Mind Maps
Indeed, “Ripple” is the idea we finally selected. We considered that it has more potential to be explored through 3D animation, 3D simulations, and techniques. This word comes from the liquid visual effect we want to make, and it’s a word that can be explained in multiple ways. For instance, a ripple could be a small change or action which causes a significant impact. We wanted to use the “ripple” to relate to environments or places in order to establish the connection with summer research. Moreover, a ripple could be explained in a psychological way, like something changed in our deep hearts. The ripple can be demonstrated through 3D simulations.
Artists Research
We were inspired by Refik Anadol’s AI-generated artwork “Unsupervised Machine” and “Coral”. The abstract and stunning art form gives the audience the opportunity to imagine and rethink the world and space around us. We thought “ripple” could somehow evoke people psychologically like something changed in our hearts when audiences look at our artwork. Therefore, it can convey a kind of emotional resonance.
We researched visual elements that connect with our theme “ripple”. The movie “The Last Airbender” had cool water simulations and movements that brought up our interests and showed a beautiful visual reference for us to learn. We looked into different kinds of 3D liquids and water elements to get inspiration.
Mood Boards
We were influenced by artist Smeccea, who designed different kinds of 3D characters with glittering and smooth skin. Since the character had a connection to water, we felt this had something to do with our story. In addition, some characters do not have facial expressions. This gave us inspiration to design the plot of the narrative.
Story Board
The story is about a character and a big water tank in an empty space. In the beginning, the character does not have a specific gender or any facial expressions. She is attracted by the water tank and walks to it, touches the surface and the tank surface begins to ripple. Her body transforms into clear water material as she touches it. A few water balls split from the tank and float around her. She touches one water ball that appears in front of her, and the liquid forms into a fish inside. The fish blows a bubble to show response and interaction with the character. To communicate with the fish, she eventually opens his mouth and two eyes, and blows a bubble. “Ripple” is represented three times in the story: the first time is the tank ripples, the second time is the change of the character’s body, and the last time is the psychological change. The liquid implies life, and the human touches the water, thus in a way, she also gives life to the liquid. Therefore, the liquid morphs into a creature shape to respond to the person.
I used Stable Diffusion to transform the black-and-white drafts into colourful storyboards.
Liquid Balls Movement Path
As for the liquids that split from the water tank, we want to make those liquids look alive. I was inspired by Anuar PatianeFloriuk’s photography, and he shot stunning underwater photos of a fish school. Those fish form into abstract shapes, which look like patterns that resemble life. The seeds that represent Eywa in the movie “Avatar” float in the air. Even though they don’t have faces or bodies, audiences can sense they are sentient creatures and have consciousness.
The patterns created by aliens in the film Arrival also look sequenced and full of life. They look abstract but also purposeful in a way. Therefore, I think the liquids in our story can form in a shape that looks like they have lives. The liquids imply life, which has interaction with the character.
Workflows
We wrote workflows before making the animation and asked for suggestions from our tutors:(Black are our questions, red are tutor’s feedback)
My role: Simulation, Materials setup, Lightning
Shiyu’s role: Character modeling, Character animation, Environment modeling
Common work: Object modeling, Basic animation, Motion Capture, Compositing, Music
Experiments
I made liquid trail and liquid morphing tests. The liquid trail can be designed as the moving liquids inside the tank. As the liquid changes into the fish, it may be utilized for liquid morphing.
Because the water ball has movement, I was thinking about how to make the animation less heavy rather than making all the simulations on the objects. I found the noise effect in Maya and the mountain node in Houdini are very useful for creating ripple effects on the sphere surface. I made the render test to see how they look in liquid materials. In addition, I used the suction fluid node in Houdini to test how could the liquid split from a water tank. I keyframed the sphere tomake it move a little bit.
When the character touches the water tank, we want to make her fingers or arms into liquid material to show the ”ripple” and interaction from the tank.
I made curl force and vortex force to drive the liquid to move and then added the liquid materials to the test. I improved several times to make the shape look as delicate as the original hand, nevertheless, it should be improved later.
Shiyu made this real-life footage test and combined it with the rendered liquid ball images. We acted like the character who touched the liquid ball.
Character Design
Shiyu made the character design for our animation. For now, the person has glittering skin and scales that show a connection with liquids, but we will improve it to a more detailed one to make it look more mysterious, fine, and smooth. Because the character should indicate the liquid element more, rather than fish or creature-looking.
Next Steps
Tutor’s Feedback
Klaus: The Ripple story shows how the person was isolated at the beginning, but she breaks the isolated state through a series of actions to the water tank. In order to show how she gives life to the water, the liquid fish could blow a bubble out, and this person also blows a bubble out to respond to the fish.
Sam: In the film Avatar, the seeds from Eywa show they are alive and they have consciousness. Although they don’t have faces or bodies, the audience believes they have spirits through the detailed movement in the air. The liquids could transform into creature shapes and float around the character to show their vitality.
Classmate: maybe considering what the liquid represents specifically in the story, like is it represented as life? Or it could be a kind of reflection of the person’s psychological change? Like the mirror of her heart.
Conclusion: I think the next step would be to improve the liquid simulation and inject souls into it. We’ll see how well the simulation integrates with the character since it’s essential to our animation. In addition, we are going to test the motion capture technique and shoot footage of our facial expressions and movements. Therefore, we could see the possible combination of those resources.