VFX Blog – Page 8 – Martyna Kowalska

Maya

Week 3&4 – Hot air balloon

Post author By Martyna Kowalska
Post date 1st November 2022
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We continued our exploration of modelling tools, with an emphasis on surface tools (revolve, extrusion, etc.). Creating the wine scene allowed me to practice with the curve tool and changing the colours, and materials of the objects. Initially, I struggled with “drawing” the bottle because I didn’t fully understand how the inside works, but with Nick’s help I was able to successfully model the wine containers. Later I rehearsed it with glasses. I also really enjoyed adjusting the colours and playing with the textures of the carafes to match the scene.

After the short assignment, we moved on to building a balloon for the Gonzalo’s Nuke session. Collecting references at the beginning helped me refine the shape of the balloon envelope later. I wanted a broader outline to emphasize the shape and make it more recognizable. We learned how to create more organic shapes, twist assets and separate objects for texturing.

“Cleaning” the model and introducing more detail helped me practice the curve tools, the twist, and the soft brush. The finished ropes are much more accurate and I think they fit the balloon better. It also allowed me to work on problem areas that I hadn’t noticed before, such as the side frames (which were too skewed and had to be completely remodelled), as well as the bottom edge of the envelope (which had multiple insert loop edges deforming the rest of the object).

I didn’t like the shape of the burners and thought it didn’t match the rest of the balloon, so I found some new references and used them to create one burner. It also helped me practice extrusion more.

After refining the shapes and the size correlation between the envelope, the frames, and the basket, I moved on to choosing the colours and materials for the balloon. At first, I wanted to create a multi-coloured surface, but after trying it out, I realised that the stretched polygons make the transitions look rough. Instead, I chose to stick with one main colour and diversify the model, focusing on picking a more detailed texture for my basket. Overall, I think the materials work well together.

UV mapping seemed a bit rushed to me, but I am already familiar with it so it didn’t cause me much trouble. It’s just a pity that I didn’t spend more time on the edges of the basket as at the moment the UV maps are not properly aligned and look stretched. However, I must add that I like the added bump effect of the material.

When rendering the hot air balloon, I forgot to set the HDRI sky and it looked very flat and dull at first. You can see the difference the second render (with customised lighting and map) made, and I am much happier with the final result.

Workshop notes:

Create a surface using Revolve:

Draw a curve (CV Curve Tool) representing the cross-section (or “profile”) of the surface you want to create.
Select the curve and choose Surfaces > Revolve.
Set the revolve options:

Choose the initial axis around which to sweep the surface.
If you only want to revolve a subsection of the curve, set Curve Range to Partial.

In the toolbox, click the Show Manipulator tool to manipulate the surface.

Autodesk Maya: Create a surface using Revolve (2019) Available at: https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/maya/learn-explore/caas/CloudHelp/cloudhelp/2016/ENU/Maya/files/GUID-CB4649DA-DAA6-437B-9334-01080564020F-htm.html (Accessed: 17 October 2022).

Delete by Type (History) to delete unnecessary data.

Mesh>Fill Hole.

Mesh Tools>Insert Edge Loop.

New Material>ARnold>aiStandardSurface>Presets.

polyExtrudeFace>SideMenu>Twist.

Windows>Modeling Editors>Crease Sets>Crease Set Editor (stronger lines).

To create a bend deformer:

Select the object(s) you want to deform.
Select Deform > (Create) Nonlinear > Bend > in the Animation menu set.
The Bend Options window appears.
Click the Basic and Advanced tabs and set the creation options.
See Bend Options and Advanced deformer options.
Click Create to create a bend deformer and close the options window.
(Click Apply to create a bend deformer and keep the options window open.)

Autodesk Maya: Create a bend deformer (2020) Available at: https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/maya/learn-explore/caas/CloudHelp/cloudhelp/2020/ENU/Maya-CharacterAnimation/files/GUID-71522A4F-F800-46CC-AF53-FD246E89EC8B-htm.html (Accessed: 17 October 2022).

To change the pivot point:

Select the object(s) or component(s) to be transformed.
Select a transform tool.
Enter Custom Pivot mode by doing one of the following:

Press D (or hold it) or Insert.
Click Edit Pivot in the Tool Settings.

