Level: Beginner

I have taught this assignment for over ten years, but it has been taught for much longer. It was adapted from my colleague of many years at Buffalo State University, Stan Friesen, who he used it to teach the basics of Maya.

Using simple geometry like spheres and cylinders, create an illustration of a molecule. Use different materials to differentiate the atoms and bonds that comprise the molecule. The molecule should be rendered over a black background. The molecule should spin on multiple axis at least three times. The animation should be 10 – 20 seconds long. It should be rendered at 1080p at 24fps and delivered as a h264 mp4 file. 

We will cover these learning goals in this assignment:

  • reinforce the process of navigating the 3D space in 3D software
  • creating/manipulating 3D objects and arranging them in a 3D space
  • parenting objects
  • creating simple animations with kayframes, understand the difference between linear and easing animations
  • rendering and exporting animations as video files
rendering by students Tyler L.