Design First For 3D Artists.pdf

Design First For 3D Artists

Kater, Geoffrey.

Design first for 3d animators / by Geoffrey Kater.

p. cm.

Includes index.ISBN 1-55622-085-5 (pbk., companion CD-ROM)

1. Animated films—Technique. 2. Drawing—Technique. I. Title.

NC1765.K38 2005

741.5'8--dc22

2005029771

2320 Los Rios Boulevard

Plano, Texas 75074

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without permission in

writing from Wordware Publishing, Inc.

Printed in the United States of America

ISBN-10: 1-55622-085-5

ISBN-13: 978-1-55622-085-2

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

0510

All brand names and product names mentioned in this book are trademarks or service marks

of their respective companies. Any omission or misuse (of any kind) of service marks or

trademarks should not be regarded as intent to infringe on the property of others. The

publisher recognizes and respects all marks used by companies, manufacturers, and

developers as a means to distinguish their products.

This book is sold as is, without warranty of any kind, either express or implied, respecting the

contents of this book and any disks or programs that may accompany it, including but not

limited to implied warranties for the book’s quality, performance, merchantability, or fitness

for any particular purpose. Neither Wordware Publishing, Inc. nor its dealers or distributors

shall be liable to the purchaser or any other person or entity with respect to any liability, loss,

or damage caused or alleged to have been caused directly or indirectly by this book.

All inquiries for volume purchases of this book should be addressed to Wordware Publishing,

Inc., at the above address. Telephone inquiries may be made by calling:

(972) 423-0090

To David Solon, who gave me the courage and the guidance to write this book… This book

is dedicated to the man who taught me the value of value.

(RIP 1928-2004)

Foreword

Good design is an illusive beast. It’s rare. Prized. Endangered. Sadly, it is not something that

we encounter on a regular basis, so we might not recognize it when we do. It can be

unfamiliar. It will surprise us. We have to train ourselves to recognize and understand it.

Sometimes design hides in plain sight, choosing to reveal itself only when being touched or

held. The handle of a toothbrush, the placement of the buttons on a telephone, the balance

of a coffee cup might signal the presence of design.

Design might envelop us before we are aware of it. We sit in a chair and sense its support

and comfort. Its elegance. Its simplicity. We run through the controls and gauges of a new

car to test their functionality while we sense the intuitive intelligence of their placement.

Design is not serendipitous or, worse, an accident. It is calculating and precise, the

byproduct of imagination. Its antecedents are function and aesthetics, materials and intent.

The Navajo rug, the Japanese gravel garden, the iPod are cousins.

Design brings with it not only the expectation of how something “looks,” but how we interact

with it in three- dimensional space. True design doesn’t react; it anticipates. When it is at its

very best, we barely notice it.

The lessons and ideals of design are present in nature and revealed through observation.

The greatest asset a designer has is not how to execute but how to see. What we see, we

must also feel, in the most elemental way. Our job is not to outthink nature but to let it reveal

itself to us. In the end, design is the means by which we unravel the world, sort out its

intentions, and make them our own.

To understand design, we must let the world shape us. We must allow the lessons of the

world to inhabit our imaginations and transform our experiences into shape, form, and

function.

Design, as always, has morphed and been modified into new and exciting forms. Old

reliables like product, fashion, automobile, interior, and type design have been augmented

by relative newcomers like entertainment design, including games, movies, and animation,

interface, web design, and toys. The opportunities for intelligence and elegance exist in all

these categories. The horizons are endless.

Geoffrey Kater has enthusiastically and intelligently embraced the challenge of demystifying

design. He offers us a variety of methods and techniques, providing a much-needed path

into the complex nature of design.

Read this book.

The beast awaits.

Dan Quarnstrom

Designer/Director, Rhythm & Hues

Acknowledgments

First off, I’d like to thank the tremendous staff at Wordware Publishing for believing in my

passion about the subject, design first, and then taking a chance to let me author such a

book. Special thanks to Wes Beckwith, who was the lighthouse in the fog. I consider you a

colleague, a confidant, and a friend.

I’d like to thank Dan Quarnstrom, who was my tech editor for this book and who had an

incredible influence on how I thought about the information I was trying to convey. Dan has

been in the animation business for many years and serves as one of Rhythm & Hues most

senior designer/directors. He has influenced the look, feel, and content of countless

animated films and commercials. I’ve worked with Dan on a couple of projects over the years

and we instantly bonded as friends. I think very highly of Dan and in many ways consider

him a mentor. Dan, your input as tech editor on this book has been invaluable to its growth,

and your tireless words of design wisdom have changed me as a designer, a director, and

an artist for the rest of my career. Thanks again.