The custom pivot manipulator (the translate and rotate manipulators combined) appears. If you’re modelling in component mode, multi-component selection mode activates.
Tip: Use the Pivot Manipulator options in the Manipulator preferences to hide or adjust the orientation handle of the custom pivot manipulator.
Drag or snap the custom pivot manipulator to move or rotate the pivot.

Autodesk Maya: Change the pivot point (2022) Available at: https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/maya/learn-explore/caas/CloudHelp/cloudhelp/2022/ENU/Maya-Basics/files/GUID-150B390E-840B-4FE3-B8E9-8DEBCE7CEC97-htm.html (Accessed: 17 October 2022).

Change the way a soft brush affects multiple objects:

Move Tool (Soft brush)>Tool Settings>Soft Selection>Falloff mode>Volume/Surface.

Hypershade:

Work area: This panel allows you to create your shader network as you would in the Node Editor, using a node editing interface.

Hypershade>Graph>Graph Materials on Selected Objects.

Used nodes:

Create Render Node>File.

Geometry (selected object)>Bump Mapping.

Autodesk Maya: Hypershade window (2021) Available at: https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/maya/learn-explore/caas/CloudHelp/cloudhelp/2022/ENU/Maya-LightingShading/files/GUID-252707EC-4AAF-4D3F-9600-804F783652B7-htm.html (Accessed: 24 October 2022).

Autodesk Maya: Node Editor (2022) Available at: https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/maya/learn-explore/caas/CloudHelp/cloudhelp/2022/ENU/Maya-Basics/files/GUID-23277302-6665-465F-8579-9BC734228F69-htm.html (Accessed: 24 October 2022).

Autodesk Maya: Node Editor basics (2022) Available at: https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/maya/learn-explore/caas/CloudHelp/cloudhelp/2022/ENU/Maya-Basics/files/GUID-68E825E4-140B-4B4E-97AC-E1C5E0AA84A0-htm.html (Accessed: 24 October 2022).

Maya

Week 2 – Modelling tools

In the second week, we were introduced to the sculpting tools. It took me a while to get used to the them, especially the soft brush, and I will have to work on it in future projects. I was having trouble creating soft areas and, instead of that, I was deforming my arm more than I wanted.

We also examined building low and high resolution models. I tried to be more aware of creating complicated forms and I think I understand the transition from a simple primal object to a complexed form better now. I wanted to practice constructing objects and using extrude tool, so I adapted a simple Lego figure to an astronaut character. Finally, I also put the model in the HDRI map to complete the task.

Workshop notes:

Build models in Maya from basic shapes and customize them later. Look for good references (these can be 3d models created by other artists).

Insert Image Plane for references and change its size and offset in the attribute editor.

Ctrl+Shift+Middle Mouse button to adjust height and subdivisions in the poly cylinder (Channel Box>Inputs).

Extrude>Insert Edge Loop to sharpen the edges and make them less round.

Edit Mesh>Bevel.

W – overwrite extrude.

Sketchfab (2023) Available at: https://sketchfab.com/categories (Accessed: 10 October 2022).

Nuke

Week 3 – Nuke Introduction

Post author By Martyna Kowalska
Post date 31st October 2022
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In the third week, we started learning about Nuke. As I mentioned before, composing and matte painting are the areas that interest me the most in VFX. We mainly reviewed the basics which helped me better understand Nuke’s various features and how to use the software. It was an excellent introduction to project settings and essential nodes in Nuke. I felt pretty confident in the first session and overall I found using this program quite similar to Adobe software. I am also considering exploring Katana in my spare time as I believe it can be helpful to learn about the lighting effects (and it can also open up new career paths for me).

We learned about pipelines in VFX and the different roles as a Digital Compositor, which combined with the VES Handbook of Visual Effects gives me a better look at the VFX industry and the roles available. I need to learn more about careers in this field, so I plan to watch tutorials on Gnomon, LinkedIn learning, 80lv and IAMAG. I also contacted the career team and received a handful of materials on networking events, workshops and recruiting tips.

Additional resources:

IAMAG: https://www.iamag.co/

80 Level: https://80.lv/

Gnomon: https://www.gnomon.edu/

Workshop notes:

Nodes are the basic building blocks of any composite. You can create a new compositing script by inserting and connecting nodes to form a network of operations. These operations concatenate and allow you to manipulate your images.

