Week 5 – Environment, Character and Lighting

Unit 2.1 Advanced and Experimental 3D Computer Animation Techniques – Project 2, week 5.

Considering that this is my FMP concept testing phase (the premise project), the character can be random. A specific character is not necessary. This phase simply serves to deliberate through experimentation the concept and themes, as well as iron out certain methods, techniques and staging etc. Additionally, in the early stages of this project, I considered an old man and a dog as the main characters. Thus, reusing my ready-to-animate dog character deemed a suitable choice for this project. The below images are the design development work for said character.

Links to project 1’s posts on character design, modelling, texturing and rigging:

Week 6 – Character Design and Model
Design, modelling and texturing.
Week 7 – Character Rigging
Rigging.
Week 8 – Walk and Run Animation Cycle
Walk and run cycle.

Character Design

Figure 2. Character sketches.
Figure 3. Front and side view.
Figure 4. Colour application.
Figure 5. Eye colour experiments.

Character Model and Texture

Figure 6. Final textured model.
Figure 7. Play blasts of the process and final textured model.

Walk and Run Cycle Play Blasts

Figure 8. Walk cycle play blast.
Figure 9. Run cycle play blast.

I do not currently plan to use the project 1 run cycle, however, I have included it just in case.

Other Tests

Lighting Ideas to Test:

Note. Lighting: average sunny day. Weather: mild. Season: summer.

  • Physical sky
  • HDRI
  • Two point lighting. One from the front.
Figure 10. Lighting set-up, side view.

Also, I should mention that the small sphere in figure 11 is an eyeline guide.

Figure 11. Lighting set-u, top view.

Shot Tests – Includes Lighting and Soft Focus.

From here on, the captions of images will detail the elements applied to the images below, lighting and focus. (if I do not mention soft focus, then I didn’t include it). Also, when a HDRI is applied, I moved the perspective of the camera, so that the HDRI applied could be slightly seen.

Figure 12. Lighting: Regular white sky dome.
Figure 13. Lighting: Arranged lighting sources without sky dome. Soft focus: Applied.

The soft focus doesn’t seem to change the appearance drastically. This is understandable considering the background is close to the character. While the amount of soft focus in figure 13 is passable, I want to exaggerate it more. I will have to toy with the setting to learn how to do this.

Note: When I say ‘arranged lighting sources’ I am referring to the lighting sources in figure 10. And the HDRI’s look like figure 14. The lighting source is from all around since I placed the HDRI on a sky dome. It will help simulate a real life environment and situation with light intensity and colouring. However, I still want to experiment with the comparative results using a physical sky light.

I collected all of my HDRI’s from HDRIs • Poly Haven.

Figure 14. Screenshot of sky dome in scene.

Currently, I do not have a preference for the lighting, however, I wish to find a HDRI which creates an aesthetically pleasing environment with the scene I have made. Then, I will build upon it accordingly.

Figure 15. Lighting: Arranged lighting sources, with HDRI sky dome ‘Satara Night’.
Figure 16. Lighting: Arranged lighting sources, with HDRI sky dome ‘Overcast’.
Figure 17. Lighting: Arranged lighting sources, with HDRI sky dome ‘Green Field’.
Figure 18. Lighting: Lighting: Arranged lighting sources, with HDRI sky dome ‘Dreifaltigkeitsberg’.
Figure 19. Lighting: Arranged lighting sources, with HDRI sky dome ‘rooftop night’.
Figure 20. Lighting: Arranged lighting sources, with HDRI sky dome ‘partly cloudy’.
Figure 21. Lighting: Arranged lighting sources, with HDRI sky dome ‘cloudy field’.
Figure 22. Lighting: Arranged lighting sources, with HDRI sky dome ‘Sky kloppenheim 02’.
Figure 23. Lighting: Arranged light sources, with HDRI sky dome ‘castel st.angelo roof’.
Figure 24. Lighting: Arranged light sources, with HDRI sky dome ‘Crosswalk’.
Figure 25. Lighting: Arranged light sources, with HDRI sky dome ‘Foggy’.
Figure 26. Lighting: Arranged light sources, with HDRI sky dome ‘Golf glowing night’.
Figure 27. Lighting: Arranged light sources, with HDRI sky dome ‘sandsloot’
Figure 28. Lighting: Arranged light sources, with HDRI sky dome ‘Studio Garden’.
Figure 29. Lighting: Arranged light sources, with HDRI sky dome ‘Muester’.
Figure 30. Lighting: Arranged light sources, with HDRI sky dome ‘Urban Street’.
Figure 31. Lighting: Arranged light sources, with HDRI sky dome ‘zavelstein’.
Figure 32. Lighting: Arranged light sources and physical sky light.

Notes of the Above Images

Images from the selection above, that are to my liking, are figures 17, 23, 29, and 30. These would suit a mid-day lit scene.

For an evening or night scene, I am interested in the low-key lit images in figures 21, 25, and 31.

The scene I currently have can be built upon to create an evening scene by creating lamp post lighting and some city sound effects. This is the idea/plan I have imagined for the scene. Considering this, I should change the floor material to an asphalt. There would be no need to go into detail with the model of the lamp post, only enough to create a silhouette and the light source (a mesh light). Then, I can copy the animation of the environment. Overall, these adjustments will be very quick, yet will enhance the created atmosphere of the scene. On an additional note, the floor is to flat, I should add sub-divisions and use soft selection to vary it.

After comparison, I believe that the appropriate HDRI to use for the evening scene would either be figure 21, called ‘cloudy field’. It does not have too much highlight and shadow contrast. However, with the addition of the lamp post light, the lighting colour will change slightly to a warmer colour, and the amount of light will increase.

Alterations

Figure 33. Created bumpy floor surface using soft selection.
Fig 34. Model and material application.
Fig 35. Mesh light settings adjusted.
Fig 36. Lamp post light in-scene.
Figure 37. Test shot with all previous alterations. However, there are yellow specs if you look closely. I will alter the render settings to solve this. Samples (camera AA): 4. Diffuse: 3.
Figure 38. This is the result even after the render setting alterations. Not sure if I should leave this be.

Final Test Shot

This render includes soft focus, the newly added lamp post mesh light, asphalt floor that has been altered. and it is from a camera angle that I will actually use in my animation.

Figure 39. Final test shot.

Further improvements will include better camera angles. I believe the height is suitable, however, the camera should be slightly closer and at a more frontal angle.

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