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This week I explored the mysteries of skeletal binding in Blender, this was my first attempt at the process, so I conducted several experiments with monster binding. In this process, I didn’t just focus on the overall skeletal structure, but also on the nuanced parts, such as the face and eye bindings. Through repeated experiments, I tried to make sure that every movement of the monster in the animation would be natural, smooth and full of life.

During my free thinking time, I was inspired by something unexpected. When I was observing human movement in the gym, I noticed that the muscles would shake slightly when the joints moved, as if they had a life of their own. This inspired me to think about how to simulate muscle effects in monster animations. Although setting up a complete muscle system sounded a bit large, in order to achieve a more realistic shaking effect, I decided to use soft body simulation technology to simulate the natural movement of the muscle parts with the help of soft body dynamics.

The use of soft body simulation is new in the field of animation, but I believe this approach will give my monster a more natural and lively quality. Although I had considered a complex muscle system at one point, soft body simulation became my final choice in order to keep the production process relatively simple and efficient.

This week’s practice was a process of continuous exploration and breakthroughs in animation techniques. By combining bonding techniques with soft body simulation, I expect to create a monster figure with more realistic and muscular details in the animation. This is not only a technical challenge, but also a profound exercise in creativity and imagination.

This week was a crucial week for my animation project. In order to realise the animation effects, I had to go through the tedious process of re-topology, which is a long and time-consuming step. I am constantly revising and optimising, working to find the best topology for my character model.

In addition, baking the information from the high modelling to the low modelling is also a crucial part of the process. Knowing that this step is crucial to the final animation, I invested a lot of time and effort to ensure that the information was accurately transferred.

For texturing, I chose to work with Substance Painter in the hopes of infusing the monster with a more vivid and realistic texture. I experimented with a number of different texture layers, totalling over 100, in an effort to achieve the perfect visualisation of the monster’s appearance in my mind. However, despite my efforts, I was still not satisfied with the final result.

To further review and evaluate my mapping results, I rendered the monster model in a renderer. Although the rendering was acceptable, it still did not fully meet my expectations.

This week’s work has challenged my skill level and creative abilities. I understand the importance of continuous learning and improvement in the process. Next, I will continue to work hard to optimise the model and texture, and strive to create an impressive and richly textured monster image that will be more vivid and engaging in the animation.

For this week’s creation, I used Procreate to try and sketch the monster, even though my limited drawing skills made it look a little short. However, in my mind’s eye, the monster is a tall and imposing being.

The design of this monster was inspired by my imagination and deep thinking about the storyline. In the story, it is a creature mutated from a monkey and therefore uniquely possesses a tail. With this detail, I wanted to infuse the monster with some animalistic qualities to make it more mysterious and otherworldly.

In completing the sculpt using ZBrush, I looked at making the monster more distinctive. By modifying the mouth, I tried to make it look more terrifying and intimidating. This design decision was meant to highlight the ferocity and unknown nature of the monster, adding more mystery to the character.

The texture of the monster’s flesh was also a part I focused on; I expected it to take on the appearance of a walking corpse, full of unusual malevolence. The design of the limbs incorporates the cunning and agility of an animal with some zombie-like undead vibes. This combined design makes the character more complex and varied, giving him a deeper meaning in the story.

Next, I will further refine the monster’s appearance and features, aiming to create a monster image that is both intriguing and impressive. This creative process is not only a technical enhancement for me, but also a deeper exploration of the story’s themes. I look forward to exploring the exciting themes of mutation, survival and otherness in the story through this character.

This week, I delved into the specific steps of the motion capture technique to ensure that our animated scenes would meet a higher standard of quality. We used a complete process, from head recognition to expression recording and then baking the expression data onto our custom MateHuman.

First, we performed the head recognition stage, capturing the character’s head movements with advanced head tracking technology. This step is crucial to the realistic representation of the character and can add more subtlety and emotion to the animated scene.

Next, we performed expression recording, where we recorded the character’s facial expressions through a motion capture helmet. This step is one of the keys to animation, as it gives the character a more vivid and expressive quality. We imported the latest motion capture helmets from China to ensure that we could capture the most accurate and detailed facial movements.

Finally, we baked these expressions into our custom MateHuman. This process ensures that our characters are consistently represented in the animation, which not only improves efficiency, but also makes the character’s movements more natural and realistic.

This week’s practice has not only helped me become more familiar with motion capture techniques, but has also given me a clearer understanding of how to better apply these techniques to our animated scenes. I am looking forward to these optimisation measures to bring better effects to our animation scenes.

I’d like to share my reflections on my learning process in 3D animation, and in particular the profound influence of classic films such as The Wolf Man (1941), Alien (1979), and Stranger Things.

Firstly, onto The Wolf Man. This classic 1941 monster film not only set the standard for werewolf portrayals, but also profoundly revealed the complexities in human nature. This enlightened my view of monster characters and made me realise that they could go beyond simple scary images and become a medium for exploring human nature, fear and inner conflict. This reflection has influenced not only my image design, but also my thinking about plot narrative in animation.

Secondly, look back at Alien. This sci-fi classic directed by Ridley Scott set a new benchmark for monster movies. Through its stunning designs of alien creatures, the film inspired in me a desire to create monsters with strong emotional resonance. This deep fear of the unknown is not only expressed visually, but leaves a deep mark on the viewer’s emotional depths.

Finally, a mention of Stranger Things. This popular Netflix series has not only entertained me endlessly, but it has also profoundly demonstrated the immense potential that monsters can have emotionally and plot-wise. By observing the animation of the characters’ movements in Stranger Things, I learnt how to subtly incorporate the monster element so that it becomes a key driver of the entire plot. The qualities of the monster are fully expressed in the characters’ movements and expressions, adding colour to the story. This has been a useful reference for both my study and creation, allowing me to think more deeply about how monsters are represented in animation, and how to convey more emotion and story meaning through their movement

Together, these three films have shaped my interest and perspective on monster 3D animation. They have not only provided inspiration on a technical level, but also guided me on a philosophical level of creation. I look forward to incorporating these influences into my work to create monsters that are both impressive and resonate with the audience, delivering more immersive and exciting images through animation!