Node Based:

Node based software is handling the often complex compositing tasks by linking together several simple image operations. Each of these operations is referred to as a “node,” and together they make up a schematic node-tree that appears similar to a flowchart. Node-based compositing represents an entire composite as a tree graph, linking media objects and effects in a procedural map, intuitively laying out the progression from source input to final output, and is in fact the way all compositing applications internally handle composites.

This type of compositing interface allows great flexibility, including the ability to modify the parameters of an earlier image processing step “in context” (while viewing the final composite). Node-based compositing packages often handle keyframing and time effects poorly, as their workflow does not stem directly from a timeline, as do layer-based compositing packages.

Important:

Always remember to convert MOV files into sequences. Nuke does not work well with MOV files. Nuke is meant to work with IMAGE SEQUENCES. An image sequence is a series of sequential still images that represent frames of an animation. Commonly, the images are saved within one folder and are labelled with an incrementing file name in order to preserve the chronological order.

Import the video file. Customise the frame sequencing and frame range by using retime and frame range node. Be careful not to change the frame speed in the retime node. Call a write node and export out the video as an image sequence. Remember to use as file format either DPX or EXR. Remember to add the hashtags to allow nuke to write the sequences.

Nuke

Week 2 – Cinematography

Cinematography

During the second week, we continued learning about cinematography, including terms like the triangle of exposure, depth of field and focal length, that will help us navigate Nuke and create more sophisticated works. As a task, we had to create a short (maximum 10-15 seconds) film consisting of three to four shots. As the theme was ‘the city’, I wanted to explore the various features that excite me in London. I have already researched art and architecture in the moodboard project and decided to continue with these topics. I focused more on architecture as this is what I mostly pay attention to in London. I have also included a few close-up shots of the River Thames to provide some variety. For me, the river holds everything together and I always come back to it. During the filming, I paid attention to the golden hour and the composition of the individual shots. However, I wasn’t sure what story I could tell in just four takes, and you can see it in the movie (which seems confusing). I was also thinking about taking pictures at different times of the day and in different weather, but I didn’t get the chance to do it and the quality of a few morning shots I took was not great.

Feedback: I need more consistent shots. Right now it doesn’t tell any story. To improve it I could include just shots of the bridge from different angles. The water and buildings are too much for such a short format and it only created confusion. The video also lacks smooth transmissions and overall needs more refining.

Design For Animation

Week 2 – Film Language and Research approaches

Post author By Martyna Kowalska
Post date 28th October 2022
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After the last week, I went and did some research on the potential topics for a critical report. I found a lot of journals and reports that can be useful in creating a complex and academically challenging question. In my essay, I would like to be precise and focus on the details. The challenge may be not to overdo the research or create a subject that already has an answer to the research question. Therefore, I decided to structure my report around the analysis of one animation work – Fish Night, the twelfth episode of the first volume of LOVE DEATH + ROBOTS. Not only is this a great piece of art showing the thoughtful use of colour theory, but it’s also a work by a VFX studio that I admire a lot – Platige Image. The Film Language and Research lecture also influenced my thinking about colours in the context of the mise-en-scène; the relationship between shots and colour, animation staging, etc. In response to the assignment, I came up with the following brief:

Title: A study on the immersive value of colour art in TV animation focused on the short “Fish Night” from the TV series “LOVE DEATH + ROBOTS”

Introduction: Colour art explains the effects of colours on people and sets off the overall emotional tone of TV animation, expressing the value ideas behind the creation. I would like to examine how choosing bold colours based on the colour theory can effectively convey the character’s thoughts and feelings without losing the medium’s immersion.

Keywords:
Colour theory
Animation
Immersion
Atmosphere
Aesthetic value

Bibliography:

Ambrose, G. and Harris, P. (1971) Colour. Lausanne : AVA Publishing SA.

Curtis, C., Dart, K., Latzko, T., and Kahrs, J. (2019) Non-Photorealistic Animation for Immersive Storytelling. Genoa: The Eurographics Association.

de Ruiter, E. and Lacet, M. (2006-2007) ‘Immersive Animation’. Gatze Zonneveld EMMA ISCA. Available at: (Accessed: 16 October 2022).

Glebas, F. (2013) The animator’s eye: adding life to animation with timing, layout, design, colour and sound. Burlington, Massachusetts: Focal Press.

Guild, T., Back, A. and Merrell, J. (2013) Colour deconstructed. London: Quadrille Publishing.

