with Nigel
This week involved individual tutorials and preparation for the research proposal. We were asked to define our research area, write a short statement of intent, and identify at least five relevant academic sources.
At this point, I refined my topic into a clearer research focus:
How visual elements of character design in 3D animation influence audience perception and emotional engagement.
This revised topic allowed me to maintain a connection with my initial interests while also ensuring that there was enough academic material to support the research.
However, finding sources was still challenging. There were limited studies specifically focused on 3D character design, so I expanded my research scope to include related fields such as visual perception, media psychology, and animation studies.
This approach proved effective, as it allowed me to build a more comprehensive theoretical framework by combining insights from multiple disciplines.
This week highlighted the importance of adaptability in research. Adjusting the scope of my topic enabled me to move forward more confidently.
with Ting
By this week, the Heavy Object & Change of Mind assignment was nearing completion. While the animation was largely resolved, I recognised that parts of the movement felt overly realistic, almost resembling motion capture. This raised an important reflection point: although realism can be effective, animation often benefits from selective exaggeration to enhance clarity and appeal. In this particular case, the level of realism was somewhat appropriate due to the nature of the character. However, this experience made me more aware that in future projects, I need to be more intentional about stylisation and avoid relying too heavily on realistic movement.
The Project 1 presentation marked the conclusion of this project. By this stage, I had developed a clear direction based on dance and ice skating. My research process included analysing dance animations, observing real-life performances, and studying frame-by-frame breakdowns of skating jumps. Since my test with Project 1 was successful I want to pursue this idea further for my FMP by building a story around the performance.