Final Gathering

This scene is created using Maya Software. Rendered using After Effects Software.

Primitive shapes are used to create a simple scene. I have disabled the default lights and Mental Ray is used to Render the scene.

The plane (primitive) on top of the objects acts as Lights for the scene.

• Final Gathering is not physically accurate lighting.
• Fast and easy way to get good, credible lighting.
• Solves the glitches of GI quickly.
• Most of the time, no lights required.
• Irradiance can be used as light.
• Accuracy, point interpolation, scale.
• Image based lighting (IBL).
• HDRI (High Dynamic Range Image).
• FG can be saved as a map for future use.
• FG is more useable for exterior scene.

Global Illumination

This scene is created using Maya Software. Rendered using After Effects Software.

Primitive shapes are used to create a simple scene.

I have disabled default lighting and used Mental Ray to render the scene.

Spot Light is used as the main source of light for the scene.

Exponent value in the attributes can be used to control Photon value.

• All the diffuse lighting in a scene until the light decays.
• Indirect lighting method uses photons.
• Spotlight is best suitable for firing photons.
• Photon color, intensity and exponent.
• Photons can be computed and saved in the project for future use.
• A photon map can be generated to view photons in the viewport.
• Color bleeding can be observed.
• Accuracy, scale, radius and merge distance.
• Sometimes GI must be combined with other lighting method to improve the quantity of render.

Interior Lighting

This scene is created using Maya Software. Rendered using After Effects Software.

This is the basic of Advanced Lighting and Rendering.
I have created a simple Layout using Primitive shapes. I haven't used any default light for the scene.
Directional light is used as a main light (Sunlight) to light the scene. 10 Area Lights are used to light the Primitives.
I have Rendered the scene using Mental Ray.

Run Cycle

A Run cycle has the same basic Animation principles as a Walk cycle but with a lot more force.

This is the reference video I referred to Animate the Run for the given rigged model.

• The Contact keyframe where the heel hits the ground.
• Break where the foot comes down
• Propell, forward and up
• Pass Pose, the air time part. 

The whole cycle depends on the Timing and Spacing of the Animation.
The arms will swing opposite to the legs, balancing out the body weight.

Caterpillar Track Rig

The Model, Rigging and Animation has been done in Maya Software.

This model was very easy to Rig.

Master Control is created to Move, Rotate and Scale the rigged model.

Blend Shape and Wire Deformer are the 2 main tools used to Rig the model.

I have also set the Attributes to stop the Animation when attribute is set to 0 (zero), Move it slow when the attribute is set to 1, and Fast when attribute is 5.

In this video, the attribute is 5 which is fast.

Tree Rig

This Rig was done in Maya Software. Rigging this was not at all easy. 

IK Spline Handle, Expression Editor was used to create the rig.

NDynamics, nhair was used to create rig for the leaves. 

   

The Tree Trunk stretches and squashes when the controls are moved.

                   

    The leaves are rigged with the Dynamic simulations.



   The Bend and change in shape of the tree trunk is controlled by FK controls.

Walk Cycle

Walk Cycles are something that every animator needs to know regardless of whether we are beginners or an experienced animator. There are 4 main poses to create walk cycle;

• Contact Pose
• Down Pose
• Passing Pose
• Up Pose

These are the foundation for our Animation, as without them, our walk won't feel like a walk.

I have used this Reference image to create the Walk Cycle.

The Character is been Animated in Maya Software. 

I have used Graph Editor to fix the Walk.

Book Rig

The model of the Book is been Rigged in Maya Software. Rigging this was a bit tough.

The Book has the curve controls to control the movements of the book, cover of book, single page, fanning the pages of the book.

Cover Texture and Color can be changed using Set Driven Key and Expression Editor.

To rig the Cover, I have used Joint tool and Skin tool. Component Editor is used to adjust the shape of the cover while it is bending.

To rig the Book, I have used Deformer and Blend Shape.

To rig the Loose page; I have used Mid Point Formula to fan the pages, Deformer to bend the pages, Blend Shapes and Set Driven Key.

• The Book opens and closes when the cover right, cover left, book right and book left controls are moved.
• The Spine rotates on two pivots.
• Loose pages turn Page flip control is moved.
• Fan Pages control can fan many pages rapidly.
• The fan is affected by the opening and closing of the book.