Overview
CONTEXT
In 2022, I worked with Professor Johannes DeYoung (former CCAM director) at Carnegie Mellon on an experimental 3D animation. The collaboration involved leveraging various software tools and technologies to create a unique and visually compelling animation experience.
Building on this work, I completed a project during the CCAM Studio Fellowship in 2023. The fellowship allowed me to further explore computer graphics and augmented reality, blending emerging technologies with creative storytelling.
CHALLENGE
My primary objective was to use software (Unity, Unreal Engine, Blender) and develop a technique for transforming 2D sketches into dynamic 3D animations. I also experimented with computer graphics, using visual scripting to generate geometries through techniques like scan line and ray tracing.
TEAM
Professor Johannes Deyoung
ROLE
3D animation, experimentation
TOOLS
Unity, Unreal Engine, Blender, Maya, Bridge
TIMELINE
Summer 2022
Computer Graphics
Experimentations with scan line and ray tracing techniques to explore how light, shadow, and geometry interact in expressive systems
Process
In my solution, I used Blender to manually draw the flowing ink brush strokes that Al Hirschfeld is characterized by. Then, I imported the model to Unreal Engine to experiment with lighting, shadows, and other visual effects. Finally, I rigged and animated the model in Unity.
The technique blends both 2D and 3D elements, resulting in a figure that appears to come to life off a sheet of paper.