Assignment: Facial Pose(Photo Pef)
When posing facial expressions in Maya based on real photos, I found that it is similar to using a model sheet as reference. The most important thing is to look at the overall shape first, instead of adjusting small details at the beginning.
I first adjust the head and jaw to decide the overall direction and the main curve of the face. Then I move the big controllers of the eyebrows, eyes and mouth to build the main shapes. After the large shapes are stable, I use the photo reference to fine-tune the smaller controllers.
I also started to pay attention to facial connectivity. In real life, the face does not move in only one area. The eyebrows, eyes and mouth affect each other. If I move only one part, the expression looks fake. When the whole face changes together, the expression feels more natural.
In addition, making a facial pose is not about copying the photo exactly. It is about understanding the emotion first, and then using structure and shape to express it.
Assignment: Heavy Object & Change of Mind (Blocking Plus)
Based on the teacher’s feedback, I realised that I did not pay enough attention to the COG (center of gravity) curve in the walking animation. The movement should go up and down, but mine looked almost like a straight line. This made the walk feel less natural.
I also improved the character’s body curve after being tripped by a heavy object. When the character hits the ground, the back first forms a clear C shape, and then slowly returns to a normal position. This change helps the motion feel more believable and connected.