a clone from my 1st petal and then I just rotated it.I never thought I could make that 3D object in 2 meetings. We'll I guest exploring new things in 3DS max can create something that you would never know until you do it.I have fun doing it!

Boolean Fun

2006-09-16T10:48:00.000-04:00

a mushroom to be.

WELCOME

2006-09-11T19:12:00.000-04:00

To all students attending the
FALL 2006 Saturday session of

CADD-151 Technical Animation

Welcome to your Blog.

This blog is here for you to seek information,
ask questions, answer fellow students 3DS max technical questions
and post jpeg images of your 3DS max work while in this course.

Signed,
Your Instructor,
Bill Discher

Sunday drive chapter lessons

2005-12-16T15:18:00.000-05:00

Just in case you can't actually see the streetlight clearly in my previous scenes, I wanted to show how I used what we learned in earlier chapters (and to count towards my final, lol). The above scence is a shot of the top of the streetlight. Once I made the streetlight, I applied and editable mesh and accidentally pulled vertices in the wrong direction. I thought it looked pretty cool, so I left it.
Above is the base of the steetlight, where I used the lathe modifier to comeplete the wrap around. I also lofted the pole part of the street light. Once I was done with the base and the pole, I used the boolean function to join them together.
Above is the shade and bulp section of the streetlight. I also used the loathe modifier on the shade and took a sphere and stretched and pulled on its vertices (by applying an editable mesh) until it resembled what I thought looked like a bulb.

I hope that looking at my completed scene animation, you can pick out where and how I used other chapters.

I am pretty sure you asking "why do I care what he does for his final?" Well, I thought instead of writing all this out in class tomorrow to hand to bill as my final, I thought I might as well do it all here.

Sunday drive update

2005-12-16T15:11:00.000-05:00

Just wanted to come back and show my updates to my scene. As you can see I found the fix to my previously stated background issue. I was trying to apply the background from the wrong place. Bill clued me in as to where I need to go to apply the bitmap image.

Here is the scene where the garage door is opening. I added a street light in order to include some of the lessons we learned in earlier chapters.

Sunday Drive (Terrance Gaines' Final)

2005-12-15T11:22:00.000-05:00

Hello All, I guess it's better late than never, so I decided to post my work so far. I pretty much have what I am gonna use for my final. I discovered that I can use Autodesk Viz and perform the same tasks that the class is doing with 3ds Max. It was scary to discover how similar the two applications are (layout, function, etc.) I am pretty sure there are some extras within 3ds max that Autodesk Viz doesn't have, but everything we learned in class with 3ds Max can be used in Autodesk Viz. And plus, I am from the AutoCAD world, so working with Autodesk Viz worked for me. As a result of this discovery, I was able to work on my project at work and at home during this last week. I feel much better as well, because I was able to develop a much nicer product during my free time versus being "under the gun" at school. Here are some pics of my work so far. Theabove pic is from the first frame of my animation.
My original idea, was to have a car just pull straight up to a house, and garage door open. Nothing special - no background, no scenery...nothing. The more I worked, the more I learned and found out what I could and could not do, the bigger my project grew. The second pic is of the camera stationed in front of my modeled house with the car in view. In my animation, the car drives down the street as the camera pans to the house.

This next scence (shown above) was the hardest. I had to figure out how to get the car to turn into the driveway. I used the software's help engine (the book doesn't even touch animation at all), and found out how to use the keys to set the car's x,y, and z location AS WELL AS the car's rotation. I played around with it until I got my results. In the following frames, the car pulls into the garage and the garage door closes.

The ONLY problem I am having is I can't figure out how to get a sky background onto my tube (shown in blue in the scenes). I have applied a UV map to the tube, and selected my background in the material editor, but it won't let me apply the material to the selection. That option is grayed out in the editor. I know it is something easy I am missing. Once I figure that out, I will be ready to render the animation, and my project will be done. If anyone knows what I am doing wrong, PLEASE email me at tgaines@jhu.edu

More shots from the Island: by Garrett

2005-12-10T12:16:00.000-05:00

Here are more pics of my island project.

3 Renders

2005-12-10T09:46:00.000-05:00

VRay Render
Downloaded from
http://www.chaosgroup.com/

Mental Ray Render

Default Scanline Render

Topaz Pendant - BSW

2005-12-04T22:19:00.000-05:00

Here is my contribution from chapter 7.
This was a very neat project.

Brain Z's Football Flight thru Time&Space

2005-12-03T13:05:00.000-05:00

Executive Office Reception Area - BSW

2005-12-03T11:06:00.000-05:00

This is a photo of the existing Executive office recetion desk.
This built-in piece will be removed to add a modular piece, to provide a better view from the boardroom.

This is a rendering of the planned space.
The quarter round design allows for incresed visability of the receptionist.

2005-11-19T12:10:00.000-05:00

Here are some more updated jpegs of my project. I am working on the lighting and camera right now.
Jeremy

D Brown ESPN Pool Table

2005-11-16T22:38:00.000-05:00

Here is part of what I have been working on for these past weeks. It's noting to it but to do it.

Chris' Space Hallway

2005-11-08T16:34:00.000-05:00

Here is a quick look at what I have been working on. Kind of a space themed hallway. It has taken a bit to get the lighting and materials right. I still need to add other objects and lights through out but it's a start.

