Tuesday, September 4, 2012

WEEK 1: Texturing & Shading 1 - Applying texture maps to a model

Welcome to Texturing and Shading 1!
Please have a look at the outline for the course and familiarize yourself with the academic policies.
Please sign in at every class.
Classes may need to be rescheduled from time to time - please fill out the survey at the bottom of this post so we can plan the best time for the most people.
This course requires a lot of hand-painting in Photoshop.  You will require a Cintiq pen at every class.
We will also be shooting our own texture reference. There are some cameras available to sign out from GBC, but if you have your own camera that would be even better!

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Many people think Texturing is just a matter of finding the right photos to stick on to their models.  A quick look around any AAA game or high-end production environment will quickly dispel this idea. Texture artists are skilled in painting both digitally and often practically. This course will give you  proficiency with necessary technical tools while increasing your skill at hand-painting richly-detailed texture maps any style from realistic to abstract.

Today we'll explore the power of Texturing to make simple geometry appear to be detailed and complex.  We'll look at some examples of game environments and their texture maps and go over basic types of texture maps and their uses. Read through the article, "Texturing for Dummies" by Leigh Van der Byl to make sure these concepts sink in.

Next we'll practice applying pre-made textures to a model and operating 3DSMax's relatively new Slate Material Editor.  Click here to download the materials for this exercise. Please complete this activity for homework. If you need help, just ask! If you find it super easy, find someone to help!


Assignment 1: 5% Intro to Photoshop
Due: Wed, Sept 12th in class
See the verification code here
For homework, please complete the following Digital Tutors course in the Basics of Digital Painting in Photoshop. You must pass the test and receive your certificate to receive full marks for this assignment. Each certificate has a unique number which verifies it belongs to your account (see left).
Click here to fill out the form with your certificate number.



For people who need a little 3DSMax refresher
Click here for a video on the 3DSMax Viewport
Click here for a video about the initial preferences

Next week we'll start on the technical process of UV unwrapping, beginning with Digital Tutors "Getting Started with UV's in 3DS Max"





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