Course Syllabus
Online Hybrid Class This Semester!!!
Due to the ongoing Mesa Del Sol HVAC reconstruction this class will follow an unofficial hybrid model with fully online instruction and optional group open lab on Thursdays to accommodate room and time scheduling conflicts across the program. Keep reading to learn more!!!
Online Format
Historically this class has been taught as an in person class consisting of lecture and lab time meeting once a week. 2 years ago we all became intimately familiar with living online due to COVID-19 and due to HVAC systems completely failing at Mesa Del Sol we find ourselves with limited space for class lecture and group labs. The good news is that, like all of my other classes, I have setup the curriculum to be fairly self-driven overall in terms of access to class materials and consistency of assignment expectations and due dates. I have also been teaching fully online for many many years and so I will be employing all of the best-practices I have experienced over the years to the reformat of this class for this semester.
So Brad... What format will that be as there are many online teaching formats?
That is a great question! I am so glad you asked :)
The format of online teaching that I employ is a weekly module based structure that is completely on-demand. Each weekly module will begin at 12am on Monday mornings and will run until 11:59pm on the following Sunday night. You will have ANY TIME within the entire 7 day period to complete the required activities for each module. This will include videos and text lecture materials, readings, discussion posts, quizzes, and assignments.
Each module will unlock on the homepage and in the header dropdown at the start and will remain open for the rest of the semester to allow you to go back and review as needed. The requirements for each module will be clearly spelled out in the todo list on the right side of the module page. I will be recording lecture videos and screencasts to present the material every week. This will simulate the lecture portion of the class minus the awesome physical presence and over-exuberant hand gestures and spontaneous dad jokes that accompany. Okay... let's be real, those jokes are still gonna happen and they will be forever implanted in the collective intelligence of humanity via the internet. Lovely :)
What about online class meetings via zoom or other video chats?
Wow, another great question. Well done!
I will NOT be holding any required zoom meetings this semester. I will however be utilizing Zoom to provide one-on-one support to students as needed outside of optional open group lab times. These sessions will be scheduled on an as-needed basis via email.
The rest of the details around what to expect for the class should be answered by completely reviewing this course syllabus and reviewing all course material (especially videos) from each weekly module.
Happy Hunger Games... and may the odds be ever in your favor! :-)
Learning Objectives
This course will set the foundation for your future production work utilizing 3D computer graphics. The concepts, techniques and theories covered in this course will help prepare you for work in the industries of animation, film, games or others utilizing computer graphics. During the first half of the semester we will be exploring each of the main aspects of the 3D production pipeline. In the second half of the semester we will take a step back and look at the big picture of pre and post production pipeline planning. The course will culminate with a group project utilizing the skills learned in the course.
The course is organized into weekly modules. Each module will include instruction, examples and an assignment. Assignments will focus on introducing practical concepts in the computer application being covered and will walk you through the execution of it. Starting in week 3 assignments will build upon the previous week so you must ensure you stay on track.
In Introduction to Modeling and Post-Production students will:
- Become familiar with the foundations of 3D computer graphics and animation
- Explore the pre and post-production pipeline as it relates to 3D computer graphics in an individual and group setting
- Begin to develop the skills necessary to produce 3D computer graphics including:
- Polygon Modeling
- Shading and Texturing
- Basic Rigging & Animation
- Lighting
- Rendering
- Compositing
- Editing
Diversity
As we complete the first week and have had a chance to introduce ourselves you will find that this industry attracts a very diverse group of students. I have been teaching courses like this for 8 years now and it is always the case. Honestly, the diversity is what makes this course so much fun to teach. Some of you may be artists and some of you may be computer scientists. Some of you may be taking this class because you think it might be fun and some of you may not even know why you are taking it. No matter what reason you have for being here, you are here and I am happy to have you in this class.
What does diversity have to do with computer graphics let alone that it is a benefit?
I’m glad you asked!
Since we all come from different backgrounds and are here for different interests, we will be able to provide a unique perspective to the problem solving process that would otherwise be missed sans diversity. The art of computer animation involves using tools to solve a given problem or set of problems that is not only visually appealing, but scalable and efficient. Since our main goal is to solve problems with an infinite number of ways to go about that process, the more perspectives we have, the better results we will have.
Ultimately we are working with tools, rules, processes and workflows that are technical in nature. However, these tools are simply a means to an end. The end result is and always should be artistic. Yes, I did just say that we are problem solving using technical tools for art. It may seem a bit contradictory, but really this is no different then any other art form. A pencil illustrator follows the same process. The problem they are solving is producing an image on a blank page using only pencils. They must use certain techniques and processes to lay the graphite onto the paper in a way that achieves the desired result. We approach our problem to produce a work of art on the computer in the end just like any other skilled artisan utilizes their medium to create a work of art. Creativity is treated as an equal with technicality.
Collaboration
As I mentioned earlier, our diversity within this course will ultimately shape the outcomes of this class, it would not be fair for me to limit the needed exchange of ideas in order to utilize that diversity. For the first half(ish) of the semester we will not have any “group work”, however you will all be working through the same material, the same problems and the same assignments all at the same time. It is because of this that I encourage you to collaborate together to solve these problems. Please do not take this as an opportunity to simply glean off of others hard work. You have registered for this class voluntarily. You have paid for this class voluntarily; therefore, I assume that each of you are here to learn the material. So let’s learn together.
