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Modern Low-Poly in 3D

ASIA PACIFIC COLLEGE

The School of Multimedia Arts

Understanding and Promoting the Aesthetics of Stylized Low-

Polygons For 3D Animation

In partial fulfillment of the requirements

for the degree in Bachelor of Arts in

Multimedia Arts

By

Joshua Alexander I. Oliveros

August 30 2017

Table of Contents
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Abstract……………………………………………………………...……………………4

Introduction………………………………………………………………………………5

Background of the Study……….……………………………………….……..….4

Statement of the Problem…………………………………………………….…5

Objectives…………………………………………………………………………6

Significance of the Study…………………………………………………………7

Scope and Limitations……………………………………………………..……...7

Definition of Terms………………………………………....................……….7

The Design Concept…………………………………………………………………….9

Review of Related Literature………………………..…………………………..9

Review of Related Works……………………………………………..…………17

Creative Framework……………………………………………………..………20

Methodology…………………………………………….………………………………23

Research Design……………………………..………………………………..23

Data-gathering Instruments…………..………………….…………….23

Respondents…………..…………………………………..…………...…23

Data Analysis…………..…………………………………..…………….23

Design Process……………………..…………………………...……………...24

Multimedia Project…………..…………………………………………..24

Pre-production…………..………………………………………………..24

Production…………..…………………………………………………....24

Post Production…………..………………………………………….…...25
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Target Audience…………..……………………………………………..……25

Demographic…………..…………………………………………...……25

Geographic…………..……………………………………………...…...26

Psychographic…………..………………………………………...……..26

Behavioristic………………………………………………….………….26

Results and Discussion………………………………………………………………….37

Research Results…………………….……………………………………..…….37

Production Results…………………..……………………………………..…….37

Conclusions and Recommendations….…………..……………………………...37

Conclusions…………..……………………………………….…………..…………… 37

Recommendations…………….…………………………….…………..…...………. 37

Research Topic……..…………………………………………………….38

Creative Process………………………………………………………….38

References……………………………….………………………………………………40

Appendix A: Project Management Documents

Appendix B: Visual References and Studies

Appendix C: Project Production Documents

Appendix D: Final Project Photos and Exhibition

Appendix E: Tri-media Marketing Collaterals

Appendix F: Miscellaneous Documents

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Abstract

This study focuses on showcasing the visual aspects of Stylized Low-Poly animation as a viable

style for the adult audience specifically for the individuals in the animation industry. It focuses

on showing different styles and capabilities of the style while changing the audience’s

perspective towards Low-Poly. The study also aims on focusing on the impressions and the

feedback of the audience towards the visual aspects of Low-Poly. In order to create a sense of

variety on the aspects of Low-Poly, the proponent has created two 5-10 minute films with

different genres showcased inside a VR Gallery which will present the documented assets of the

two films.

Key Words: Low-Poly, Incorporate, Style, VR, 3D Animation,

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Chapter I

Introduction

Background of the Study

3D computer animation started very simple and the software back then were nothing

compared to the software used in today’s modern society. According to Luis Medrano (2017)

who is an award winning Design Director and a Motion Orchestrator, one of the first computer

animations ever made was in 1963 which originated from the AT&T Archives. The project was

made by Edward E. Zajac and it is composed of a 3D Spherical Wireframe which was rotating

around its position, a clock hanging at the top right which represented the amount of time the

wireframe was rotating and a rectangular object orbiting around the Wireframe. During that time,

there were no intuitive tools for modeling, no shaders, there was no rigging, or high-tech

computers that were able to render extensive numbers of poly count and everything was mainly

done by codes that would create wireframes which made computer animators into programmers.

3D Low-Poly back then was not a design choice but a limitation for most 3D animators due to

the limited computing resources of technology.

3D Animation has affected the 3D industry in ways that have augmented the visual

imagination of different people through the forms of different 3-dimensional kinetic objects.

Apart from the entertainment purposes, 3D animation has helped people in education by

providing a perfect means of illustrations that are difficult to visualize. Different animation

techniques used in different ways, Low-Poly animation nowadays is one of the least used
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animation techniques that have incorporated the studies of animation both technical and visual.