Shamsuddin, A. (2013) ‘Evaluating Content Based Animation through Concept Art’, International Journal of Trends in Computer Science, 2 (11)

Zollinger, H. (1999) Color: a multidisciplinary approach. Zürich: Verlag Helvetica Chimica Acta.

Additional resources:

https://platige.com/project/feature/fish-night/.
https://www.behance.net/gallery/93472199/LOVE-DEATH-ROBOTS-Fish-Night

Feedback: My research question is unclear, especially since the word “value” has many definitions, so I should change it. There is also a problem with the assumptions around colour theory because I should not try to assign uncertain meanings without reliable sources.

Instead, I decided to focus more on the narrative use of colour scripts rather than emotional responses. Colour is assertive non-verbal communication. I could write about many aspects of this storytelling device: tints and filters, specific objects, transitions and symbolism, and costumes. However, I believe studying colour as an element of mise-en-scène can help me focus on the topic and make it more specific. I should also consider the purpose of using certain colours or having an absence of colour. I plan to analyse the meaning of colour palettes and how they help visualise the entire movie.

https://www.fourthwallcontent.com/post/colour-in-film

Possible research questions:

How do colours influence the animation staging (how it affects the placement and settings of the characters, as well as the length of the shots, etc.)?
Do the colour palettes of subsequent scenes comply with the principles of screen direction and continuity? How does it work with an animation layout?

Task 2: Evidence of understanding the term mise-en-scène.

High Noon: “Waiting for Frank Miller”

1. Settings & Props:
The repeated shots of the clock end at the most decisive moment when the minute hand reaches noon.
The use of spatial composition at the intersection from the railway track shot to the church interior shot. It is almost like an announcement of impending death.
Similarly, an empty chair and shots of an abandoned city build a mood of horror.

2. Costume, Hair & Makeup:
The costumes indicate that there are likely two opposing groups in this conflict (one in messy clothes and one well-dressed).

3. Positioning of characters/objects within the frame:
Shots are consistently getting closer and closer, from long and medium shots to big close-ups.

Design For Animation

Week 1 – Unit Introduction

Post author By Martyna Kowalska
Post date 28th October 2022
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In our first Design for Animation lecture, we were shown the course outline and review. As an introduction to research topics, my practice group presented potential ideas for the critical report. This encouraged me to start thinking about my written work for the unit. In August, I visited the Tate Modern display on colour, and the works exhibited there (especially Quarta-Feira de Cinzas / Epilogue 2006 by Rivane Neuenschwander and Cao Guimarães) inspired me to reflect on the influence of colour on our daily lives. In conjunction with the public discussion on the “disappearance of colour from the world”, I would like to explore its subject in visual effects and animation, and how it affects the audience.

Quarta-Feira de Cinzas / Epilogue 2006 Rivane Neuenschwander and Cao Guimares born 1967, born 1965 Purchased using funds provided by the 2006 Outset / Frieze Art Fair Fund to benefit the Tate Collection 2007 http://www.tate.org.uk/art/work/T12412

I was also interested in the colour theory in interior design and architecture (how often modern spaces lack personality and a sense of belonging). As I am interested in fine arts and art galleries, I thought about moving the discussion to the heritage sector and trying to understand how museums display colour. However, considering we only have 1500 words, I chose not to deal with such broad and complex topics and instead focus on a more technical analysis of colour in animation. When creating my works, I try to think about how it can affect the viewer and how best to convey the story. For me, this is the basic role of concept art – to communicate the idea of the project and immerse the audience in the created world. I think that VFX, especially compositions and matte paintings, have many similarities to concept art, which is probably why they are so exciting to me. I would like to explore the methods used in them. I suppose I could combine the above topics in my thesis, but for now, I plan on focusing on better understanding how artists use colour and how it affects people. I also believe that it can help me in my practical work.

https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/neuenschwander-guimaraes-quarta-feira-de-cinzas-epilogue-t12412

Nuke

Week 1 – Moodboards

“Time crumbles things; everything grows old under the power of Time and is forgotten through the lapse of Time”. – Aristotles

I wanted to look at time in a personal way, why it is important to me and what objects represent it in my daily life. Art and architecture define a part of life for me, they are witnesses of time. People often try to bring up the subject of time to understand it better – incl. in the form of a painting or an exhibition.

