Animated Self-Portrait — March 2023
2D animation drawn in Photoshop and animated in After Effects
3D animation modeled and animated in Autodesk Maya and rendered in Maya Arnold
Process
Style Frame
I wanted my animated self-portrait to follow a visual aesthetic that represented my history and interests. I come from a family of five, and we played board games together most nights. I pulled from board games like Catan and Root for visual influences, and chose a fall color scheme (greens, yellows, and oranges) for my color palette. My style frame incorporated 3D and 2D elements to illustrate my relationship with my family and my life across the country from them.
2D Character Designs
I drew each character design in Photoshop, then rigged and animated them in After Effects with the Duik Ángela rig, courtesy of RxLaboratory.
3D Modeling and Rigging
I created all of the models as low poly game pieces with large beveled edges, to make the scale of the animation feel small. I created a rig for the "Freddy" model with a squash and stretch function, to add more dynamic motion to the piece flipping across the board. I also created "wobble" keys to make the piece rotate on each of its corners, so it can change its center of rotation as it wobbles on the board.