Typical Weekly Online Breakdown (Subject to change)
No Live Class Time!!!
Our scheduled class time in ESCP 109 WILL NOT be a required meeting time for everyone. In-fact. If everyone shows up we will be busting at the seams due to the small room size. This time will be converted to a 4 hour block of time allocated as an open lab for you to come and work either on a UNM computer or your laptop on class material, to ask questions of me directly, and to collaborate with each other as needed.
| 4:00p – 4:15p | Welcome and Review |
| 4:15p - 5:00p | Instruction of New Concepts |
| 5:00p - 5:10p | Break |
| 5:10p - 6:30p | Lab Work |
| Mondays's @ 12:00am | Online Lecture material will be posted in the modules on this site. |
| All week | View lecture material |
| All week | Work on assignments and post in UNM Canvas Discussions |
| Thursday's from 4pm-8pm | OPTIONAL Open Lab in ESCP 109 for all students |
| Sunday @ 11:59pm | Assignment and Quiz are due |
Weekly Breakdown (Subject to change)
Planned dates where we won't be having open lab:
| September 26 | Instructor Cancellation |
| October 10 | Fall Break |
| November 28 | Thanksgiving |
-
Instruction
Introduce Professor & Course
Maya Interface -
Material
Maya Interface
Project Structure & File Management -
Quiz
Quiz 1 -
Assignment
Primitive Sculpture
-
Instruction
Pre/Post Production Process
Maya Interface Cont. -
Material
New Interface Items & Process
Work on Assignment -
Quiz
Quiz 2 -
Assignment
Solar System Animation
-
Instruction
Polygon Components
Tools
-
Material
Modeling Process & Examples
Work on Assignment -
Quiz
Quiz 3 -
Assignment
Polygon Modeling
-
Instruction
Materials & Channels
Procedural Textures -
Material
UV Mapping & File Textures
Work on Assignment -
Quiz
Quiz 4 -
Assignment
Shading & Texturing
-
Instruction
Hierarchy
Joints, FK & FK, Animation -
Material
Skinning & Controls
Work on Assignment -
Quiz
Quiz 5 -
Assignment
Rigging
-
Instruction
Animation Process Review
Graph Editor
-
Material
Work on Assignment -
Quiz
Quiz 6 -
Assignment
Walk-Cycle Animation
-
Instruction
Direct Ligthing
Lighting Setups
-
Material
Practice Lighting
Work on Assignment -
Quiz
Quiz 7 -
Assignment
Scene Lighting
-
Instruction
Arnold Settings
Indirect Lighting -
Material
Batch Rendering
Work on Assignment -
Quiz
Quiz 8 -
Assignment
Scene Rendering
-
Instruction
After Effects Overview
File Management -
Material
Work on Assignment
-
Quiz
Quiz 9 -
Assignment
Compositing
-
Instruction
Premiere Oveview
File Management -
Material
Work on Assignment -
Quiz
Quiz 10 -
Assignment
Edit & Export
-
Instruction
Group Project Progress Review -
Material
Modeling Process & Examples
Work on Final Group Project -
Quiz
None -
Assignment
Final Group Project
UNM Labs
Class Open Lab
When: Thursday's from 4:00pm - 8:00pm
The lab located on the map notated by the red circle. ESCP 109 is the southern lab in this building and the classroom is in the lab and around to the back left once you enter.
I will NOT be holding lab on 9/26 due to personal event, 10/10 due to Fall Break nor on 11/28 due to Thanksgiving.
Attendance and Drop Policy
I will not be formally taking attendance in this class with one exception. I will be monitoring course activity on UNM canvas during the first 2 weeks of the semester to ensure you are connected and progressing. If you have not logged into Canvas and submitted the Syllabus Quiz by the due date of 11 days into the class you will receive an email as a last attempt to connect. If no connection is made then I will assume you will not be able to complete the course material and you will be dropped from the class by Thursday evening of the second week of class. This will do the following:
- Ensure you are not charged for the class even though you are dropped
- Will not leave a withdraw (W) or failing (F) grade on your transcript
- Will provide you with one more day on Friday of the second week to replace the class with another before the registration deadline if you choose.
If you have any questions please email me to discuss your concerns by clicking the contact button in the header of this website.
Late Work
Each of our assignments build on one another and we are going to be moving fairly quickly through the material so it is in your absolute best interest to stay on top of things. I will accept late work all the way up to the end of the semester, but there will be a letter grade reduction applied to any assignments that are submitted more than 1 week after the posted due date.
All of your assignments are due at 11:59pm on the Sunday they are due. Here are some examples for you.
- An assignment turned in 1-7 days late will not be considered late and will not incur a penalty.
- An assignment turned in 8+ late will be considered late and will incur the 10% penalty.
Grading
Breakdown
- 10 Assignments
- 100 points each (1000 points total or 48.8% of Final Grade)
- 11 Quizzes
- 50 points each (550 points total or 26.8% of Final Grade)
- Final Group Project
- 500 points or 24.4% of Final Grade
Scale
- A+ = (97-100+)
- A = (93-96)
- A- = (90-92)
- B+ = (87-89+)
- B = (83-86)
- B- = (80-82)
- C+ = (77-79+)
- C = (73-76)
- C- = (70-72)
- D+ = (67-69+)
- D = (63-68)
- D- = (60-62)
- F = (< 59)