The visual aspect of 3D Low-Polygonal dimension speaks for itself since it has its own visual

style.

Statement of the Problem

Although popular in the gaming industry, 3D Low-Poly is one of the most underused

animation techniques specifically when it comes to 3D films since high-poly CGI gives a better

impression to the general public. This leaves the style of Low-Poly as a rarely used technique in

3D animated films. 3D Low-Poly animations are popular in games under the category of indie

projects but are rarely used when it comes to the animation industry itself. With this given

conflict, this study aims to answer the following questions;

1.) To what extent can Low-Poly animation be utilized to illustrate a specific

narrative with the aid of VR (Virtual Reality) technology?

2.) How will the visual style of using Low- Poly animation be executed into looking

intentional rather than looking like a mistake?

3.) How can the technique be incorporated into an appealing 3D animated film?

Objectives

This research aims to reach the 3 main objectives which are;

1. To be able to illustrate an emotionally moving narrative effectively by combining

Low- poly animation and VR technology.

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2. To maximize /exploit the qualities of Low-Poly animation to create an industry

competitive animation that would intentionally illustrate the characters of Low-

Poly animation rather than mistaking it for laziness, imprecision or inaccuracy.

3. To create two sets of 2-3 minutes of 3D animation short films incorporating the

use of 3D Low-Poly.

Significance of the Study

The study will incorporate new heights for the modern 3D Low-Poly approach in the

3D industry and the results of the study will be beneficial to the following individuals:

Aspiring 3D Animators - While fresh in the industry, this study can be used as their guide to

practice their skills on the basics of 3D animation using the technique of 3D minimalism and the

modern Low-Poly style which is less-resource-demanding and cost effective.

To 3D Students - The research will serve as a base reference to their studies. The study also aims

to help them understand which approach is best suited for their purpose and how they can

capture the interests of their colleagues with this approach.

Scope and Limitations

The project will focus on augmenting the adult audience’s experiences and interests

through the style of 3D Low-Poly. Blender, Photoshop & Unity 3D are the softwares that will be

used in building the assets of the project. The genres of each film that are to be showcased will

be categorized into two different types. This research will cover the international growth of the

industry and not just locally in the Philippines since the industry overseas is much more inclined
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in creating modern Low-Poly compared to its local counterpart. High-Poly animation techniques

will be mentioned briefly while discussing and comparing the evolution of the industry,

however, the study will only focus on 3D Low-Poly. The project’s specific goal will be limited

to the output’s environment interaction. The number of major characters in each short film will

not be more than six and the short films are expected to have a running-time of no more than 3

minutes.

Definition of Terms

The following are the conceptual and operational definitions of the key terms used in this

thesis paper:

Polygon – According to Wikipedia and 3D animator Adrian-Luc Sanders, a polygon is a mesh

that has a collection of vertices, edges and faces that define the shape of a 3D object. In general

terms, a polygon is any two dimensional shape with multiple sides connected to enclose the

shape. Examples are Triangles, squares, pentagons, hexagons, decagons, etc. which are all

considered polygons. These polygons build up 3D models.

Render – According to the site of Jeremy Birn (3DRender.com), this is the process of producing

an image based on three-dimensional data stored within a computer. This is similar to the process

in photography or cinematography wherein lighting is used to showcase the depth of the scenes,

however, the scenes in 3D are imaginary and need to be created in the computer (specifically

using a 3D modeling software) before it can be rendered.

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Polycount- is a shortcut term for “polygonal count.” According to Wiktionary, this is the total

number of polygon faces in a 3D Object. The bigger the polycount of the 3D object, the bigger

the file size gets and the slower the render time (depending on the specs of the computer that is

being used to render the file).

Low-Poly – According to the Wikipedia, Low-Poly is a polygonal mesh in computer graphics

that has a relatively small number of polygons. Low-Poly was originally used for making 3D

models and scenes for videogames when computers were still not capable of handling or

rendering high amounts of polygons.

Computer generated imagery (CGI) – Wikipedia states that CGI refers to the application of

computer graphics for creating scenes and special effects in films and television. This is the

rendering process which contains the shadows, reflections, colors, etc. which are also used in

films but are mostly applied in 3D scenes according to Liviu B. Antoni who is a London based

director in VR (Virtual Reality) and Animation.

