Robotic Planet

Chapter 3 – Basic Bot (Boolean) Modeling

In this chapter, we'll explore the process of modeling "Basic Bot" from a concept sketch. The approach involves hard-surface poly modeling, utilizing Blender's modifiers and non-destructive techniques. We'll cover blocking out primitive shapes, adding details with Boolean operations, incorporating screws and labels, utilizing arrays for fine detailing, and understanding viewport properties and modifiers to enhance the model's form. By the end of the chapter, we'll have a fully modeled robot ready for adding materials.

9 videos | ~1:31 hrs

Chapter 4 – Basic Bot Materials

In the materials chapter, we begin by addressing mesh smoothing techniques to eliminate faceting artifacts and maintain flat surfaces. Next, we delve into shader work, creating procedural Edge, Dirt, Roughness, and Scratch shader masks with benefits such as resolution independence, customizable parameters, and smaller blend file sizes. We then organize our shaders into node groups to build a plastic material with easy color variations, followed by the development of additional materials like metal, decal, and lens materials, tailored for both Eevee and Cycles render engines. By the end of the chapter, our basic bot will have a more appealing appearance, ready for rendering.

9 videos | ~56 minutes

Chapter 5 – Basic Bot Rigging

In this chapter, we focus on rigging the "Basic Bot" to be able to animate it later on. We start by preparing the model to address potential deformation and performance issues. Then, we plan and construct the rig. We establish a bone hierarchy, implement bone constraints for automation and movement restrictions, explore the use of drivers to create animation based on mathematical calculations, and ultimately organize the rig for a clean and efficient animation workflow. By the end of the chapter, our "Basic Bot" will be fully prepared for animation.

7 videos | ~42 minutes

Chapter 6 – Basic Bot Animation

In this chapter, we delve into animation, starting with the fundamental principles and blocking out basic poses for our "Basic Bot's" boot-up animation. We then refine the animation curves, use the wiggle bones add-on for automated animation, and animate the camera with motion modifiers for a handheld effect. By the end of the chapter, we will have a fully animated and expressive "Basic Bot".

6 videos | ~36 minutes

Chapter 7 – Basic Bot Finishing

In this chapter, we focus on creating a complete scene for our animated "Basic Bot" by adding a ground plane, stylized rocks, and plants. We then enhance the scene with additional lighting, refine the render settings for optimal quality and speed, and utilize the compositor to introduce imperfections that add organic realism to the animation. Lastly, we gather reusable assets for quick access and prepare for future sections of the course. By the end of the chapter, we will have a fully animated scene ready for sharing on social media.

8 videos | ~51 minutes

Chapter 9 – Fish Bot Materials

In this chapter, we leverage our asset library to quickly set up the environment and base materials in Eevee. We also create new materials for our fish character, glass, and water while addressing Eevee's environment refraction issue. Additionally, we set up materials for effects elements like jets, control panel, and bubbles, ensuring they are easily animatable.

7 videos | ~36 minutes

Chapter 10 – Fish Bot Rigging

In this advanced rigging chapter, we tackle the challenges of rigging 'Fish Bot'. We begin by preparing the mesh and creating an armature, followed by diving into a comprehensive control rig using drivers, constraints, geometry nodes, and custom properties for efficient and versatile animation. We explore procedural animation and utilize the improved 'Wiggle 2' add-on for secondary animation. Finally, we organize the control rig using bone layers, groups, and custom shapes to enhance its usability.

13 videos | ~1:42 hrs

Chapter 11 – Fish Bot Animation & Finishing

In this chapter, we bring 'Fish Bot' to life in our stylized environment by expanding on our knowledge from Basic Bot and creating a more complex animation based on a storyboard. We start with scene layout, utilizing our previously created environment assets, and set up duplicates to achieve a looping animation. Next, we focus on animation, blocking in layers, manipulating the battery prop with a dynamic child of constraint, refining the animation with the Graph Editor, and adding extra appeal using baked wiggle bones. Finally, we explore the real-time viewport compositing option for post-processing and color adjustments before rendering. By the end of the chapter, we will have completed our second bot, and a looping animation which is particularly suitable for sharing on social media platforms.

12 videos | ~1:40 hrs