CU5050 - 3D Texturing and VFX (2025/26)
| Module specification | Module approved to run in 2025/26 | ||||||||||
| Module title | 3D Texturing and VFX | ||||||||||
| Module level | Intermediate (05) | ||||||||||
| Credit rating for module | 15 | ||||||||||
| School | School of Computing and Digital Media | ||||||||||
| Total study hours | 150 | ||||||||||
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| Running in 2025/26(Please note that module timeslots are subject to change) |
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Module summary
The module is designed to broaden your understanding up to the advanced level with the focus on creating various custom materials and visual effects (VFX) using industry standard authoring software tool(s). The creation of custom materials and VFX is presented from the technical artist’s perspective and demonstrates to you concepts of a variety of VFX, material design, problem solving, and relevant workflow using appropriate techniques and tools.
The aim of the module is to provide an advanced level of knowledge and understanding of the variety of VFX as well as entire VFX implementation workflow. It also aims to ensure you develop and are capable to apply advanced level skills, tools and techniques necessary for creating realistic (or according to the project requirement specification) custom materials and VFX to enhance 3D scene.
This module aims to:
- enable you to understand the concept and principles of advanced material authoring and VFX;
- gain a knowledge, develop skills to design and implement VFX used in the rendered animation;
- demonstrate the knowledge and skills to use and integrate different tools to design and develop creative materials and VFX to 3D scenes for variety of contexts and applications (including 3D characters and assets for computer games).
- develop communication skills with particular reference to VFX;
- equip you for employment in the CG, games, web and multimedia, design and publishing industries.
The module also aims to help you to continue development of a personal portfolio by adding material authoring and VFX work that demonstrates understanding of the key principles and capability to create special (visual) effects to emphasize a complete and fully rendered 3D scene with custom materials.
Prior learning requirements
Successful completion of level 4 or equivalent.
Syllabus
> Materia Authoring: [LO2] [LO4]
Shapes [LO2] [LO4]
Colour [LO2] [LO4]
Roughness [LO2] [LO4]
Parameter and exportin materials [LO2] [LO4]
> Overview of VFX [LO1] [LO3] [LO4]
- types [LO1] [LO3] [LO4]
- rendering issues for VFX [LO1] [LO3] [LO4]
- VFX and compositing [LO1] [LO3] [LO4]
> Dynamics [LO1] [LO3] [LO4]
- rigid bodies [LO1] [LO3] [LO4]
- soft bodies [LO1] [LO3] [LO4]
> Particle systems [LO1] [LO3] [LO4]
- rigid bodies and particles [LO1] [LO3] [LO4]
- particle collisions, expressions [LO1] [LO3] [LO4]
> Fields [LO1] [LO3] [LO4]
> Effects [LO1] [LO3] [LO4]
> Fluid effects [LO1] [LO3] [LO4]
> Scripting for VFX [LO1] [LO3] [LO4]
Balance of independent study and scheduled teaching activity
The advanced material authoring, VFX concepts and theoretical material will be covered in the lectures and workshop based sessions (using tutorials and relevant examples). Time will be devoted to the discussion and evaluation of problem solutions. The student will be expected to spend an equivalent time in private study (research connected with the subject, directed reading, and developing their own modelling and texturing style/techniques). In addition to this, a substantial coursework will be set.
Learning outcomes
On completing the module the student will be able to:
LO1: understand the advanced concepts, creative and technical issues related to VFX.
LO2: understand the advanced concepts, creative and technical issues related to material authoring.
LO3: demonstrate a capability to choose the appropriate advanced techniques and tools as well as apply in practice the knowledge and skills to match project requirements and suggest effective problem solutions.
LO4: integrate diverse tools and techniques to realise creative ideas in terms of VFX realism, dynamics, materials/textures, target audience and purpose;