Modern Low-Poly – A term used in this study which showcases the use of Low-Poly not as a

technical limitation but as a stylized choice that focuses on the application of rough surface and

edges in art, landscapes, environment, characters etc.

Paradigm Shift – According to Merriam Webster dictionary, this is an important change that
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happens when the usual way of thinking or habit of doing something is replaced by a new and

different way.

Stylized – As stated in the Mac Millan Dictionary; stylized is a style that is artificial instead of

realistic. Something that is represented in a non-realistic conventional form

Chapter II

The Design Concept

Multimedia Project Description

The Researcher’s topic tackles the style of the modern Low-Poly animation and how this

can be made more interesting to the adult audience. The researcher has observed that the

animation industry has focused more on the styles of high-poly rather than the styles of modern

Low-Poly and therefore, modern Low-Poly lacks a great impression towards the majority of the

adult audience due to the lack of application in animated films. This project aims to focus on the

aspects of modern Low-Poly animation and what makes it interesting to the adult audience. This

goes to show that the approach itself can become an interesting technique and style alone.

The Researcher aims to showcase a series of short animated films using modern Low-

Poly 3D which is to be presented into two different genres;

a.) Fantasy – A fictional story composed of strange characters or otherworldly setting.

This invites suspension of reality although not all the time since fantasies can be
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realistic as well without compromising the applications of creative scenarios.

b.) Thriller – A fictional story with the use of a high degree of intrigue, adventure or

suspense.

The proposed project will showcase two 3D animated films under the form of Low-Poly

in a digital environment that can be viewed using VR technology. The project will increase the

recognition of Low-Poly and give the general audience a basic understanding of what it takes to

create Low-Poly without compromising their interests and at the same time immersing the

audience with what Low-Poly can hope to achieve. One person is to be fitted with the VR

headset to view the project and the person using the VR will be introduced to the digital

exhibitory with a brief introduction. The project can also be viewed through the usage of a laptop

device.

All two stories share one common theme which is fear. Fear is the basic representation of

the character’s stress when it comes to encountering problems. The stories also share a subject

matter which is stress management and how each main character of the story deal with different

levels of stress. The connection of low poly to the stories that would be viewed in the project is

that the fear actually represents the fear of 3D animators using the unfamiliar technique of Low-

Poly. Most of the studios in the animation industry are not inclined to take risks when it comes to

presenting visual ideas for their stories. Modern Low-Poly can be a risk since animators may be
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unfamiliar with the outcome and the audience’s feedback. Fear can be used as a theme even

though it has a negative mood in the stories that will be presented, it goes to show that the

researcher has basis to take advantage of the theme in order to produce a welcoming 3d film

animation.

The decision of using VR as a means of showcasing the medium of Low-Poly animation

in an interactive environment drives back to the application of the “experiential learning theory”.

According to David Kolb (1984) Experiential learning theory is the process of learning through

experience. Usually this is followed by a reflection created by the individual to perceive what he

had experienced, thus creating a process. According to the McLeod and his support on

Experiential learning, it can be applied when a person progresses through a cycle of four stages;

(1) having a concrete experience followed by (2) the observation of the individual and his

reflection on the experience which is then followed through (3) the formation of abstract

concepts and conclusions which is then (4) used to test hypothesis in future situations, thus

creating new experiences.

As for the process of how the researcher will be able to showcase his work, there are

two approaches for the output. One simple approach is that the project can show a series of short

films in the form of Low-Poly that will capture the audience’s attention, mainly young adults.

The main approach in creating the output of the project is where one person can view the project

while wearing VR goggles wherein he/she is introduced in a virtual exhibitory that can be

explored and be interacted with. The main goal of the output is to immerse the audience into the

3D Low-Poly animation world and the researcher believes that this is one of the best ways to
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capture their interests which will become a memorable experience for them. Those wearing the

VR headset will be free to explore the virtual exhibitory on their own.

