cmiVFX - Softimage Animation In Nature

cmiVFX has released another great addition to the ever-expanding Softimage Animation series. Not even the smallest detail will be left out as we guide you through some of the most challenging animation work: a human character leaping, swinging and landing through the jungle landscape. We will also explore animal motion, specifically the jungle cat, as he leaps from branch to branch in search of prey. The assignments will be using rigs that will be provided to you, and the scene files as well. They will be using the most fundamental tools, including Forward and Inverse Kinematics and blending, the Curve Editor and Dopesheet for timing and 'tweening'. We will keep the techniques simple and straightforward so that these assignments can be done in Maya, 3ds Max or even Houdini or Blender. These are more advanced level techniques, but the viewer will be guided through each step of the animation process. Come have some fun as we leap around in nature's playground!

Chapter Descriptions

Short Description
This course will take an advanced level approach through the use of 2 specific assignments. The first is a biped, leaping from a cliff, swinging on a branch and flipping before the final landing. The second is animating a jungle cat doing several jumps through a similar scene.

NOTICE TO VIEWERS:
This is a more intermediate to advanced level series of exercises. Some experience in Softimage or other animation software is required to get the most from this video.

Blocking Out Jungle Man
Since this character goes through some very intricate gymnastic moves, the blocking stage is critical to getting great results. The hands will interact with the branch. The body flips in space, and timing is everything! Get the blocking down simply and directly, adjust the timing and you are 90% home.

Finish Pass For Jungle Man
Moving the body correctly and naturally is an extremely iterative process. Run a quick screen capture to feel the flow of the motion. Make subtle tweaks based on real-world references. Rinse, wash, repeat. Great animation takes hard work and a great deal of time and patience.

Blocking And Finishing Jungle Cat
Using the provided quadruped character, we will be going through the same process, but a little bit quicker, doing some of the polishing as we go through the blocking stages. Because quadrupeds are more complex, and there are more moving parts, we use a combination of pose-to-pose and straight-ahead techniques here, with a bit of final polish a the end.

Christopher Tedin
Born in Sitka, Alaska, Chris started his career as a painter and sculptor. He has been working as an illustrator, graphic designer, and most recently as an art director in Chicago, Illinois. He has been teaching game design and animation for over 15 years. His students now work as animators and professional game designers at Blue Sky Studios, Digital Domain, Aardman/Sony, Microsoft, and as freelance independent artists. Many of his students are now college teachers themselves. He started in the early days with Strata StudioPro, then 3ds Max version 1.0, Maya 2.0, Softimage 3.8, Houdini, before finally settling on Softimage XSI, beginning with version 4.0 Foundation. Chris still sculpts and paints and teaches part time at Tribeca/Flashpoint Academy in Chicago.