Welcome Guide 2014BA Hons Computer

Animation Arts

Contents

A welcome from your Course Leader 3

Admin & course contacts 4

Pre-arrival 5

Essential reading list 5

Recommended reading list 6

Equipment list 7

Computer essentials 8

Toolkit essentials 10

Blog info 11

Summer project 12

Student checklist 15

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Cover image: Thomas Farrington

From your Course Leader

Congratulations! We are pleased that you have accepted the place offered to you by BA (Hons) Computer Animation Arts at UCA Rochester.

Whilst the main introduction to the course will take place during the first week of the semester, there are some details you will need in advance. These are provided in this information pack, along with the date and time of your enrolment.

Following enrolment, the first week will consist of induction sessions to the various resources of the university including the studios, library, computers and workshops. You will also meet fellow students and some of the staff who will be teaching you during your time at UCA. It is very important that you do not miss any of the activities during this week.

We wish you a good summer and look forward to meeting you again at 10.00am on Monday September 16th in the course base room. This is located on the lower 4th floor. Take the lift down to floor 4 and follow the signs for BA (Hons) Computer Animation Arts.

Best Wishes,

Phil Gomm Course Leader for Computer Animation Arts UCA Rochester

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Course contacts

Campus Registry Officer: Jackie Andrew jandrew@ucreative.ac.uk01634 888708

Course Leader: Chris Hunt chunt@ucreative.ac.uk01634 888767

Senior Lecturer: Phil Gomm pgomm@ucreative.ac.uk01634 888863

Do please leave a message if we are unavailable and we will get back to you as soon as possible. An answer phone service is available on all of the above lines for any out of hours enquiries.

www.ucreative.ac.uk4Phil Gomm Course Leaderpgomm@ucreative.ac.uk01634 888863

Please leave a message if I am unavailable and I will get back to you as soon as possible.

An answer phone service is available on all of the above lines for any out of hours enquiries.

Lydia Caplan

Pre-arrival

Essential reading list

These are some books you will need as essential reference throughout the course.

• Wells, Paul. The Fundamentals of Animation, 2006 Ava Publishing; ISBN 13:987-2-940-37302-4

• Williams, R. The Animator’s Survival Kit, Faber and Faber; ISBN: 0571202284

• Blair, Preston. Cartoon Animation, 1998, Walter Foster Publishing, ; ISBN: 1560100842

• D. Katz, S. Film Directing Shot by Shot: Visualizing from Concept to Screen, Michael Wiese Productions, 1991 ISBN: 0941188108

Recommended reading list

There are many books dealing with the ‘nature of CG Arts and Animation’, these are some books you need as reference throughout the course.

• Introducing AutoDeskMaya 2015: Dariush Darakhshani, Autodesk Official Press.

• Autodesk Essentials 2014, Essentials by Paul Naas, Autodesk Maya Press.

• Please note: Maya 2009 & 2010 book are available from many stores and websites. Despite the current version of Maya being ‘Maya 2015’ these books are still relevant.

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Other resources

• Computer Arts magazine

• 3D World magazine

• Cinefex magazine

There are many websites dealing with issues concerning film and game design. These are a few that are important to explore and visit. They will also contain professional work and tutorials produced in applications such ‘Maya’, ‘Photoshop’ & After Effects.

CG articles, galleries & discussion forums

• www.awn.com

• www.3dtotal.com

• www.conceptart.org

• www.area.autodesk.com

CG DVDs & software tutorials

• www.thegnomonworkshop.com

• www.digitaltutors.com

• www.creativecrash.com

• www.videocopilot.net

• www.area.autodesk.com

www.ucreative.ac.uk6 Pre-arrival

Tom Beg

Equipment list

Computers (workstations):

The University has an excellent computing resource, which you will be able to access throughout your time at UCA. However, if it is at all possible, you will benefit enormously from having a machine at home that you can use to develop your skills.

If you are able to buy a Windows based PC computer, expect to pay between £1000 and £2000. You need to aim for a 64 bit computer with 4Gb (minimum) of RAM. Please visit the Dell website (www.dell.co.uk) or Hewlett Packard (www.hp.co.uk) as a guide to buying ‘Workstation’ computers and compatibility with Autodesk Maya. In addition by visiting the ‘Autodesk Maya’ home page you can select ‘System Requirements’ to find the latest details for recommended graphics cards. Staff will be able to give more detailed advice at the beginning of the term if you are unsure about what to buy*.