I’d like to thank Larry Le Francis, my business partner and friend. Thank you for doing

editorial on “Feed the Dog” and helping me put it into script form. I would also like to thank

you for suggesting that you read through the manuscript to make sure it conveyed my

sometimes sarcastic and straight shooter personality. You know I think the world of you and

appreciate your help and support during this whole process.

I would also like to thank my loving girlfriend, Cheryl, to whom I owe more dinners and

weekend trips than I can even count. Thank you so much for supporting me with your

beautiful smile and all the love in the world. I cherish the ground you walk on. I would also

like to thank you for composing and performing the music for “Bleep’s Kata”… the drums are

great!

Thanks to John Novak, my good friend, my neighbor, and the owner of my inspiration,

Angus. Thanks, Angus — you big spaz.

Last but not least, I’d like to thank my mother and father who raised me to follow my dreams

and be nothing less than proud of myself. Your praise and support for this latest endeavor

has been invaluable; thank you for being there. Mom, yes, you will see me more often so we

can cook together. And, yes, Dad, you will get a free copy.

Chapter One: Why This Book?

Introduction

The most important element in any animated film is story and, as they say, story is king. The

goal of a story is to take the audience on a journey through the lives and experiences of the

characters within. Whether that journey is cerebral, emotional, or physical, the characters in

that world should give the audience a point of view that is unique and compelling.

As a designer, your role within a production is as an aesthetic problem solver who is there to

support the story. As a 3D artist/animator, your role is to solve problems, but comes after the

design process. Design and animation are two different disciplines that problem solve in two

different ways, yet each has the same goal. What if we combined these disciplines into a

single role that uses design to influence animation throughout the entire 3D process? This

book is about that very thing. For those who are open minded about learning a valuable skill

like design, this book will not only improve your animation work, but will improve your worth

as a 3D artist.

Production design for 3D animation is the process of using traditional drawing techniques to

create characters, props, environments, color, lighting, compositions, and storyboards. Each

design detail needs to be laid out and problem solved long before any animation is

produced. The designer’s job is to address all of the aesthetic challenges of the project and

design solutions to those challenges. For example, the response to the aesthetic challenges

of Batman Begins is in the form of dark visual themes like the deep moody lighting of

Gotham City, the dynamic steep camera angles, and the mysterious-looking off-road

industrial battle tank called the Batmobile. A designer is there to solve the aesthetic pieces of

the project, to see what fits and what doesn’t, and then offer at least one solution, if not a

variety, to those problems.

A 3D artist or animator who acquires the skill of design brings more value to a production

through his or her ability to problem solve intellectual and abstract concepts by using design

as a guide. For example, a designer/animator not only controls the look of the Batmobile, but

is also able to highlight the characteristics that make it a great design through the way it

animates and functions within each scene. As a 3D artist, you should be in tune with what

design is, how it functions, and how it can benefit your work. It’s not something that just

traditional artists can do; it’s something everyone can do. Animation studios thirst for 3D

professionals who have a traditional design background, so why not expand your skill set,

enhance your work, and improve your professional worth.

Who Am I?

I started my career as a traditional designer, studying automotive design at Art Center

College of Design in Pasadena, California. I soon left the world of car design, getting my first

job at DIC Entertainment working as a prop designer on Where on Earth Is Carmen

Sandiego? I spent many years in production behind the pencil, pumping out futuristic cars,

spaceships, and environments for action adventure shows like The New Avengers ,

Diabolique , and Silver Surfer . It was on Silver Surfer that I took my first crack at 3D. As the

lead spaceship designer, I had the ultimate job of designing, modeling, and animating space

battles for that show. It was this crossover into 3D that changed my career forever. I loved

having the control over my designs by drawing them first, then building and animating them

in 3D.

Many years have passed and I now co-own a computer animation studio named S4 Studios,

LLC, located in Hollywood. We’ve been in business for nearly six years and I’ve designed

and produced animation for countless trailers, television shows, commercials, feature

effects, and online webisodes. I employ numerous animation professionals, intimating every

detail and direction on animated projects, and it is this day-to-day, from-the-field attitude that

I’m employing in this book. Writing Design First for 3D Artists is one of the greatest

undertakings of my entire career, but because I feel so passionate about the marriage of

traditional design and 3D, I’ve outlined my journey, my thoughts, and my techniques for the

purposes of improving our valued industry. I certainly don’t have all the answers; in fact, this

book is more of a starting point for those who want to get a glimpse of how design can

improve their animation work. There are an enormous number of resources for design,

animation, and filmmaking, and it works in your favor to learn as much as you can. So start

with what you like and then take it from there.

What You Will Learn

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