Syllabus

CGT 341 Motion for Computer Animation

Class 2, lab. 2, Cr. 3

Lecture: T TH 12:30 - 1:20 B019
Lab: T 1:30 - 3:20 Knoy 310B

Prerequisites: CGT 340 Digital Lighting and Rendering

Course Supervisor: Prof. Nicoletta Adamo-Villani

Office: Knoy 315

Phone: 496-1297

Email: nadamovi@purdue.edu

Office Hours: Tuesday 10:30 - 12:20

Graduate Student Assistant: James Larson

Office: IDEALaboratory (Knoy 376)

Email: larsonje@purdue.edu

Office Hours: TBA

Course Description:

The course focuses on the animation of human motion, animal motion, soft-body and rigid-body object motion. Traditional animation concepts and 3D computerized animation techniques will be theoretically explored and practically applied.

Course Objectives:

· Ability to discuss and implement the Principles of Animation.

· Ability to describe and implement keyframe, reactive, and motion path animation.

· Ability to discuss and apply constraints and deformers to control motion and changes of shape.

· Ability to describe and implement skeletal deformation systems which use Forward and/or Inverse Kinematics chains.

· Ability to discuss and implement smooth, rigid, direct, and indirect skinning.

· Ability to apply expressions to control character motion.

· Ability do discuss and implement character animation controls.

· Ability to discuss and implement human motion, animal motion, object motion and anthropomorphic animation.

· Ability to discuss and implement facial animation and dialogue.

· Ability to discuss and implement paint effects, particle systems and dynamic simulations.

· Ability to discuss and implement storytelling, storyboarding and character design.

· Ability to discuss the animation production process.

Textbooks:

Recommended:

[digital] Character Animation 3

George Maestri

New Riders Press, 2006.

ISBN: 0321376005

Learning Autodesk Maya 2008|Foundation

Official Autodesk Training Guide, 2007

ISBN-13: 978-1-897177-42-6

Mastering Maya 8.5

Sybex; Pap/Cdr edition (April 9, 2007)

ISBN-13: 978-0470128459

The Animator's Survival Kit: A Manual of Methods, Principles, and Formulas for Classical, Computer, Games, Stop Motion, and Internet Animators.

Richard Williams

Paperback, 2002

ISBN: 0571202284

Supplies:

blank CD/DVDs

1 Sketchbook

Grading:

The grading scale for this course is as follows:

90-100 A

80-89 B

70-79 C

60-69 D

59 and below F

Evaluation:

Project 35%

Lab Assignments 30%

Quizzes 10%

Midterm exam 15%

Final exam 10%

Student Conduct and Policies :

· Attendance will be taken at all meeting times.

· Any student who accrues four or more unexcused, missed class meetings will fail the course.

A class meeting is defined as one (1) lecture, one (1) demonstration or one (l) lab.

· Late assignments or projects will not be accepted unless prior arrangements have been made with the Instructor and because of extreme circumstances.

· Students will not be allowed to make up any written exam, lab practical, or quiz unless they have an official or medical excuse.

· Students are expected to arrive on time for all class and lab sessions.

· No food or drinks of any kind will be allowed in any lab sessions.

Standards set by Purdue University as outlined in the Student Handbook and the University Regulations (1996-1997) will be observed in this course. Students are expected to be present at each and every meeting of the class. In the event that a student must miss a class period, they must inform the supervising instructor of the course of their absence and NOT a teaching assistant (TA). Should the student not be able to reach the instructor they are to leave a message for him/her at their office with the secretary. Should circumstances not allow this, the student may contact the Dean of Students Office and explain their emergency. The Dean's office will then pass the word along to each of the student's professors for them. Upon your return to Purdue, contact the supervising instructor as soon as possible in order to make arrangements for work, handouts, quizzes, or tests that they may have missed. The supervising instructor has the final word on what work, etc. students may be allowed to make up. Every student has the right to appeal to the university any decision made by their supervising instructor.

Standards set by Purdue University as outlined in the Student Handbook and the University Regulations (1996-1997) will be observed in this course. Any student found participating in cheating, plagiarism, copying material from another person's disk, using illegal cribs or other materials during a written examination, lying to course instructors and lab assistants about his or her own work, stealing tests, quizzes, or answer keys, and any such activities will be considered in conflict with the printed academic honesty guidelines as set out by Purdue University and the School of Technology. In such cases the matter will be reported to the Office of the Dean and the appropriate Purdue University administration officers for consideration and possible disciplinary action.

Students who have special needs, i.e. hearing or visually challenged, etc., or in need of tutoring, etc., may contact the Dean of Students Office located in Schleman Hall, Room 207, 494-1747 for further assistance.