Below are my current course offerings, which I teach at Worcester Polytechnic Institute's Interactive Media and Game Development program. I have taught many courses over the years (please see my CV for an in-depth breakdown.
3D Modeling I
3D modeling has evolved drastically since its initial introduction. No longer is an artist strictly bound to mathematical means of creating a 3D character or object. Since the introduction of Zbrush, the CG industry has drastically evolved in terms of character model complexity, realism and detail (in both games and other media).
With modeling tools becoming much more organic, users are now able to express themselves much more creatively without the restrictions that one has come to expect in traditional 3D software. This class will focus entirely on making an exciting, creative, portfolio-worthy piece that is on-par with today’s game industry standards.
Upon completion of this course, students will:
Software used: Autodesk Maya, Autodesk 3ds MAX, Maxon Zbrush, Substance Painter, Luxon KeyShot Studio, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe After Effects
Student project examples: COMING SOON!
With modeling tools becoming much more organic, users are now able to express themselves much more creatively without the restrictions that one has come to expect in traditional 3D software. This class will focus entirely on making an exciting, creative, portfolio-worthy piece that is on-par with today’s game industry standards.
Upon completion of this course, students will:
- have a thorough understanding of the 3D production pipeline
- have a stronger sense of design and anatomy
- be able to model, UV unwrap, and texture models for use in current- and next-gen game engines
- gain familiarity with the low-to-high-poly and high-to-low-poly production pipelienes
- create portfolio-worthy material that is in-line with today’s industry standards
Software used: Autodesk Maya, Autodesk 3ds MAX, Maxon Zbrush, Substance Painter, Luxon KeyShot Studio, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe After Effects
Student project examples: COMING SOON!
3D Modeling II
3D Modeling II further builds on what students learned in 3D Modeling I, but shifts its focus to real-time engine output (Unreal Engine). In this course, students adapt the skills they learned previously to not just create compelling 3D art, but to also have it be functional. Topology optimization, texture baking, and UV layout optimization are thrown into the production methods that they already feel comfortable with at this point.
Upon completion of this course, students will:
Software used: Autodesk Maya, Autodesk 3ds MAX, Maxon Zbrush, Substance Painter, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe After Effects, Unreal Engine
Student project examples: COMING SOON!
Upon completion of this course, students will:
- have a thorough understanding of the 3D production pipeline for Unreal Engine (and other real-time outputs)
- know how to create 3D assets that are game-ready
- have a stronger sense of design and anatomy
- be able to model, UV unwrap, and texture models for use in current- and next-gen game engines
- know how to model environmental art, as well as characters that are textured using the PBR workflow
- be able to create cloth and hair assets that can be simulated in engine
- have a fully-rigged character that functions inside of a 3D environment
- create portfolio-worthy material that is in-line with today’s industry standards
Software used: Autodesk Maya, Autodesk 3ds MAX, Maxon Zbrush, Substance Painter, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe After Effects, Unreal Engine
Student project examples: COMING SOON!
2D Animation I
In 2D Animation I students will become familiar with the 12 Principles of Animation, physics applied to animation, human motion and aesthetics as it relates to a two-dimensional environment. This course introduces animation tools, techniques and 2D production workflow. Students will use the 12 principles of animation and the analysis of action through observation sketching, to create their own personally expressive animations while following in the tradition of classical filmmaking and character animation techniques.
A portion of the course will be spent analyzing film sequences as well as what students have learned through their observations of people, animals, flora and fauna outside of the classroom.
Upon completion of this course, students will:
Software used: Adobe Photoshop, Adobe After Effects, Adobe Animate
Student project examples: COMING SOON!
A portion of the course will be spent analyzing film sequences as well as what students have learned through their observations of people, animals, flora and fauna outside of the classroom.
Upon completion of this course, students will:
- Have a thorough understanding of the 12 animation principles
- Have a strong sense of character posing and character acting
- Be able to create compelling and creative animated sequences
- Be able to plan and storyboard a short, animated film
- Be able to work in a collaborative film production environment including the ability to critique using animation, cinema, and visual terminology
- Have a thorough comprehension of the animation production pipeline
- Create portfolio-worthy material that is in-line with today's industry standards
- To be able to build a Familiarity with important trends and films in the history of animation
Software used: Adobe Photoshop, Adobe After Effects, Adobe Animate
Student project examples: COMING SOON!
3D Animation I
Animation is the art of bringing static objects or characters to life using a variety of principles and techniques, but above all else, it is the art of telling a story through acting and motion.
This class will explore the various methods of 3D animation and teach students how to apply these skills to animation for film, games and other forms of media further building on what they learned in 2D animation.
Upon completion of this course, students will:
Software used: Autodesk Maya, Autodesk 3ds MAX, Adobe After Effects
Student project examples: COMING SOON!
This class will explore the various methods of 3D animation and teach students how to apply these skills to animation for film, games and other forms of media further building on what they learned in 2D animation.
Upon completion of this course, students will:
- have a thorough understanding of the 12 animation principles• be able to animate in several 3D software packages
- understand the differences between animating in a 3D package versus traditional and digital 2D animation• have a strong sense of character posing and character acting
- be able to create compelling and creative animated sequences that can be used in games or CG/film sequences
- have a thorough comprehension of the animation production pipeline for games and film
- create portfolio-worthy material that is in-line with today's industry standards
Software used: Autodesk Maya, Autodesk 3ds MAX, Adobe After Effects
Student project examples: COMING SOON!
Artistic Game Development II
Artistic Game Development II is a course in which IMGD art students work in groups with Dev/Tech students from IMGD 4000 Technical Game Development to create a fully functional game over the duration of one single term (7 weeks). The emphasis of this course is to mimic the challenges of working in a production environment. Students learn how to work within a greater team, dealing with major deadlines, working with technical limitations and restrictions, and creating/delivering digital art assets for specifically for a game environment in Unreal Engine.
The goal of this course, ultimately, is to build a game, of their own choosing but with some design constraints. Technical implementation will be done in UE5, with the artists providing original assets. Milestones for artists differ from the milestones of tech students and include several art asset progress milestones, alpha release, playtesting, beta release and a full portfolio creation. All milestones will be done/presented in class.
Topics covered:
Software used: Autodesk Maya, Autodesk 3ds MAX, Maxon Zbrush, Substance Painter, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe After Effects, Unreal Engine
Student project examples: COMING SOON!
The goal of this course, ultimately, is to build a game, of their own choosing but with some design constraints. Technical implementation will be done in UE5, with the artists providing original assets. Milestones for artists differ from the milestones of tech students and include several art asset progress milestones, alpha release, playtesting, beta release and a full portfolio creation. All milestones will be done/presented in class.
Topics covered:
- Modeling, unwrapping & texturing- Texture baking
- Lighting
- Greyboxing/level prototyping
- Rigging, animation and morph targets
- Retargeting animation
- Material and shader setup
- Lighting
- Retargeting animation and procedural animation
- Building Alpha and Beta builds
- Creating a portfolio
Software used: Autodesk Maya, Autodesk 3ds MAX, Maxon Zbrush, Substance Painter, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe After Effects, Unreal Engine
Student project examples: COMING SOON!