Example computer spec for Dell or HP

• Dell Precision or HP Z Range Workstation

• Intel Xeon Quad Core 2.80GHz+ CPU

• 4 to 8GB of RAM

• Nvidia Quadro K600 or K2000 Graphics Card

• 250GB+ HD

• Windows 7 or 8 Professional 64 Bit

• Dell or HP (1920x1080 HD) Monitor

* Please note that there are computers available for

use on campus by students throughout the duration

of the course.

www.ucreative.ac.uk7 Pre-arrival

Bharathi Anthonysamy

Computer essentials:

We ask students to equip themselves with a graphics tablet for digital sketchbook and painting- the Intuos Pro Medium.

Please follow the link to view the Wacom tablet: http://uk.shop.wacom.eu/products/intuos/intuos-pro/intuos-pro-medium/580?c=2213275

You can see below the kind of creative outcome that can be produced on a Wacom tablet.

www.ucreative.ac.uk8 Computer Essentials

Samuel Cannon

Computer essentials:

•Portable Hard Drive (1TB +) or USB Memory Stick/ Flash drive (16GB+): Students are asked to equip themselves with storage devices to help transfer and back up their work.

Key software (used on the course):

The course currently uses the following core software:

•Autodesk Maya Entertainment Suite 2015: Maya, Matchmover, and Mudbox.

•Adobe Creative Suite CS6: Photoshop, Illustrator, After Effects, Flash, and Premiere Pro.

Buying & downloading software

A) FREE Software (HIGHLY RECOMMENDED)

Autodesk offer a range of software which is FREE to download, including Autodesk Maya 2015. http://students.autodesk.com/

B) Buying Software

Software can also be purchased on a student discount to be used with your own computer. Software can be anything upwards of £500 depending on the need. The following websites are some companies that can provide you with correct software.

• www.pugh.co.uk

• www.journeyedeurope.com

• www.cancomuk.com

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Traditional Artist’s Toolkit

You also need to put together a traditional artist’s toolkit before you join us in September:

Pencils Pens Charcoal Putty Rubbers Masking Tape Ink Paints Brushes Sketchbooks

www.ucreative.ac.uk10 Toolkit essentials

Get blogging

Prior to starting your course at UCA, it is essential that you create a blog.

Your blog is your online sketchbook, archive, forum and creative thinking space.

Your blog is an assessable component of all project work throughout the course of your degree.

www.ucreative.ac.uk11 Set up your blog!

Go to www.blogger.com and set up your own blog as instructed.

Once you have created your blog, please email the address to: pgomm@ucreative.ac.uk

There are many different ways to personalise your blog template and you are free to do so.

Make sure your blog banner includes your name, and full course title - BA (Hons) Computer Animation Arts and location- UCA Rochester.

As a part of your summer project, you are challanged produce 101 concept drawings using only the selection of objects shown below.

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You are challenged to generate concept drawings in three categories:

• Structures

• Life Forms

• Machines

You can work in pencil, pen, paint or on a graphics tablet.

You should think of your drawings as thumbnail sketches or works-in-progress.

Work quickly and instinctively, you’re not trying to create perfect images, you’re trying to develop, innovate and refine your ideas.

Think laterally and don’t rub anything out, start over or throw anything away; you need to get used to visualising your ideas promptly and without inhibition.

Please number your drawings.

Here are some examples of thumbnail sketches.

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Samuel Cannon

When you have finished your 101 developmental drawings, you are to pick 3 (1 Structure, 1 Life-form, 1 Machine) and develop them further into resolved designs.

Your final concepts should be presented as turnarounds- i.e., that the subjects should be depicted from the front, back and side.

All developmental work and final 3 designs should be uploaded to your creative development blog.

You will be asked to present your work to your tutors and classmates during induction week.

Try to get used to the idea of pitching your ideas to other people.

Get drawing and good luck!

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Samantha Niemczyk

Student checklist

lease use the below as a guideline:

If your offer is still conditional, email a copy of your qualifications/results to admissions@ucreative.ac.uk

Apply for accommodation

Read this Welcome Guide

Complete your online enrolment

Attend your physical enrolment session (remembering to bring your original exam qualifications/results and photo ID)

Attend your induction sessions

Upload a photograph for your Student ID Card/Library Card

Pay your tuition fees and additional charges using the Online Payment facility

Once you have fully enrolled you may also want to:

Collect your Student ID Card/Library Card from the Library

Obtain a letter to open a student bank account from myRecords in myUCA

Obtain a letter for Council Tax Exemption from myRecords in myUCA

Register with a local doctor

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