Review of Related Literature

This chapter focuses on related studies and researches of the visual aspects of 3D Low-

Poly which will assist on giving a basic understanding on how the style and technique can

become of an interest to the adult audience and that this section will serve as a base foundation

for the research and the researcher. The following are a set of topics broken down from general

to simpler topics that will help the foundation of this research, explore its relevance towards the

topics and incorporate the use of modern 3D Low-Poly animation and its relationship with the

adult audience.

Low-Poly Animation has been around for quite a while now. This was the brief

foundation and one of the starting points of 3D Animation. Low-Polygonal resolution helped old

computers render more quickly which also helped in the development of both video games and

animated films during earlier times. This meant that the lower the count of polygons, the faster it

was to render the scene, (Hannah Shaffer, 2015). But first we need to ask ourselves what is Low-

Poly? According to Josh O’Caimh, 3D Low-Poly as a whole involves using a low number of

polygons in a 3D model which will make it look rough on the surface. This style is used more

often in indie games than in animated films.

The History Of Low-Polygon takes us back in 1980 where Battlezone had been released
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Modern Low-Poly in 3D

to the public by Atari Inc. which is a first person tank combat arcade game. The game used

vector graphics since they were still limited with the capabilities of the software at that time.

This shows geometrical shapes in the form of wireframes. There were no textures, no complex

controls, dull props and particle system that were only rotating around the environment. In the

early 90’s, games were most commonly simplified and were not that complex. The surfaces of

the objects were flat followed by rough edges, non-moving lip animation persisted in video game

characters during conversations, smearing textures (badly rendered), the list of the problems

would go on due to limitations of the technology, (PC PLUS, 2016). Games like Driller (1987),

Virtual Fighter (1993) Tomb Raider (1996), Half-life (1998), Metal Gear Solid (1998), Quake

(1996) were all a form of 3D Low-Poly presented in games which consisted of animations as

well. These elements show what Low-Poly used to be in comparison to what modern Low-Poly

is today which also goes to show that Low-Poly back then was not a design choice but rather a

limitation. Defining Low-Poly by the amount of its polycount (the total number of polygons in a

three-dimensional model) would only make sense in a historical comparison. Back then, Low-

Poly wasn’t able to exist as a category until High-Poly became an option.

In an article written by Tim Schneider called “A comprehensive history of Low-Poly

art”, Low-Poly was a visual style forced to make do with a limited number of polygons. “Low-

Polygon Is quite a broad group” according to the developer and digital artist Richard Whitelock

who was careful to cover this when Schneider had contacted him prior to his Low-Poly man

against-nature survival game “Into This Wylde Abyss” which takes place in an icy abstract

wasteland and where the players are forced to build bonfires to prevent themselves from dying.

This made the player have a conflicting sense of awe, intrigue and terror with what the natural
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icy Low-Poly world can offer.

Modern ‘Low-Poly’ has become an aesthetic for animators and artists and there is a

great distinction between modern Low-Poly and early Low-Poly. Artists like Timothy J.

Reynolds who have popularized the use of modern Low-Poly, wrote to Schneider saying that;

“Lately, I’ve consciously tried moving away from the term ‘Low-Poly’ but still find myself

using it when tagging work.” Reynolds stated that he would rather refer to his works as ‘3D

illustrations’ as a modern term for Low-Poly since his works reaches around “a few million

polygons.” Schneider stated that while most of the business industries have viewed these

stylizations as “naïve, childlike, or simply vulgar,” modern artists will continue to recognize the

possibilities of visual honesty in this growing medium.

The “Just For Kids Stigma” of animation has never been removed from the impression

of other audiences. People have developed a specific kind of thinking when it comes to

animation both in the industry and the general audience. A lot of these individuals still label the

entirety of animation as a form of entertainment for children. Some individuals have no specific

interest at all when it comes to 3D animation since they are not familiar with the process,

therefore, they show no interest at all. Ryan Walsh, an article writer from the Artifice, stated that

one of the reasons why animation is associated with children is because of the origin of works

created by Walt Disney Studios.

Almost all the animated works of the American film studios are based on fairy-tales with

engaging characters, melodious songs and scenarios that allow imagination to be exercised.

