Category: Group

Modelling of ivy geometry:
First create the basic geometry for the ivy plant. Use polygon modelling techniques to create the main stem and branches of the ivy.

Creating ivy leaves:
Model individual ivy leaves or use pre-made leaf models and distribute them along the branches. Arrange the leaves naturally.

Set up a dynamic simulation:
To simulate ivy growth using dynamic effects, use tools such as nCloth or nHair in Maya. Assign these dynamic simulations to ivy geometry to achieve realistic movement and interaction.

Creating ivy growth animations:

Procedural animation:
Use procedural animation techniques to create growth animations. Use techniques such as expressions, morphers or animated layers to gradually expand branches and make them grow over time. This method allows you to control the growth animation precisely.

Dynamic simulation:
Use dynamic simulation tools to drive growth animations. Here a combination of soft bodies and forces are used to simulate the growth of ivy. Set forces such as gravity or wind to affect the ivy geometry and make it grow naturally.

Integration of procedural and dynamic animation:
Combine procedural animation techniques with dynamic simulations to achieve more realistic and controlled growth animations. Here I have used per-programming to animate the main growth of the ivy, while using dynamic simulation to add auxiliary movements and interactions.

Optimisation and iteration:
Iterate through the animation, adjusting growth rates, branch formation, leaf distribution and any other aspects to achieve the desired look and behaviour. Preview animations and further optimise them using the playback and timeline tools in Maya.

Modelling the fish:
Start by creating the 3D geometry of the fish. Use polygon modelling techniques to create the fish’s body, fins, tail and other features. Here I paid extra attention to the overall shape and proportions of the fish species to be recreated.

UV mapping and texturing:
Once the fish model is complete, continue with UV mapping to unwrap the geometry and prepare it for mapping. Create or apply appropriate textures and materials to achieve the desired look of the fish, such as scales, colours and patterns.

Assembly:
Assembly is the process of creating a skeleton and control for the fish model to facilitate animation. The following are the key steps in creating a fish:

Create a skeleton: Design a layered skeleton that matches the fish’s body structure, including the spine, fins and tail.

Joint placement: Place joints along the main curved points of the fish’s body, such as the joints of the spine and fins. Take into account the anatomy of the fish and how realistically it needs to move.

Skinning the model: Use masking or redrawing techniques to link the vertices of the fish model to the joints of the skeleton. This allows the geometry to be properly deformed as the joints are animated.

Controls: Create a set of controls that allow the animator to easily manipulate the movement of the fish. These controls can include a body controller, a fin controller and a tail controller.

Animation:
Once the fish was rigged, I started animating its movements. Here are some key considerations for animating the fish:

Swimming motion: animate the fish’s body, fins and tail to create a natural swimming motion. Observe reference footage of a real fish swimming to understand its movements and dynamics.

Movement: Note the movement of the body, undulating fins and tail to create a forward motion. Use overlapping movements and subsequent movements to enhance realism.

Secondary movement: Add secondary movement to the fish, such as the movement of fins, gills and eyes, to make the animation more convincing.

Behaviour and personality: Consider the specific fish species and its behavioural characteristics when creating the animation. Study the natural movements of the fish and incorporate its characteristic behaviour into the animation.

Timing and spacing: Pay attention to the timing and spacing of the fish’s movements to create a natural and engaging animation. Experiment with different timing options to achieve the desired effect.

Refinement and iteration:
Preview the animation in Maya’s playback and timeline tools and refine it as needed. Make adjustments to timing, movement arcs and overall performance to achieve believable and visually appealing fish animations.

My role in the group project was Look dev Artist, responsible for the water, animal and plant sections. First of all in the first week I chose to prioritise the water section as it needed time to be simulated.
The water system was created using the Boss system in Maya. The overall material is transparent, so that it can be combined with the swimming pool created by another Look Dev Artist. The first thing you need to do in Maya is to go into the FX panel.

Create a base geometry for the water surface, such as a Plane or Polygon Plane.
Open Maya’s Animation Layer Editor.
In the Animation Layer Editor, create a new animation layer by clicking on the “+” button in the top right corner or using the “Create Layer” option in the menu bar.
Name the newly created animation layer ‘Water Surface Effect’ or something else appropriate.
In the Animation layer parameter settings area, you can adjust the Weight value of the animation layer to control the intensity of the layer’s effect on the water surface effect.
In the Timeline area of the animation layer, you can select attributes or keyframes to add to the animation layer and drag them onto the layer’s timeline to create an animation effect on the layer. For example, use displacement, rotation or scaling to simulate a ripple or ripple effect on the surface of the water.
Other effects can also be added to the animation layer such as material changes, texture distortion, etc. to enhance the water surface effect.