So, these years have been quite the experience to build up to make it to here. Having 2 years in this university and 2 before in a college to learn some of the basics. With the help of these classes I have used many programs to learn how to animate from 3D and 2D and even making some special effects. And I used what worked best with me to make this senior project.

First semester were introductions to more of the drawing side of animation and how to use a variety of programs such as Adobe photoshop, illustrator and premiere pro and even 3D animation with Cinema 4D. And the next Semester having 2D animation and the introduction to Maya for 3D animation along with Creative coding. Though my third semester was tough with 6 classes I’ve managed to work with newer forms of 3D with Modeling with ZBrush, and making effects in adobe after effects with a more long-term 2D animation project. And the 2D animation project felt like the senior project equivalent to the work I needed to do for 2D though in the end I didn’t stick with 2D animation for moving on with my carrier though that doesn’t mean I abandoned it. I have some personal projects that involve 2D I’ve been working on that I want to continue after graduation.

And then this semester where the main focuses were the special topics in animation and Senior project. Were both in 3D independent study being learning 3D animation that is more than a few seconds long. I wanted to make something longer perhaps like a skit maybe make something humorous so I can animate something longer. Then Senior project I wasn’t expecting to be similar to special topics but it had to be more of a finished product. So, I used Special topics to re-learn how to use Maya and with Modeling, rigging and animating. Senior project was doing what I did with Special topics and do it with experience plus a bit of polish to make what I made for senior project.

As for how it went. There were many struggles with the story needing to be shortened so I don’t bloat the project too much and I can be efficient with a setting and 2 models, I had many issues with the rigging at first then I learned online a few steps that can help optimize a rig so it doesn’t blow up in my face and fighting with the weights resetting when I switch out. Once I finished one model, I finished the other with relative ease. Then having to 3D animate when ended up being a punching bag. Having to use blend shapes to make a couple of facial expressions and hoping I got the timing of movement correct. But what my biggest weakness as a 3D animator is learning how to texture mainly revolving the UVs, I used wat works for this project and I would want to continue learning how to optimize UV textures and how to make it fit on objects. For this project most of the textures are on the setting and having used photoshop to shrink the size of the texture to fit the ground and not stretch I’d say it was a job.

So, in the end I would want to continue working on 3D animation for any shows or games though with the style I see myself working with perhaps I would like to go more for the cartoon angle of animation? But these years have helped me learn the fundamentals of animation and I shall continue to use them afterwards.