Disney is famous for creating animations that target children as their audience, hence, why

people have always associated Disney with animation. Furthermore, films from DreamWorks are
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sometimes presented with darker themes, adult sense of humor and numerous pop culture

references. One of these examples is Shrek (2001). Ryan stated that “the film’s success set the

standard for what older audiences believed they wanted.” Right then, the heavy usage of adult

humor started to overtake films and eventually died out because of it. An example of this is

Shark Tale (2004) which was made as a counter-film to Pixar’s Finding Nemo (2003). The film

as a whole went too far in trying to appeal to an older audience which resulted the targeted

demographic if this is what they wanted to see in an animated film. This leads to the counterpoint

that every time a film tries to act like it’s target audience is aimed towards the adults when in

reality it is supposed to be targeting towards families, the film ends up becoming more childish

as a result. Finally at an end note, Walsh continued to state that people continue to judge

animation because they cannot be compared to the realism of live action films and that the more

the market tries to make the film more ‘edgy’, the more immature it will look like as a result

which will continue to convince audiences that animation will always be just for children (Ryan

Walsh, 2016). On another study written by Bobby Osborne with his goal to explore why the

animation industry should target adult audiences mainly. He wanted to find out why animations

tend to target children and why it could also benefit the industry if this expanded to adults. It

came down to two factors according to him;

1. The shifting tastes of the audience

2. Money

Animation has been known to be associated with children for the past decades. However, there

has been a massive paradigm shift in how consumers entertain themselves according to Osborne.

Audiences embrace more variety of entertainment in comparison to what audiences had before
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and that animated films were no longer affiliated with children.

Bobby Osborne continued to explain how Animation can be covered for the Adult

Audience as well. There are three key reasons why the impression of 2D/3D animation of being

a kid’s show can change or target a wider demographic.

1. Technology has changed the market place.

2. Kids through the late ‘80’s stayed in love with animation and are now in their

20’s and 30’s.

3. The comparing realities of realism and animation have become blurred that

audiences are not always aware of what they are watching.

These three key points are crucial in helping animation (especially in 3D animation)

reach its adult audience. Through the help of technology leaping throughout the interests of

people, the audience has access to almost any type of digital media like Facebook, Netflix,

satellite TV, videogames and many more advancements which have augmented the experience of

people throughout the years. Osborne continued to state that 2D hand-drawn animation has

evolved into 3D computer generated imagery. Before Toy Story had been released, almost every

animation were hand-drawn. Soon after, every company wanted to invest on the 3D Animation

technique as soon as Toy Story broke ground. 3D CGI had been very effective in the market and

had made its mark, which offered opportunities, effects and visual styles that were not possible

in films before.

Another key reason that animation can become interesting to adults is that the market has

shifted and become more flexible. Osborne continued to explain that since the kids who grew up

loving the animation have already reached their 30’s or 40’s, this opens to the fact that most of
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the adults today are now inclined to watching animations. This follows the second reason why

animation can target a wider audience.

Osborne stated that, “Companies like Pixar have demonstrated that the viewership of

animated films can include adults even college students as well or young adults.” Pixar

witnessed their own films; Up and Toy story 3 receive an academy award nomination for best

picture which is one of the reasons why a lot of adults are seeing ‘kid’s’ movies compared to

before.

A parallel can be drawn in the videogame industry. Osborne explained that throughout

the 90s, videogames have already been targeted mainly for kids which also brought the fact that

the sole purpose for games is to entertain “children” in those times. Back then, games were made

purely for entertainment purposes and rarely did the topic of sex and violence emerged. Fast

forward to 2011, the average gamer exploded to ages 25 – 30. Adults became the new audience

of these games where before these types of entertainment were not that popular.

The complexity of 3D animation as a whole has evolved in numerous platforms as the

years had inclined and technology had advanced to provide new styles and techniques to create

3D animation and therefore has provided new ways for the 3D animation/film industry to grow.

However, this does not give much exposure to 3D Low-Poly Animation in regard to its

advancement in the 3D animation/film industry.

The 3D Animation Industry has helped people to write their stories and create visual

illustrations of their piece which also makes it easier for them to reach other people and their
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feedback, (Creativecommunity.com, 2017). 3D animation has helped to visualize concept ideas

and further illustrate these ideas into something with depth, with characteristics and with detail.