Constrain the Constraint ~ By: Garrett

2005-11-05T14:32:00.000-05:00

I am writing this short entry to show the solution to a problem that I had making my constraint path. I wanted to do an aerial approach to an island, into a radius, and then into a landing.
I started by installing a circle, but come to find out you can’t break a circle. So then I used a helix which has a beginning and an end. I positioned one end at the top of the flight and the other at the end. Not paying attention to the beginning and the end of the helix I applied an object and played it. Guess what happened, the object went the wrong way on the constraint path. I forgot to put the beginning of the helix at the top of the flight and the end at the bottom. So I had to flip the helix to achieve the result I was looking for.

I then cloned the constraint path so I could have two objects, one chasing the other. This would give the effect of the camera looking at the island as it flies over it. Now I had to adjust the constraint path the object was on so the camera would look toward the center of the island.

Adjusting the speed of the camera and the object correct I had to go into the mini curve editor menu and adjust the frames. I also had to adjust the distance between the time line of the camera and the time line of the object. I was also able to adjust the frames and the speed in the Time Configuration dialog box.

Now its time for me to move onto the attaching of the camera and adding some lights.

Gary's Garden

2005-11-05T13:07:00.000-05:00

Skull Rim By BSW

2005-11-05T11:38:00.000-05:00

This custom object was initially created in AutoCAD for precision. Each set of openings(ie: Eyes, nose, teeth) for the skull faces is a separate layer that was extruded and the subtracted from a cylinder as a Boolean.

finally a sphere was used to create the curve in the face of the rim.
I added a 3 point lighting rig to cast a nice shadow for this shot.

successful palm tree

2005-10-31T21:36:00.000-05:00

Mr. Self has created a palm tree for his desert island using the
tutorial "Palm Tree Tutotial for 3D studio max".

Lane's Rolling Chassis

2005-10-25T10:26:00.000-04:00

This is a work in progress, but a very good beginning. Mr. Lane has made creative use of the Lofting function of 3DS max.

Hirsch Explores Chapter Seven

2005-10-25T07:29:00.000-04:00

Lee's very creative answer to LAB#2

2005-10-23T22:37:00.000-04:00

CALLING ALL CADD151 STUDENTS

2005-10-23T20:49:00.000-04:00

This blogger site is yours.
get involved.
read it.
Leave Comments.
Check out the Links to
TURBO SQUID, 3Dkingdom, 3D-Cafe and more.
Add your own links.

FLY THROUGH CAMERA or Race Car P.O.V.

2005-10-23T19:52:00.000-04:00

1. create a constraint path (A.K.A. line or circle) 2.Then create 2 objects 1 box and 1 sphere. 3. Attach the 2 objects to the constraint path. 4. Adjust them separately so they follow one another at a slight distance. 5. Now Create a Target-Camera. 6. With the “camera” portion of the target camera selected choose "Select and Link".

Open the "select by name" menu.

Select "Box"(the following object) & click "Link" 7. Now select the Target portion or “Camera01.Target". With the target selected choose "Select and Link". Open the "select by name" menu.

Select "Sphere" (the lead object) click "link". You may need to adjust the camera & target's positions so they occupy the same locations as their parent objects (box and sphere). 8. NOW, select the parent objects (the ones actually attached to the constraint path, sphere and box)

9. Right click and choose "Hide Selection" from the Quad Menu.

The box and sphere objects are now invisible. Now, the camera will follow the path and automatically look where its going all of the time.

If you have problems getting this to work or questions leave a comment about it here.

Final Project Requirements

2005-10-22T14:32:00.000-04:00

CAD 151 Fall 2005
Final Project
Due December 10th
300 points / 30% of your total grade

Your final project represents at least four weeks of work on an original idea demonstrating several key skills and concepts learned during the semester. You will propose the concept and present it to me at mid-term (October 15th) In the form of a storyboard. This first storyboard represents a work in progress, it is understood that not all problems will be worked out at this point. The Final Project is Due December 10th 2005. At the time that the final project is due you are required to turn in a written list of all the elements listed below, describing where they can be found in your finished animation, this can be supported by a final storyboard if you wish.

Key Skills to be included:

Chapter 2: Include at least one original object of your design that is
A primitive object that you have transformed into and editable mesh and altered by moving or scaling its vertices as you did on page 64. You can also include a Boolean object and claim this as your chapter 2 elements.

Chapter 3: One LOFTED object or one LATHED object. You need not include both but you must have an object in your scene that represents a function that you learned in chapter 3.

Chapter 4: OPTIONAL (not required)

Chapter 5: Apply a material to at least one object in your scene. Give a short explanation of what skills from chapter 5 this object represents.

Chapter 6: Include at least 2 different kinds of lights in your scene.
Make adjustments to the light parameters as in chapter 6.
Create and set up at least one camera.

Animation:
A basic path-constraint animation of your camera will do.
You may use a circle as the path constraint and aim the cameras target at the center of the scene or you may create a complex path for the camera so that it flies through the scene. Which ever you choose your flying camera animation must clearly show all the features
listed above.

Note: look over project 3 in chapter 7 of the book for an example of a possible project, but remember, this is your project, be as original as you can.