3DSF Software Foundations

Learning software can be a hurdle in education, but Software Foundations offers a dive into how the tools work, best practices, and the basis for working effectively in critical applications. It also covers the tools you would need within a production pipeline. Students familiarize themselves with Autodesk Maya Maxon ZBrush and Adobe Substance 3D Painter so they can focus on creativity and designs throughout the rest of the course.

Maya, ZBrush, Substance 3d Painter User Interface Foundations

Software user-interface foundations including [1] Navigation and [2] Pipeline Concept such as File Management, Scene Management, and Modeling Workflows.

3DMF Modeling Foundations

Modeling foundations takes students through geometry, objects, and components and outlines best practices for building objects, props, scenes, and characters. Students will work through exercises, assignments, and projects, each building upon different principles and workflows used in production today.

Modeling Foundations

• Structure of 3D Objects in 3D Space
• Object-Level Model Building, Block-In’s
• Foundational Model Building
• Topology Foundations
• Modeling Workflow Strategies
• UV Space (2D Space) Foundations
• Hard Surface Modeling Strategies
• Organic Modeling (Deformation Modeling) Strategies

3DSF Sculpting Foundations

Students use a sculpting workflow to create high-resolution meshes for props and characters. The course covers the foundations for sculpting and includes breaking up forms into low-, medium-, high-frequency details and creating Écorché. The class then looks into working with sculpts within the 3D production pipeline.

Sculpting Foundations

• Methods for Developing Forms • Methods for Creating Low, Medium, and High-Frequency Details • Sculpting Workflows and Strategies for Pipeline Integrations • Strategies for Managing Sculpting Topology

3DDF Look Development Foundations

Look Development in production encompasses everything from lighting, materials, shading camera work, and environmental effects. Students learn studio and 3D lighting, physically based rendering shader building, and how to manage render settings and produce quality renders for still images and animations.

Look Development Foundations

• Lighting Foundations
• Material and Shader Creation
• Map Baking Foundations
• Physically Based Rendering (PBR) Foundations
• Render-time and Real-Time Foundations
• Node-Based Shader Creation
• Cinematic Foundations
• Rendering Technologies and Strategies
• Rendering Engine Foundations

3DAF Animation Foundations

Animation foundations cover the principles of animation and how they operate within a 3D production pipeline. Students will animate cameras, props, mechanical motions, and character mechanics and expand that into entire scenes.

Animation Foundations

• Foundations for Heirachy, Kinetic and Skeletal Structures
• Rigging Foundations for Characters and Props
• Foundational Skinning, Deformation, and Influences
• Animation Principles and Workflows

3DPT Animation Pencil Test

Pencil Tests are a tried-and-true way to reinforce animation principles by putting them into practice and building upon each other. Students create a weekly pencil test, and we review the work in class.

Pencil Tests

• Squash and Stretch
• Bounces
• Poses
• Walk Cycles
• Body and Action Mechanics

3DPR Projects

Class projects allow students to put theories and foundations into practice by creating a series of larger-concept projects, individually and as a group.

3DPF Capstone Project / Portfolio / Demo Reel

One of the final projects in the Pixel Blue 3D program is the Capstone Project, where students collaborate to create a fully interactive, real-time project using a Game Engine. This project is part of the Capstone/Demo Reel/Portfolio module, which was designed to adapt to industry expectations. At the beginning of the course, the instructor determines the focus, whether it will be a Capstone Project, a Demo Reel, or a Portfolio.

Capstone Project
In this option, students work together to develop a professional-grade, interactive application, gaining hands-on experience with real-time project development.

Demo Reel
This involves creating a short video compilation that showcases the students' best work and demonstrates their skills in 3D design, animation, and real-time applications.

Portfolio
This option focuses on curating a collection of a student's work, presented in a format that best displays their abilities to potential employers.

The chosen focus provides students with a comprehensive opportunity to develop and showcase their skills in alignment with current industry demands.

3DCD Career Development

The 3D Animation & Visual Effects Diploma Program Curriculum also includes 20 hours of Career Development with Pixel Blue College’s Employment Specialist.