Surfacing and Look Development for an Animated Film using Per-Face Texture Mapping and Procedural Shading

Surfacing is the process of creating materials and textures for objects in an animated film. For as much effort that is put into the story and animation of a film, an equal amount of effort must be put into surfacing and look development in order to create a world that is believable to the audience and advances the progression of the narrative. The surfaces presented in this scene draw on the works of artists such as Johan Messely, Hayao Miyazaki, and Parisian architect Georges-Eug`ene Haussmann with each artist having their own unique influence on the scene. A well-designed surface can bring out certain emotions from the audience, and the works of these artists do just that. The surfaces in the scene draw on these artists in order to convey a cozy Parisian town square in the middle of a summer day. Therefore, the goal of this scene is to cause the audience to feel comfort, contentment, and a sense of home even if they have never visited Paris. This thesis will focus on multiple methods for surfacing that do not require models to be UV unwrapped. The first is a system developed by Walt Disney Animation Studios, known as Per-Face Texture Mapping (Ptex). The second being procedural shading within RenderMan for Maya. Both of these methods offer specific production advantages that will save time, yet still give the artist the freedom to art direct their shaders and textures