This is highly important in the industry since these creative moving images of 3D are susceptible

to the growth of 3D animation itself. According to an article in tallahaseescene.com which was

written by Ethel Henderson who stated that the 3D Animation Market is expecting to reach USD

22 Billion from 2017 up until the year of 2022. The article stated that “The study was conducted

using an objective combination of primary and secondary information including inputs from key

participants in the industry.”

As the development of the industry of 3D Animation started to increase in a fast pace, so

do the benefits of 3D technology get more and more acknowledged rapidly and the chances of

3D animation being adopted by contractors, game developers, automobile designers and

production houses become elevated. The increase of interest in animated movies and games has

contributed in the growth of the 3D animation market which is also affecting the growth of the

3D Animation Industry, (Rohit Bhisey, July 2017). The same approach goes with 3D

Minimalism, where there is depth and characteristics but with small to no details merged with the

3D Objects. The Industry of 3D animation has rarely given way for the style of Low-Poly to be

incorporated in a high-budget film since the audience of the industry isn’t well known to offer

high praises towards the style of Low-Poly. With regard to local animation, the Philippines only

has a small impact to the public when it comes to exposing Filipino-made animations which is

one of the main reasons why a lot of aspiring Filipino animators go abroad instead. Animation

these days are rare. If animators would have wanted to show their ideas to people with interests,

they would either upload their works online which would only reach a limited number of people
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or they could hone their skills and go to the main source of people who share the same interests

or where the animation industry is flourishing (USA/Japan/Canada), hence why Filipino

animators with great potential would rather go abroad. 3D animation still has a part in almost

every country and is growing rapidly throughout the years as technology excels into another

level, so will the styles of modern Low-Poly become familiar to the general audience especially

to the adults.

High Poly Animation is one of the focused technique and style when it comes to the 3D

animation industry since it conquers the visual aesthetics of 3D animation. Compared to Low-

Poly, High-Poly is rich in polygonal shapes which would smoothen out the 3D objects. High

Poly Animation has long been used in the 3D animation industry. According to one of the

answered questions in blender.stackexchange.com, “what is the importance of high poly”, High

Poly is highly crucial to achieve detailed surfaces of 3D Objects which is closer to realism. One

of the reasons why High Poly Animation is much more preferred than modern Low-Poly takes us

back to the topic of why “Animation is targeted for kids.” Most of the adults hunger for realism.

Realism is present in live-action films, but with modern day technology, this day and age has

opened opportunities for 3D to be realistic and relatable to the audience.

Google Blocks; creating 3D using VR is a type of virtual reality app and a 3D modeling

tool used to create 3D visuals in the form of Low-Poly assets which is accessible to anyone

without having to go through the technicalities of 3D modeling. As stated by Adi Robertson, this

app lets users export objects they have created and make them accessible online or they can put

them in 3D Scenes which are covered or not covered by Virtual Reality. You’ll need a virtual
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reality headset in order to be able to use the app to create 3D Low-Poly models, (Abhimanyu

Ghoshal, 2017). This app can play a huge role when it comes to creating the aesthetics of Low-

Poly assets and upbringing the aesthetics of 3D Low-Poly to the general public which would

affect the interest of the adult audience as well. Unfortunately, this is limited only to VR since

this can only be covered with the use of VR material which limits the possibilites of the general

audience.

Review of Related Works

This chapter will focus on different works that have relevance to 3D Low-Poly and is a

great source for it. This chapter will explain how these examples of previous works are

connected to the project itself.

Tamagogo (2016) – Tamagogo is an example of 3D minimalism projected in an android

/ios platform which was created by Ingenuity games, a local Philippine gaming company. The

aesthetics of the game focuses on the minimalistic approach. No complex design was present in

the project since the indie team was more focused on practicality.
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SuperHot (2016) – This is another example of an indie game, played as a first-person

shooting game which is set in a minimalistic environment. Although the environment is not

nearly classified into what is strictly defined as 3D Low-Poly since the surfaces of the objects are

smoothly rendered, it still follows the aesthetic aspects of the minimalistic approach wherein the

environment of the game doesn’t have that much detail applied to it. However, all of the

characters in the game are rendered as Low-Poly which shows the aesthetics of their hard edges

and rough surfaces.

