The Animator's Tango

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"The Animator's Tango" was a semester-long junior year project meant to highlight nuanced acting in animation through a sophisticated face rig and a polished lip sync. Below is the blend test for my character rig.

I decided to make my assignment around a self-caricatured character satirizing the Chicago musical - specifically, an unhinged student dealing with the aftermath of a crashed Maya file. To further my own interest in modeling, I used the opportunity to sculpt a highly detailed dress and thoughtfully-ornamented accessories for my character.  I also gained the experience of simulating the intricate dress that I modeled.

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Above is the animatic for the lip sync assignment where I planned the timing and staging, and below is the the thumbnailing I did in preparation for animation - followed by testing out poses.

Model and texture details are included as well for when I was testing out the render.

Above is the visual development I completed in preparation for the character modeling and rigging, with photographic reference for all of the details - as well as early explorations for the character design.