Month: April 2026

WEEK3

This week we continued exploring research design strategies and methods. The sessions focused on how different research approaches can be applied to answer specific research questions and support academic investigations. We examined a range of research methods and considered how research design influences the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data.

During the week, I reflected on which research methods would be most suitable for my dissertation topic. I began considering approaches such as case study analysis and literature-based research, while also evaluating how these methods could help address my research objectives. This process helped me develop a clearer understanding of how to structure my research and build a stronger foundation for my thesis proposal.

Theory Term3

WEEK2

This week we focused on research planning and the development of research proposals. We explored the concept of the “Golden Thread”, which emphasises the importance of creating clear connections between the research question, objectives, methods, and conclusions. This helped me understand how different parts of a dissertation should work together to form a coherent argument.

We also learned about research objectives and research design, including how to identify research aims, develop achievable objectives, and select appropriate research methods. In addition, I explored academic resources related to animation studies and began considering potential approaches for my own dissertation topic. These sessions helped me gain a better understanding of how research projects are structured and how to develop a focused and practical research plan.

Theory Term3

WEEK1

This week we were introduced to the Final Major Project Thesis and Thesis Proposal requirements. We discussed how to select a suitable research topic, develop research questions, and identify the audience and purpose of a dissertation. The lectures also outlined the overall structure of a thesis, including the introduction, methodology, literature review, discussion chapters, and conclusion.

During the week, I began exploring potential research topics related to digital animation and emerging technologies. I considered how my research could contribute to the field and started thinking about possible questions that could be developed into a dissertation project. This helped me gain a clearer understanding of the expectations and objectives of the thesis module.

Advanced 3D Animation

Showreel

Advanced 3D Animation

WEEK9

PeiHang Jiang Download

In Week 9, I further developed my script and refined my concept scene images.

For the script, I focused on clarifying the overall narrative direction and the relationship between story and visuals. This stage was more about organising ideas, ensuring that the visual design is guided by the story rather than created independently.

For the visual development, I refined my concept scene images by adding more detail and improving the composition. Compared to the previous version, the scene feels more complete and closer to the atmosphere I want to achieve. Through this process, I gained a clearer understanding of the artistic style needed for the project, which will guide the next stage of development.

Advanced 3D Animation

WEEK8

Character Design：

Character Design
This week, I made initial progress on my Project One, mainly focusing on character design. I created an alien-like character and developed three different versions of the design based on the story. These variations represent changes the character goes through during the narrative. Each version differs in form and visual tone, helping to support storytelling and providing a clear direction for future animation work.

Character References：

Scene Design：

Scene Development
For the scene, I built a hand model and started to recreate a specific moment from the story. I arranged a rough layout and composition to explore how the scene might look visually. At the same time, I gathered references and explored different artistic directions to define the overall mood and style. Although this stage is still exploratory, it has helped me clarify the visual direction for further development.

Scene References：

Advanced 3D Animation

WEEK7

In Week 7, I continued refining my heavy project while also developing the facial animation further.

For the body animation, I focused on improving the timing to make the movement more physically believable. Previously, some joints were over-rotated, which made the motion look unnatural. This week, I corrected those issues so that the action works better within a realistic physical space. I also refined several details, such as adjusting hand placement to better reflect force and contact, adding subtle vibrations during the rebound to enhance the sense of weight, and improving the coordination between the torso and hips to make the movement more cohesive.

For the facial animation, the main issue was timing. My animation felt too even and lacked variation in rhythm. Techniques such as ease in and ease out, or fast-in slow-out, were not clearly applied, which made the expressions feel less natural. There were also some issues with keyframe spacing, resulting in slightly stiff performance. Moving forward, I need to introduce more variation in timing and improve keyframe distribution to create more dynamic and believable facial animation.

This week made me realise that timing is crucial for both body mechanics and facial performance. Variation in rhythm is what makes animation feel alive. In the next stage, I will continue refining timing and details to improve the overall quality and believability of my work.