I believe that the way we experience time is very personal, constantly changing and influenced by our experiences and surroundings. The moments when the awareness of existence is immensely heightened for me, are the moments when I am exposed to art and architecture, in the form of art history, archaeology or visual arts.

I am also interested in the concept of beauty; what we find aesthetically pleasing and how it has evolved over hundreds of years. Our experience of art as humans is a testimony to how we think, what is important to us, and how we live. The creation of visual art is practised by almost all human cultures and is one of the defining characteristics of the human species. Time is also “a determinant concept in forms of art where motion is a key factor for a narrative to be explored as it occurs, […] also an important parameter for a two-dimensional artwork” (Concept of Time Portrayed in Art, 2018).

Maya

Week 1: Tesla Cybertruck

As we were introduced to the Visual Effects Fundamentals, we created an abstract sculpture and modelled the Tesla Cybertruck. I was already familiar with Maya because during my BA in Games Art and Design I learned how to make 3d game assets (with modelling, UV mapping, texturing etc.). However, it has been about 2-3 years since I last used the software, and during the sessions, I realised that relearning the basics helps me form new good habits. Recently,
I have become more interested in Blender, trying to create concept scenes to paint over later. My biggest struggle was modelling assets so having these sessions is very helpful in speeding up my workflow.

The first truck I modelled lacked many details, resulting in a block shape that was nothing like the cybertruck. On Tuesday, I went back to the recorded session and slowly remodelled the vehicle. This time I focused on the shape language and correct angles, as well as added more details to refine the simple model. I also tried to diversify the materials, although I did not change the colours and properties of the preset materials, which resulted in less accuracy. My tires don’t look like the real ones either. As I was trying to correct my mistakes, I decided not to spend too much time on them and leave it as it.

I will remember to pay attention to these issues (e.g. smoothing the tires without losing detail) in the following sessions as we move on to more detailed applications of Maya. Overall it was a good beginning session to help me establish the basics and speed up the workflow in my 3D modelling programs. I am more interested in compositing, but want to build a good foundation in 3D as I am aware that having the skills and knowledge to create 3D assets will help in any job in the industry. I also intend to include the models in my portfolio to show the diversity of my skills.

Workshop notes:

Overview of the user interface and keyboard shortcuts:

Autodesk Maya: Basics (2020) Available at: https://help.autodesk.com/view/MAYAUL/2020/ENU/?guid=GUID-6B531DDB-3440-4216-A322-FB6CD1EA83A1 (Accessed: 3 October 2022).

Autodesk Maya: Interface overview (2020) Available at: https://help.autodesk.com/view/MAYAUL/2020/ENU/?guid=GUID-F4FCE554-1FA5-447A-8835-63EB43D2690B (Accessed: 3 October 2022).

Autodesk Maya: All Maya Hotkeys (2020) Available at: https://help.autodesk.com/view/MAYAUL/2020/ENU/?guid=GUID-30CACC9D-8FBE-4B85-8A8F-C5ADF32DDD4E (Accessed: 3 October 2022).

Introduction to modelling and sculpting tools:

B – brush tool for more subtle/organic changes. Sculpting tools such as relaxation are also helpful in this.

To create a custom shelf:

Select > New Shelf, next to the default shelves.
Enter a name for the new shelf and click Ok.
Add a tool action menu item or script to a shelf to add the tools you want.

Always have Tool Settings pinned on the left side of the interface.

To open the Tool Settings panel, do one of the following:

Click the Tool Settings icon in the sidebar icons on the right end of the Status line.
Double-click any tool icon in the Tool Box, such as the Select or Move tool.
Choose Windows > General Editors > Tool Settings.

Setting up a scene:

Light: aiSkyDomeLight
Set up an HDRI scene.

Autodesk Maya: High Dynamic Range Imaging (HDRI) (2020) Available at: https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/maya/learn-explore/caas/CloudHelp/cloudhelp/2016/ENU/Maya/files/GUID-CB4649DA-DAA6-437B-9334-01080564020F-htm.html (Accessed: 3 October 2022).

PolyHaven (2023) Available at: https://polyhaven.com/ (Accessed: 3 October 2022).

Always use Incremental Save (Ctrl+Alt+S) and save regularly throughout the project. When Incremental Save is turned on and you save the scene, a backup folder by the same name is created in the scenes\incrementalsave folder and a backup is made of the file that was previously saved to disk. Each time you save, another backup file is created.

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