Advanced 3D for Visual Effects

Module 1 - 3D foundation

• Introduction to Maya

  • The user interface

  • Introduction to modelling

  • Introduction to textures

  • Introduction to lighting, shading and rendering

• Modelling

  • NURBS curves and surfaces

  • NURBS surfaces to polygons

  • Polygonal modelling

  • Topological rules

• Modelling continued

  • Polygonal modelling continued

  • Organic modelling

  • Non-linear modelling

  • UV mapping techniques (organic and hard surface)

• Colour and lighting

  • Lighting, traditional cinematographic and photographic techniques

  • Colour theory, three-point lighting

  • Natural lighting

  • Indirect lighting techniques

  • Image-based lighting

  • Matching lighting

  • Advanced lighting

• Basic texturing

  • Hypershade

  • Texturing masterclass

  • Image manipulation with Photoshop

  • Texture distressing with Photoshop

  • Non-destructive texturing workflows

  • Camera projection mapping

• Shading and rendering

  • Displacement mapping

  • Maya nodes

  • Ray tracing (reflections, refractions and shadows)

  • Shaders

  • Material properties and case studies (MIA shaders)

Module 2 - Visual Effects

• Tracking and integration

  • Introduction to cameras

  • Camera tracking with 3DEqualizer

  • Manual tracking techniques

  • Advanced matchmoving techniques

  • Lens distortion

  • Camera lineup

• Digital sculpting and 3D painting

  • Texturing

  • Sculpting and detailing

  • Import and export workflow

• Advanced shading and lighting

  • Ai standard surface material

  • Advanced Arnold nodes

  • Advanced lighting theory

  • Lighting effects

• Render layers and compositing

  • Render layers and passes

  • Introduction to compositing

  • Compositing with Nuke (CG layers)

  • Rotoscoping and keying with Nuke

• Animation and rigging

  • Keyframe animation

  • Path animation

  • Constraints and rigging

• Project week

  • Presentation

Module 3 - Advanced 3D for visual effects

• Particles and expressions

  • Maya rigid bodies

  • Constraints

  • Introduction to particles

  • Rendering particles

  • Emitters

  • Emission properties

  • Fields

  • Bullet dynamics

  • Expressions and particle expressions

  • Basic MEL scripting

• Houdini fundamentals

  • Introduction

  • Procedural modelling

  • Digital assets

  • Mantra

  • Dynamics

  • Shading

• Fur and hair

  • Fur basics, grooming, lighting and rendering

  • Hair basics, simulation and styling

  • Different uses of hair

  • Dynamic fur

• Fluids

  • 2D and 3D containers

  • Fluid contents and simulations

  • Texturing and rendering fluids

  • Fluid caches

  • Bifröst

• Cloth

  • Overview of Nucleus

  • Introduction to NCloth

  • NCloth solving and collisions

  • NParticle overview

  • Constraints

  • Caching Nucleus solvers

• Project week

  • Presentation

Our students go on to work in many areas of the industry.

Some of the junior opportunities you will be able to consider on completion of the course include:

• Runner
• Junior 3D Artist