Instructor: Steve DiPaola  -  sdipaola@stanford.edu Teaching Assistant: Shane Witnov  -  switnov@stanford.edu Offered: Winter 01 Course Number: 300-173-A-01 Schedule: Mon/Wed. 10:00 am to 12:00 noon Room: Cummings 127 (SUDAC)

Course Description:
This intensive, interdisciplinary studio art course focuses on developing dramatic computer facial animation skills by exploring all aspects of facial modeling, communication and animation. The course will culminate in a class-conceived and created art-based 3D facial animation project or performance. Topics include

- facial anatomy and modeling;
- facial movement, emotions and lip sync;
- facial communication and narrative techniques from the arts, film and animation;
- dramatic writing and storyboarding for synthetic characters;
- interactive and animation facial programming techniques;
- and Maya 3D modeling and animation techniques.

All students, regardless of their core group, will learn all aspects of facial modeling, communication and animation during the first half of the course via lectures, readings, assignments and film screenings. As the second half of the course begins students will then concentrate on their core studio work (art, animation, or programming) during this implementation phase of the final project. All groups will work very closely together.

Guest lectures from experts in the fields of facial communication and animation will be an integral part of the course.

Grading:
Class Participation: 10%
Midterm Quiz: 20%
Total of non-final Assignments: (about 4-5) 30%
Final Assignment: 40%

Books of Interest:
Computer Facial Animation
         by Parke, Waters (AK Peters, 1996) - The techincal bible on Facial Animation.
Animating Facial Features & Expressions
         by Flemming, Dobbs (Charles River Media, 1999) - 3D animation trade book w/ CD_Rom.
The Face
         by Daniel McNeil (Little Brown and Co., 1998) - Science journalist discusses all aspects of the face.
The Artist's Complete Guide to Facial Animation
         by Gary Faigin (Watson-Guptill - 1990) - The comprehensive visual index of facial animation for artists.
Digital Character Animation
         by George Maestri (New Riders - 1996) - 3D animation book with chapter on 3D facial animation w/CD_Rom.

Class 0 - Wed. Jan 10 - Intro and Registration

--- Class 1 - Wed. Jan 17 - What science tells us about the face

         Lecture - Evolutionary Origins and Aspects of the Face. - NOTES

         Assignment 1 (Un-graded) - Create a dramatic short animation with Ken Perlin's Web Face System.

--- Class 2 - Mon. Jan 22 - What science tells us about the face - part 2

         Lecture - Evolutionary Origins and Aspects of the Face. Part 2 - NOTES

         Assignment 1 Due

--- Class 3 - Wed. Jan 24 - Historical View of Facial Animation

         Lecture - Historical Perspective on Facial Animation (Personal Tour) - NOTES

--- Class 4 - Mon. Jan 29 - Faces Types - Facelift

         FaceLift - A tool for finding your face - Paper & Links

         FaceSpace - exploring a space of all possible faces and their interrelationships - Paper & Links

         Assignment 2 (graded) - Finding facial likeness: Facelift - Faces - Instructions

--- Class 5 - Wed. Jan 31- Facial Proportions & Muscles

         Facial proportions, The skull and its bones, The muscles of the face - NOTES

--- Class 6 - Mon. Feb 5 - Facial Muscles & Basic Expressions

         Assignment 2 Due - Review

         Facial Muscles & Basic Expressions - NOTES

         Assignment 3 - Intro to Maya - Instructions

         Assignment 3 Additional - Facial Blend Sahpes in Maya - Instructions

--- Class 7 - Wed. Feb 7 - Trip to Pixar and lecture/tour by Paul Aichele

         Leaving 8:30 sharp!!! from SUDAC, returning 1-1:15pm Info and Directions

--- Class 8 - Mon. Feb 12 - Review of Facial Animation Techniques

         Review of Facial Animation Techniques - NOTES

--- Class 9 - Wed. Feb 14 - Web Facial Systems & Animating with Blend Shapes

         Assignment 3 Due - Review

         Web Facial Systems & Animating with Blend Shapes - NOTES

         Assignment 4 - Animating with Blend Shapes - Instructions

--- No Class - Mon. Feb 19

--- Class 10 - Wed. Feb 21 - Mid Term and Assignment 4 Review

       Mid Term Review and Definitions

         Assignment 4 Due - Review

--- Class 11 - Mon. Feb 26 - Intro to Facade

         Assignment 4 Additional Review

--- Class 12 - Wed. Feb 28 - Mid Term

         Covers work from Class 1 thru Class 9

         Assignment 5 Facade Animation System - Instructions
                  Download the  program only: facadeProg.zip         or full code (for programmers) : facadeCode.zip
                  General Facade Help Page
                  GLUI Link for programmers interested in a GUI for facade ( Need to get the params on sliders ASAP)

--- Class 13 - Mon. Mar 5 - Facade: Final Projects

         Assignment 5 Due - Review

--- Class 14 - Wed

--- Class 15 - Mon

--- Class 16 - Wed. Mar 14 - Last Class