Methods of Motion: Animating in Blender
For the 3D animation assignment, I created a looping GIF in Blender using free, downloaded models from the internet. I call it “Headspace.” It's my brain in my head (brain inside a room with brain texture) with lots of brain junk floating around. Not just any brain junk, it's my brain junk.
A pencil for writing
A cup of tea (I love tea)
A goldfish (represents being burnt out and feeling like I have a brain the size of a goldfish)
Cactus (I like them)
And all smooshed together, here is my final Blender animation. It loops in GIF form but the file is too large to upload.
I originally hoped to have my room be inside the body of a Kit Kat clock. I quickly realized I do not know how to 3D model and it was taking too long to build it. I then purchased a kit kat clock model off the web for $5 and tried to modify the body, but it wasn’t working out very well. Then, the texture wasn’t applying right so I just tossed the idea out entirely. I tried placing it on the wall of my final brain room, but without the texture, it looked kind of weird. So I stuck with just the elements listed above.
I really like how textures and light reflections can really change the feel of an object. And I love how simple it is to adjust. It feels like magic.
Animating in keyframes is a great feature. Basic animation movements were pretty intuitive. It felt like AfterEffects.
I didn't like using models off the internet. When I finished, it didn't feel like my own. It was good to be able to practice to actual animating of assets, and in the future if I run into needing to move some 3D models, I’m glad I’ll know how, but I don’t think I’ll explore the medium very much for my own art. Unless I get into making my own models. Maybe some day!
