ARTV2004 Sub-Major 2. Computer Animation
Six hours per week for one semester.
Prerequisite
Sub-Major I
Aims
- To gain practical experience in 3D computer animation and video presentation.
- To learn about the history of computer animation in the context of both the arts and the sciences.
- To acquire computer programming techniques for computer animation.
- To develop a detailed understanding of the fundamentals of 3D computer animation, its language and techniques.
Content
Animation Seminar: Analysis of the compositional and algorithmic techniques used in computer animation with emphasis on perceptual and aesthetic characteristics, including fractals, particle systems, behavioural and procedural modelling.
3D Computer Animation
- Three-dimensional modelling and rendering techniques for animation.
- Exercises in motion scripting and animating hierarchies, cameras and lights.
Computer Animation Theory
- 3D raster graphics fundamentals, including wire frame displays and hidden surface removal. Rendering using lighting and shading models, mappings, ray-tracing and radiosity.
- An introduction to 3D geometry, including projective geometry and homogeneous coordinates, polyhedra, splines and patches, analytic geometry of parametric and implicit curves and surfaces.
- Animation geometry, including motion paths, hierarchical motion and metamorphisms.
Computer Programming
- Numeric conversion and bit logic.
- The structure of a FORTH multitasking environment. Recursion.
- File 1/0.
- Dictionary searching and vectored execution. User variables.
- Vocabularies.
- Extending the compiler.
- A FORTH assembler.
- Creation and manipulation of data structures for musical and/or animation composition.
- Case study of an music or animation application.
- Design and implementation of a simple music or animation application.
Assessment
Students are required to prepare and submit one discussion paper on an aspect of animation (an animator, a work or a technique), and present a 30-minute talk on the topic. They are also required to keep a journal of seminar notes. The first half of the semester will be spent doing short exercises to be presented together in a folio. Students are required to prepare a major work for performance during the last half of the semester. There will be periodic exercises and assignments.
Texts
| Brodie, L., Starting FORTH, 2nd edn, Prentice-Hall, 1987. |
| Tanenbaum, A.S., Structured Computer Organization, 2nd edn, Prentice-Hall, 1984. |
References
| Brodie, L., Thinking FORTH, Prentice-Hall, 1984. |
| Chandor, A., The Penguin Dictionary of Microprocessors, Penguin, 1988. |
| Durrett, R., Color and the Computer, Academic Press, 1987. |
| Foley, J., van Dam, A., Feiner, S., and Hughes, J., Computer Graphics: Principle and Practice, Addison-Wesley, 1989. |
| Laybourne, K., The Animation Book, Crown Publishers, 1979. |
| Lewell, J., Computer Graphics: A Survey of Current Techniques and Applications, Orbis Publishing, 1985. |
| Newman, WM., and Sproull, R.E, Principles of Interactive Computer Graphics, McGraw-Hill, 1981. |
| Rogers, D.F., and Adams, J.A., Mathematical Elements for Computer Graphics, McGraw-Hill, 1976. |
| Malina, EJ. (ed.), Kinetic Art: Theory and Practice: Selections from the Journal Leonardo. Dover, 1974. |
| Speed, A.H., Desktop Video: A Guide to Personal and Small Business Video Production, Harcourt, Brace, Jovanavich, 1988. |
| Software manuals as appropriate. |
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