Experimental Unit – All Experiments pt2

Painterly Shader Experiment – Character Walk Cycle

In this experiment, I focused on how a character looks while walking with the painterly shader/filter applied. The goal was to explore how different brush strokes interact dynamically with the face and body to maximize the stylized effect.

• Trial and Error Process:
  • Spent hours testing various brush stroke patterns, densities, and directions.
  • Experimented with how strokes respond to motion, light, and facial features to enhance expressiveness.
• Interaction with Geometry Nodes:
  • Combined shader experimentation with in-depth study of Geometry Nodes in Blender.
  • This dual approach helped refine how the painterly effect integrates with mesh deformation and animation.
• Impact on Final Result:
  • The extensive experimentation informed key decisions in my final shader setup.
  • Helped me balance between clarity of form and painterly abstraction, essential for the project’s aesthetic.

Two-Dimensional Lightning Animation – Early Concept Work

This screenshot showcases the early 2D lightning effect I created during the initial stages of the project. Animated in Adobe Animate, this exercise was primarily a practice run to understand timing, flicker, and movement dynamics of electrical effects.

• Purpose:
  • To explore how lightning can be stylized in 2D before transitioning into 3D.
  • Focused on creating dynamic, flickering energy bolts with believable motion and impact.
• Benefits to Project:
  • This foundational work proved extremely valuable for my Advanced Body Mechanics project.
  • The 2D lightning was later translated into 3D by attaching animated splines to characters’ feet, bridging the gap between flat effects and volumetric animation.
• Impact:
  • Helped refine visual language and timing for elemental effects.
  • Established a basis for integrating traditional animation principles into modern 3D workflows.

Advanced Marvelous Designer Study and Workflow Refinement

This image reflects my continued exploration and refinement of Marvelous Designer. Over time, I improved my workflow by learning to adapt and customize existing clothing patterns.

• Learning Progression:
  • Initially, I modified pre-made patterns to fit my character models and project needs.
  • With practice, I progressed to creating original patterns, significantly increasing my creative control.
• Creative Freedom:
  • Designing from scratch allowed me to experiment with new shapes, fits, and fabric behaviors.
  • I gained insight into fabric draping, layering, and simulation performance.
• Reflection on Early Work:
  • The clothing created earlier in the project, while functional, is subpar compared to what I am capable of now.
  • My current skills enable more polished and dynamic garment construction.
• Future Direction:
  • I plan to revisit earlier character costumes to upgrade them with this improved skill set.

Track Matte Experiment for Focus and Saturation Control

In this screenshot, I experimented with track mattes to control saturation dynamically between the character and the environment.

• Layer Setup:
  • Two primary tracks: a green track (main footage) and a purple track (adjustment layer).
  • The purple track had a track matte key applied to it, functioning as a mask.
• Mask Details:
  • The mask is a black-and-white silhouette of the character:
    • Black represents the environment.
    • White represents the character’s silhouette.
  • By inverting the mask and cross-dissolving between the normal and inverted versions, I created smooth transitions in focus.
• Effect on Saturation:
  • Applied a saturation reduction to the adjustment layer controlled by the mask.
  • This allowed me to desaturate the environment while keeping the character vibrant during fast movement.
  • Conversely, when the character slows, the environment regains saturation, drawing viewer attention back.
• Purpose:
  • This subtle technique helps guide viewer focus dynamically based on narrative pacing and character motion.

Wind Attack Experiment with Painterly Filter

In this screenshot, I experimented with creating a wind attack effect that interacted beautifully with the painterly shader.

• Creation Process:
  • Started with a sphere as the base shape.
  • Applied a displacer modifier to twist and deform the geometry, creating dynamic holes and organic motion.
  • Removed some geometry selectively to enhance the swirling, airy feel.
  • Applied the painterly shader to maintain the project’s stylistic consistency.
  • Added a spin modifier to rotate and animate the sphere, simulating a whirling wind ball.
• Stylistic Details:
  • Adjusted the brush stroke settings in the shader by reducing brush width and increasing stroke length.
  • This produced long, continuous strokes that effectively communicated flowing wind motion.
• Inspiration & Influence:
  • The effect draws visual inspiration from “Avatar: The Last Airbender” wind bending and Valorant’s wind-themed abilities.
• Final Decision:
  • Despite the promising look, I chose not to use this effect in the final project, as no characters currently use wind powers.
  • I was unable to find a suitable narrative or gameplay use case for this effect.