Into This Wylde Abyss (2016) - This is another example of an indie game which was

created by Richard Whitelock (See Review of Related Literature), played as a first person
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survival game which is set in a cold environment wherein a heat source is needed in order for the

player to survive the game. The epic poem, Paradise Lost was an inspiration for this game and

the author stated in an interview that “If there is no struggle in the journey involved in

encountering a singularly unique moment, then how sublime can it be?”

Creative Framework
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The diagram showcases the creative framework done by the researcher. For this project,

the researcher will create animated shorts that will showcase the use of Modern Low-Poly. The
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length of the creation of the animated shorts which should have reached from 5-6 months

became a .

Description was first put at the top since this gives the main focus for the project’s goal.

Purpose is aligned with The Artist since both would give information that would want to

showcase 3D Low-Poly to the target demographic. Materials, style/technique and meaning refer

to the process of the project.

The main tools that will be used are Blender, next to Maya, next to Adobe Premiere Pro,

and next to UNITY 3D. Photoshop will be used to enhance the visual structure of the project. All

diagrams are connected to Aesthetics of Low-Poly Art.

Chapter III

Methodology
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Research Design

The study was accomplished via the analysis of different page articles from the web that

are related to 3D Low-Poly Animation, its history and its counterparts in the animation industry.

The studies’ base concept is to promote the idea of Modern Low-Poly Animation to the

mainstream demographic which is the adult audience.

Design Process

Multimedia Project

The project consists of an interactive museum that will showcase two 3D animated Low-

Poly films that focuses on fear as its theme and stress management as its supporting subject.

Blender will be heavily used in creating Low-Poly Assets and animation. Maya may partially be

used in rendering the animation workflow. Photoshop along with a Wacom Pen Tablet will be

used in creating concept drawings, storyboards and animation. For the music composition,

musescore will be used since it is a freeware. Unity 3D will be the base foundation for compiling

the assets for the digital exhibitory which will be handled with C# and javascript for coding. VR

will be used for viewing the project in order to incorporate the augmentation of the user’s

experience when viewing the project in future. For the Hardware, the user will be using a PC and

a laptop, both for optimizing and measuring the render workflow for a faster way of creating the

main project itself.

Pre-Production

Schedules were partially made and a timeline was inserted before proceeding to the
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actual work. These were all be done in under one week during start of the term. Concept ideas,

characters, visual 3D assets and environment studies were done during the first three weeks.

Concept sketches were done under 5 weeks followed by the script and its sequence treatment.

Production

Finalization of script, character design and 3D assets were done under the production

term. Story flow and dialogue were finalized as well within the second week after midterms.

Although some of the 3D characters were working properly when rigged, a few of these

characters had trouble in folding the meshes of their surface since the state of the assets are in

Low-Poly; edges played a massive role in assisting the flexibility of a character.

Target Audience

Target Audience should be under the category of young adults, specifically for

individuals who grew up watching 3D animated films. College students up to the working are

also part of the demographic, Secondary target audiences can fit into the category of animators

and aspiring 3D animators.

Demographic

The main target of this project is for young adults who are able to empathize with the

characters and through the films presented, individuals who are able to contribute to the

animation industry. The target audience age range are set from 18 to 30.
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Behavioristic

The primary target audience for this project are for those individuals who generally enjoy

animation. The secondary target audience will be those individuals who are able to deeply

appreciate and analyze the meaning and the technicality of the film.

Geographic

This project is flexible in location since it does not need a specific place for the project to

be developed. The project can be done solely with a working PC (Portable Computer) and an

appropriate work environment.

Psychographic

Anyone with the visual capacity to see things from a different point of view or with an

open mind can relate to the project. Specifically, the target audience of this project will be

individuals who grew up watching 3D animated films during their childhood, or individuals who

have experienced extreme stress. Since the base foundation of the project is about stress

management, anyone who has undergone stressful experiences are part of the target audience for

the project.

