Projection Mapping

This month assignment was pretty cool.

 We've learned the basic of projection mapping, and had to choose a picture and make our own. When we watched our instructor doing it, it looked so easy. Of course, the reality of it is very different...

 I choose a picture i've taken from downtown austin, because there wasn't much people or cars. I cleaned it a bit on photoshop, taking out stop lights and passer-by.

Downtown Austin

Ok, now basically the idea was to recreate that scene in 3D. Now here is a good tip: you want to do a good projection mapping? CHOOSE A PICTURE WITH CUBIC BUILDINGS, DAMN YOU! Seriously, do you see those two buildings in the back? I was thinking "meh, it's gonna be fine, I'll just have to recreate them", well, I'll tell you what: this was one of my stupidest moment in 3D.

I don't know what smoked the architect who built that building, but it's not cubic, it's not piramidal, it's not triangular or rectangular, but it's everything at the same time! Aaaah! Every time I passed in front of it in the bus during the month, I tried to figure out it's logic, but no! Too complex! DO NOT DO A PROJECTION MAPPING IN A BUILDING LIKE THIS! Or if you do, take pictures of it under every angle, and recreate it as close as possible.

 Anyway, moving on. After modeling the scene, I projected the picture onto the 3d elements, and with a camera was then able to move into the scene. Ok, it's the very short version, it's actually more complexe.

 Because I had issues with the horizon line, I decided to hide it with some fog created thanks to maya fluid. There is still some issues, but overall for a first try, I'm pretty happy. Now I want to try again, but this time with cubes. Gosh, it's gonna be so easy...

 

UT Flag with NCloth

It's been a while I wanted to try NCloth in Maya, so as a true Longhorn fan I decided to create a little flag. But a war flag, you know. Because they are cooler.

UT flag Maya from Vincent Desgrippes on Vimeo.

DMM breaking table in Maya

I was playing around in Maya with the DMM plug-in and came up with that result. Just frustrated the plug-in's limit is that low, and that we need to spend 300 dollars to be able to fully use that wonderful tool of destruction.