Category: 3.1 FMP

Since the final animation will be rendered in Blender, my workflow involves using both Maya and Blender seamlessly. After completing the animation in Maya, I export the models and animations in Alembic (.abc) format. This format is incredibly useful as it allows me to preserve the animated geometry and import it directly into Blender without any loss of detail.

One of the major advantages of the Alembic format is its ability to export not just the models and animations but also the camera animation. This feature saves me a lot of time because I don’t need to recreate the camera movements from scratch in Blender. Everything, including camera angles and motion, transfers smoothly, which ensures consistency between the animation and the final render.

This workflow enables me to take advantage of Maya’s robust animation tools while leveraging Blender’s rendering capabilities, particularly for the ink wash material I’m using. It’s been an efficient way to combine the strengths of both software tools and streamline the production process.

After importing the animation into Blender, one of the first tasks is to re-link the materials for the models. This includes applying the ink wash material and adding the ink outline effects to achieve the desired artistic style. While this process generally works well, I noticed some issues with how the material interacts with the models.

For example, the ink wash material can sometimes cause loss of detail in certain areas of the model. One notable instance is Xu’s face. In Maya, it’s clear that her mouth is slightly protruded, which adds depth and detail to her expression. However, after applying the ink wash material in Blender, the contours of her face become less defined, making her mouth and other subtle features harder to notice.

Fortunately, the ink outline effect helps mitigate this issue to some extent by enhancing the edges of the model. The outlines add clarity to the shapes, making it easier to distinguish features like the mouth and other small details. While it’s not a perfect solution, it does improve the overall visual quality and ensures that important details are not entirely lost.

This experience highlights the need for balancing artistic effects with clarity, and I’ll continue refining the materials and outline settings to achieve the best possible result.

Overall, I’m quite satisfied with the final animation. I experimented with rigging the hair and skirts and used plugins to give them realistic, dynamic movements. Additionally, I utilized Blender to create a unique visual style with ink wash materials and outlines, which added a distinct artistic touch to the project.

That said, there’s still plenty of room for improvement. For example, I’d like to add more interactions between the characters to make the story richer and more engaging. Incorporating dialogue is another area I plan to explore in the future. Adding spoken lines could help clarify the plot and further emphasize the characters’ emotions and personalities.

Every step, from rigging to animation and sound design, has taught me something new, and I’m excited to continue refining my skills and storytelling in my future work.

After completing the animation clips, I imported them into a video editing software for compositing and added sound effects to enhance the final presentation. Since the animation is set in a courtyard, I chose natural background music that includes bird chirping and other ambient sounds to create an authentic and serene atmosphere.

For each scene, I added sound effects that match the actions. For instance, there’s the sound of wooden poles colliding during training scenes, footsteps as the characters walk, and even some slightly exaggerated effects. One example of this is when a character quickly raises their hand—I added a swift “whoosh” sound to emphasize the motion and give it a more dynamic feel.

Since the characters’ emotions are a key focus in this animation, my friend and I recorded vocal expressions to match their reactions and enhance their personalities. However, I’m not entirely satisfied with the current result. Moving forward, I plan to explore adding dialogue for the characters to make their interactions more engaging and expressive.

Another challenge has been the background music. While the natural soundtracks work well for setting the mood, they don’t always perfectly align with the animation’s pacing and content. To address this, I’m considering experimenting with AI tools to create custom background music that syncs seamlessly with the animation. This will be a new area of learning for me, but I’m excited to see how it can elevate the overall experience of the project.

For the animation part of my project, I’ve continued working with the story I previously developed, which means I already have a complete animation sequence as a foundation. This has saved me a lot of time and allowed me to focus on refining the visuals and character details.

After creating the new models, I imported them into the old animation file. From there, I started by using a pose-to-pose method to block out the key movements. This approach helps ensure that the overall timing and major actions are consistent with the story’s pacing and flow.

Once the key poses were in place, I began adding finer details to enhance the animation. These include subtle gestures and movements that reflect each character’s personality. For example, I added small, lively actions for Xi to show her cheerful energy, while Xu’s movements are more restrained and deliberate to match her calm demeanor. I also focused on facial expressions, ensuring they convey the appropriate emotions in each scene.

