CPS Week 7: Time as Material

Week 7

Response

In response to the theme of Time as Material, I created an animation of a campfire using Maya Particle System. Initially, I was experimenting with the MASH system in Maya. It didn’t work and I didn’t have the time to search for a solution, therefore, I decided to give the Particle System a go. Fortunately, it worked.

By experimenting with the value of ‘blendColour’ Utility in Maya, I was able to create a change of time by changing the colour of the sky and the ground. Also, by applying ‘Age’ in ’scaling’ of the Particle system, I was able to make the fire cube grows bigger over time. 

I was able to show the three-stage of the same campfire during different times by editing the animation in post-production. Also, a smooth transition was added in between the morning and night so that it has a fast-forward documentary feeling.

Similar work has been created by the animator of CG Boost, whose work ‘Funky Low Poly Animation’ explores this theme by scaling up the low poly modelling over a short amount of time to present the scene to the audience.