This course offers a comprehensive immersion into generalist 3D, designed for students to master the fundamental pillars of digital content creation. Through a practical approach, all stages of the standard animation and visual effects (VFX) pipeline are explored. The program covers the entire fundamental 3D workflow: from 3D modeling and texturing to lighting and rendering
Titular Professors
None
This course offers a comprehensive immersion into generalist 3D, designed for students to master the fundamental pillars of digital content creation through a practical approach where all stages of the standard animation and visual effects (VFX) pipeline are explored, covering the entire fundamental 3D workflow: from 3D modeling and texturing to lighting and rendering, so that the main objective is to provide a 360° vision that allows the student to operate fluently in any 3D production environment since, although Autodesk Maya is established as the core tool for production tasks, the emphasis lies on a deep understanding of the processes and the course is committed to responsible innovation by promoting a conscious and ethical use of artificial intelligence applied to the 3D workflow, preparing the student for the current challenges of the sector.
1. Maya Overview: Workspace and Environment
- Interface and Navigation: Viewport configuration, using custom Shelves, and quick-access menus (Hotbox).
- Project Management: Maya folder structure, Outliner hierarchies, and use of the Node Editor.
- Transformations and Fundamentals: Object manipulation (translation, rotation, and scale), pivot points, and coordinate systems (World vs. Object).
2. Modeling, UVs, Materials, and Textures
- Polygonal Modeling: Box Modeling techniques, use of essential tools (Extrude, Bevel, Multi-cut), and maintaining good topology (quads vs. tris).
- UV Unwrapping: Creating 2D coordinate maps, managing seams (cuts), and Layout optimization to avoid distortion.
- Shading and Materials: Introduction to physical materials (such as Arnold’s aiStandardSurface), reflection, refraction, and Roughness parameters.
- Texturing: Application of bitmaps (color, normal maps, specularity) to add detail and realism to the surface.
3. Lighting and Rendering
- Light Types: Use of Area, Directional, and Point lights.
- Light Theory: Classic three-point lighting setup and color psychology in scene lighting.
- Render Engine (Arnold): Sampling configuration to eliminate noise, camera management, and depth of field
The work is carried out through various active teaching methodologies, mainly under the “learning by doing” approach and project-based learning. Despite the existence of lectures, demonstrative and practical sessions predominate; the latter are carried out by students individually with supervision and feedback from the teacher. Students must face situations that push them out of their comfort zone and encourage them to solve more complex scenarios by merging various techniques and applying theory.
In the different sessions, doubts are resolved so that students have the knowledge and tools necessary to develop their approaches and achieve new objectives. Educational activities with specific audiovisual material are offered so that students can become familiar with technical vocabulary and develop their professional growth through practice and experience.
At the beginning of the course, the exercises that make up the continuous assessment for the entire semester are presented, along with the roadmap to follow to achieve the course's purpose. Throughout the term, students receive feedback to evolve and have the opportunity to rectify and improve their work, ensuring constant progress in their learning.
With the aim of evaluating whether the student has reached an adequate level of the objectives pursued by the subject, different continuous assessment activities are used, with an approximate weekly frequency.
Objectives of the continuous assessment:
- To guarantee constant follow-up: helping students keep up to date with the subject and establish an effective working method, assimilating the material progressively.
- To evaluate effort and consistency: valuing the student's daily work, ensuring that the grade does not depend exclusively on the final practical assignments.
- To improve teaching monitoring: providing the teacher with detailed information regarding the academic and personal progress of the students.
.
- Birn, J. (2013). Digital Lighting and Rendering. New Riders.
- Vaughan, W. (2011). Digital Modeling. New Riders.
- Okun, J. A., & Zwerman, S. (2020). The VES Handbook of Visual Effects: Industry Standard VFX Practices and Procedures. Routledge.
- Williams, R. (2009). The Animator's Survival Kit. Faber & Faber.
- Johnston, O., & Thomas, F. (1981). The Illusion of Life: Disney Animation. Disney Editions.
- Brinkmann, R. (2008). The Art and Science of Digital Compositing. Morgan Kaufmann.
- Wright, S. (2017). Digital Compositing for Film and Video. Routledge.
- Adobe. (2018). The PBR Guide: A Handbook on Physically Based Rendering. Substance Academy.
- Beane, A. (2012). 3D Animation Production: An Overview of the 3D Animation Pipeline. John Wiley & Sons.
- Goldfinger, E. (2001). Human Anatomy for Artists. Oxford University Press.
- Mercado, G. (2010). The Filmmaker's Eye: Learning (and Breaking) the Rules of Cinematic Composition. Focal Press.
- Gurney, J. (2010). Color and Light: A Guide for the Realist Painter. Andrews McMeel Publishing.
- Mattingly, D. B. (2011). The Digital Matte Painting Handbook. John Wiley & Sons.
.