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PROJECT TITLE :

An exploration of 3D animation rigging and UV mapping, featuring a 3D sculpted and animated guppy fish floating among a sea of translucent coral petals.

Moodboard

*Disclaimer: Images used in this moodboard are sourced online, strictly for reference purposes. I do not own them, and all rights remain with their original creators.

I. IDEATION

Reference Sketch

Based on reference images of guppy fish, I created sketches of various angles with Procreate so as to understand the natural movements and fin pattern details, as well as how the fan-like tail fin ripples in water.

Guppy Fish Reference Sketch

Layout Brainstorming Sketch

II. MAIN MODEL DEVELOPMENT

Creating the model

Using Cinema 4D's Polygon Pen tool, I traced the reference images placed in the background to model the silhouette of the fish. I gradually modified the vertices by subdividing them and adjusted the number and position of vertices on each surface area.

Afterwards, based on the final model I edited multiple imageries of fish scales and fins together via Photoshop and Procreate to create a unique UV map of a red-and-white scaled guppy fish.

An opacity map was also added to create a semi-transparent effect to the edges of the bigger fins.

Final Applied UV Map > Automated UV Map

Automated UV Map > Opacity Map

II. MAIN MODEL DEVELOPMENT

Bringing it to Life

I then applied the UV map onto the finished model, making sure each scale detail and body part such as the fins and eyes were in the right place and shade of color.

Joints were added through character rigging, with repeated, smaller joints put close together towards the ends of each 'limb'. This made sure the force applied towards the head of the fish would ripple naturally to the tips of the fins.