Advanced 3D Animation

WEEK6

In Week 6, we started working on facial animation to make the character’s performance more expressive. I focused on creating basic expressions and blinking.

The feedback I received was mainly about naturalness and subtle details. For example, my blinking animation was too synchronized, with both eyes moving at exactly the same time, which feels unnatural. Also, the facial expressions were too symmetrical, making them look slightly mechanical.

The tutor also suggested adding more in-between frames in facial animation, instead of switching directly from one expression to another. This would help create smoother and more believable transitions.

In terms of body animation, I continued refining my polish. One key issue was still the center of gravity, which affected the stability of the movement. Additionally, my hand animation looked a bit floaty and lacked a clear sense of control and weight. I made some adjustments to improve these aspects.

This week helped me realise how important subtle details are in animation, especially facial asymmetry and a proper sense of weight. I will continue refining these elements to make the performance more natural and convincing.

Advanced 3D Animation

WEEK5

Assignment: Heavy Object & Change of Mind (Blocking Plus)

In Week 5, we continued refining our blocking to make the animation more detailed and natural. Instead of changing the overall structure, I mainly focused on improving smaller motion details.

One key issue pointed out by my tutor was the lack of a clear sense of weight, especially in the backward movement. The character did not feel grounded, and the motion looked a bit floaty rather than being affected by gravity. Based on this feedback, I adjusted the character’s posture and tilt to better establish the center of gravity.

Another important issue was the timing. The rhythm of the animation was not well controlled, particularly in terms of ease in and ease out. Some movements lacked proper acceleration and deceleration, making the animation feel stiff and less natural.

Through this week’s work, I started to better understand the importance of timing and weight in animation. In the next stage, I will continue refining these aspects to make the movement more believable and smooth.

Theory

WEEK 9

This week’s theory class mainly focused on how to use sources properly in academic writing, especially the difference between quoting, paraphrasing, and summarising. I learned that these are all ways of incorporating other people’s ideas into our work, but they should be used differently depending on the situation. Quoting should be used carefully and not too often, while paraphrasing is the most common and preferred method, as it shows our own understanding of the material. Summarising is mainly used to give a general overview rather than detailed evidence .

We also learned how to integrate sources more effectively using methods like ICE (Introduce, Cite, Explain), which helps make our writing clearer and more structured. This made me realise that using sources is not just about adding references, but about explaining how they support our argument and connecting them to our own ideas. It also emphasised the importance of writing in our own words rather than relying too much on direct quotes.

Another important part of this week was understanding academic standards and ethics. We discussed issues such as plagiarism and the importance of properly citing all sources. I realised that academic writing is not only about presenting ideas, but also about being responsible and honest in how we use other people’s work .

Overall, this week helped me improve my understanding of how to use and present research in a more academic way. It also made me more aware of the importance of academic integrity, which is essential for developing strong and credible research.

Tutorial Reflection

In this week’s tutorial, we discussed my research topic about AI in the creative process in more depth. Initially, I wanted to focus mainly on how AI influences design workflows and how it can be used more effectively within the creative process. My idea was quite practical, looking at AI as a tool that can improve efficiency and support creative production.

However, during the discussion, my tutor suggested that I should also consider the negative aspects of AI, rather than only focusing on its advantages. This made me realise that my topic was currently quite one-sided. For example, AI can reduce the sense of authorship and creativity, as some outputs are generated instantly without the same level of human input, which may weaken the “soul” or personal expression in creative work. In addition, there are also wider issues such as the environmental impact of AI, including the high energy consumption required to run large-scale models.

This feedback helped me understand that my research should not just explore how to use AI, but also critically examine its impact from different perspectives. A more balanced approach would allow me to develop a stronger argument, rather than simply presenting AI as a helpful tool.

Overall, this tutorial pushed me to rethink my research direction and made my topic more critical and academic. I now feel that combining both the positive and negative aspects of AI will make my research more meaningful and relevant.

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