Of course, there are still areas that need improvement. For example, I plan to add more preparation and follow-through actions to make the movements feel smoother and more natural. These additional steps will help enhance the flow of the animation and make the characters’ actions more believable.

Another area I’m focusing on is incorporating squash and stretch effects for both the characters and the props. These effects add a sense of flexibility and exaggeration, which is essential for conveying energy and personality in the animation. For instance, I’m working on subtle deformations for dynamic movements, such as when the characters leap or interact with objects, to give the actions more impact and life.

For some reason, Xu’s eyelashes have been behaving strangely—they keep moving out of place unexpectedly. At first, I thought it was due to an error on my part during the rigging process. However, even after trying several fixes, such as re-importing the model and redoing the facial rigging, the issue persists.

It’s been quite puzzling because the rest of the rig seems to work just fine, but the eyelashes don’t stay where they’re supposed to. I’ve double-checked the skin weights and parenting to ensure everything is properly linked, yet the problem remains unresolved.

To create natural animations for the hair and skirts, I’ve experimented with two “auto-dynamics” plugins. These plugins are designed to automatically calculate the movement of elements like hair and skirts based on the character’s actions.

The idea is to simulate realistic motion without the need for frame-by-frame adjustments. For example, as the character walks or turns, the plugins dynamically generate animations for the hair and skirts, making them flow and respond naturally to the movement. This not only saves time but also adds a layer of realism to the animation.

However, these tools aren’t perfect—they sometimes require additional tweaking to avoid collisions or unnatural movements.

I’m using an ink wash material preset in Blender to create a traditional Chinese ink painting effect. This preset is incredibly flexible, as it includes various nodes that allow me to adjust the ink wash effect on the models in detail.

One of the key features of the preset is the ability to control the size of the ink splatters on the model. This gives me the freedom to decide how large or small the ink stains appear, adding variety to each character and prop. I can also adjust how the ink blends with the model’s base color, which allows for smoother transitions between the solid colors and the ink details.

Additionally, I can fine-tune the thickness and effect of the ink outlines, which helps define the edges of the models and adds depth. The outlines can be made more delicate or bold, depending on the desired visual effect.

For the animation, I’ll be using a ink wash texture in Blender to give the scene and characters a unique, traditional Chinese aesthetic. This technique will help add a brushstroke-like quality to the animation, mimicking the fluid and expressive style of Chinese ink painting.

When it comes to the characters’ materials, I’ve opted for a simple but effective approach. I’ve directly filled the character designs with flat colors to maintain the clean, stylized look I want for the animation. However, to create depth and dimension, I’ve hand-painted shadows in certain areas where natural shading would occur. This includes the folds of the clothes and the gaps in the hair, where light would typically be blocked.

For the painting of the steamer basket, add brush marks that resemble wood grain

In my animation, the scene design is inspired by traditional Chinese courtyard architecture, creating a peaceful and culturally rich environment. I’ve incorporated elements related to martial arts, such as wooden stumps (独木桩), which are commonly used in traditional kung fu training to improve balance and strength.

For the character modeling process, I’ve based the designs on the character concept art, paying special attention to the details that reflect each character’s personality.

For Xi, I’ve designed her eyes to be large and round, which gives her a bright, open, and cheerful look. This matches her vibrant and free-spirited personality. The round eyes convey a sense of warmth and approachability, which aligns perfectly with her energetic nature.

On the other hand, Xu has narrower, almond-shaped eyes that reflect her calm and composed demeanor. The elongated shape gives her a more serious and focused expression, emphasizing her quiet strength and inner peace. These subtle details in her design are crucial in highlighting the contrast between the two characters—where Xi is more outgoing and playful, Xu is calm and thoughtful.

In the animation, I’ve also incorporated some traditional Chinese props that will help bring the scene to life. For example, I’ve designed a steamer basket, which is a common kitchen tool used in Chinese cooking. It’s perfect for showing the cultural background of the characters and their daily life.

Additionally, I’ve included lion dance-shaped pastries as a fun and symbolic element.