Real time falling leaves

There is a growing interest in simulating natural phenomena in computer graphics applications. Animating natural scenes in real time is one of the most challenging problems due to the inherent complexity of their structure, formed by millions of geometric entities, and the interactions that happen within. An example of natural scenario that is needed for games or simulation programs are forests. Forests are difficult to render because the huge amount of geometric entities and the large amount of detail to be represented. Moreover, the interactions between the objects (grass, leafs) and external forces such as wind are complex to model. In this paper we concentrate in the rendering of falling leafs at low cost. We present a technique that exploits graphics hardware in order to render thousands of leafs with different falling paths at real time and low memory requirements.Postprint (published version

Combining Procedural and Hand Modeling Techniques for Creating Animated Digital 3D Natural Environments

This thesis focuses on a systematic solution for rendering 3D photorealistic natural environments using Maya\u27s procedural methods and ZBrush. The methods used in this thesis started with comparing two industry specific procedural applications, Vue and Maya\u27s Paint Effects, to determine which is better suited for applying animated procedural effects with the highest level of fidelity and expandability. Generated objects from Paint Effects contained the highest potential through object attributes, texturing and lighting. To optimize results further, compatibility with sculpting programs such as ZBrush are required to sculpt higher levels of detail. The final combination workflow produces results used in the short film Fall. The need for producing these effects is attributed to the growth of the visual effect industry\u27s ability to deliver realistic simulated complexities of nature and as such, the public\u27s insatiable need to see them on screen. Usually, however, the requirements for delivering a photorealistic digital environment fall under tight deadlines due to various phases of the visual effects project being interconnected across multiple production houses, thereby requiring the need for effective methods to deliver a high-end visual presentation. The use of a procedural system, such as an L-system, is often an initial step within a workflow leading toward creating photorealistic vegetation for visual effects environments. Procedure-based systems, such as Maya\u27s Paint Effects, feature robust controls that can generate many natural objects. A balance is thus created between being able to model objects quickly, but with limited detail, and control. Other methods outside this system must be used to achieve higher levels of fidelity through the use of attributes, expressions, lighting and texturing. Utilizing the procedural engine within Maya\u27s Paint Effects allows the beginning stages of modeling a 3D natural environment. ZBrush\u27s manual system approach can further bring the aesthetics to a much finer degree of fidelity. The benefit in leveraging both types of systems results in photorealistic objects that preserve all of the procedural and dynamic forces specified within the Paint Effects procedural engine

The Apple Tree

We as human beings inherently strive to live the best life that we possibly can. We all want to be happy. Many times we see happiness in terms of what and how much we posses. This story is about how we don\u27t always need the biggest and the best to be happy. The simple things in life are the ones that matter. Through this paper I will document my process in the making of my thesis animation The Apple Tree . I will discuss how my main character Zach, discovers through his interaction with a magical apple tree, that biggest isn\u27t always best

A Cruel nature

Discusses the artist\u27s animated film

Interactive Vegetation Rendering with Slicing and Blending

Detailed and interactive 3D rendering of vegetation is one of the challenges of traditional polygon-oriented computer graphics, due to large geometric complexity even of simple plants. In this paper we introduce a simplified image-based rendering approach based solely on alpha-blended textured polygons. The simplification is based on the limitations of human perception of complex geometry. Our approach renders dozens of detailed trees in real-time with off-the-shelf hardware, while providing significantly improved image quality over existing real-time techniques. The method is based on using ordinary mesh-based rendering for the solid parts of a tree, its trunk and limbs. The sparse parts of a tree, its twigs and leaves, are instead represented with a set of slices, an image-based representation. A slice is a planar layer, represented with an ordinary alpha or color-keyed texture; a set of parallel slices is a slicing. Rendering from an arbitrary viewpoint in a 360 degree circle around the center of a tree is achieved by blending between the nearest two slicings. In our implementation, only 6 slicings with 5 slices each are sufficient to visualize a tree for a moving or stationary observer with the perceptually similar quality as the original model

Impressionist Rendering of an Animated Painting

The following thesis documents the development of a non-traditional rendering technique, that of classic impressionist painting, and its use to create an animated three-dimensional painting. Impressionist style painting has an organic feel to it, with brush strokes that remain visible in the dried paint and a light, lively color palette that seeks to capture the light in an image. Reproducing this style in a computer-generated image is no small task. For this project a CG paint method was developed, utilizing Maya Paint Effects and particles. This method was implemented with a script, saving time by automating the process as much as possible. This project was implemented by a group of graduate students. Before settling on the above described solution, many alternative methods were researched and tested. The use of Maya Paint Effects and particles was proven an effective choice for this project because it produced the visual effects desired in a manner that was fairly easily handled by the available equipment. The particle script has been used successfully through three iterations of this project, each time bringing it closer to the original vision

Motion graphics documentary video of Deaf artists of the 21st century

Deaf art reflects a unique culture where Deaf people express their life experiences, which are different from those of hearing people. Deaf art also shows the joy and community among Deaf people with their shared language and experiences, expressed through art that includes painting, sculpturing, acting, and writing. In other words, Deaf culture is a celebration where we as Deaf people can bond and share our similar experiences with life struggle in this majority world of hearing people. We often seek out other Deaf artists to connect with and get the sense of “home.” That “sense of home” includes not just gathering in person, but also interacting through communications technologies, such as email, websites, blogs, videos, and chat rooms. However, even though there are many examples of videos of Deaf people expressing their deaf experiences in ASL, these were strictly two-dimensional, very flat because they had limited or no motion graphics. Motion graphics allows for more lifelike, three-dimensional representation of visual images, an appropriate medium to use in representing two Deaf artists who use a three-dimensional means of communication: American Sign Language (ASL). Creating this 30-minutes three-dimensional motion graphics video documentary about two Deaf artists, Jengy Geller and Carl Lil Bear, and their backgrounds and inspirations has brought the language of ASL to where the audience could appreciate the three-dimensional visual images along with special effects that includes a flythrough into virtual worlds of rich contrast colors that portray knowledge

Physically based animation and fast rendering of large-scale prairie

Master'sMASTER OF SCIENC

Potter Priest

Potter Priest” is an animated graduate thesis film. The entire animation including credits was 8 minutes long by the time of my thesis screening at SOFA, RIT. The story was developed to show the sublimation of the spirit of an old blind potter by realizing worship the god is more about caring the livings rather than praying to the statue. The story takes place in an ancient Pottery Kiln used by the old man as a shrine. A weasel comes in and interrupts the rite. While teasing the old man the weasel disrupts the balance of strings and get trapped under the statue. The old man is facing a crucial choice whether to break the statue before it press the weasel to death. The old man decides to save the weasel by breaking the statue he treasured. The old man plays music using the pottery instrument for the hurt weasel. The weasel becomes the god the old man worship. The old man opens his eye and sees the world again. Changed back to the small form, the weasel run to the door, leading the old man to the beautiful world outside. “Potter Priest” was created using a number of 2D and 3D software including Autodesk Maya and Adobe Series. This thesis essay outlines the whole production process for “Potter Priest”