Chapter IV

Results & Discussion

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Research Results

Low-Poly is fluid in terms of visual technicality and flexibility especially when it comes

to modeling and rendering. Specifically, Low-Poly is a technique that can be added in the

animation industry. This study reveals how Low-Poly can become an effective style when it

comes to animation and it has resulted into understanding that the visual aspects of Low-Poly

falls down to how the style is executed.

Production Results

The Proponent has settled that in order to create an effective Low-Poly animation, one

has to understand the restrictions of topology when it comes to animating in Low-Poly. It may

become difficult for animators to move character joints without affecting the scale of their

topology. Face shades of objects may look unsettling when rendered, unnecessary triangulation

may appear on models when not modeled correctly and issues are likely to surface as the process

continues to progress further.

The proponent should be aware of the exact topology that should be applied for

each character in order for it to be animated correctly to avoid visual issues. It is the

responsibility of the animator to make sure that the character meshes should not look overly

stretched during animation as these can be observed when a character is folding joints and the

edges of its joints would appear like paper being folded. These are just one of the examples of

the issues encountered when animating in low-poly. To avoid these issues, characters that have

been rigged should undergo test animations (walk cycle, joint twisting, bending, etc) in order to
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assure quality. These tests may take from a few days to several weeks.

It is also the responsibility of the animator on how each scene will look like while

animating. Other than timing, Camera movement and Lighting placement is crucial when it

comes to the technicality of making a Low-Poly animated film.

Chapter V

Conclusions & Recommendations

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Conclusions

The goal of the project is to experiment with the usage of Low-Poly and incorporate it as a short

animated film. In conclusion when it comes to artist, the difficulty of the style always depends on

how the 3D artist will make his Low-Poly works. In conclusion, the style of Low-Poly can

ultimately become a choice when it comes to animation simply because it is flexible in terms of

usage. Its usage can vary from different perspectives of Low-Poly, for example, two artists wants

to create a Low-Poly scene that consists of a man. Each artist may have a different grasp on how

they will model the man wherein one artist might go for an isometric approach while the other

artist might model the man in a realistic fashion but as simple as possible. Despite a wide range

of opinions based on what is considered as low-poly, it is popularly known that as long as there

are no smooth aspects that can be seen within the models in a consistent manner, it will still be

considered as Low-Poly.

Pre-Production

Documents were created that would list down all of the 3D Low-Poly assets, the sequence

treatment, storyboard and process of creating the film. Much of the time used during pre-

production were the implementation of the animatics of the two films which were later discarded

due to the change in storyline.

Production

After the listing of the assets and documents, Creation of the assets and models were a
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balance of hard work and analyzation. Most of the assets created were uncomplicated and were

not visually demanding. However, when it came to the characters, there were complications

because of the topology. The proponent encountered problems during the rigging stages of the

characters. Weight paints had to be applied for all 6 characters

Post-Production

For Animation. The project was more focused on the visuals of the environment next to

the visual aspects of the characters and followed by the cinematography. The researcher had to

make sure that the overall looks of the animation was visually appealing in regards to the

standards of the viewers. There were complications that were encountered during the stages of

animation such as the process of rendering distant objects such as the background itself. The sky

texture had to be manually painted on that was close to the visual identity of the style of Low-

Poly.

For VR. The gallery will showcase the process of creating Low-Poly assets seen from

the two films. The gallery will act as a mini gallery. Much of the story animations were all

rendered in MP4/H264 format and then showcased inside the gallery itself. The starting point of

the player character will be placed on the Low-Poly version of MPH1 and from there the player

character will work their way into the gallery of the project with both of the films galleries

separated from each other.

Much of the floor plan was sketched first, then outlined the final output in a black

Cartolina and then processed through blender where a floorplan was created that followed the

outline of the sketch. The floorplan had to undergo two revisions since slight changes around the
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project were made that affected the gallery. After rendering in 3D, the proponent imported the

file to UNITY engine and from there, Materials of the objects were then assigned manually

inside the software.

Recommendations

For Future proponents who are interested in this topic, these individuals should be highly aware

that Low-Poly is not very specific when it comes to the level of detail. Any type of object or

model placed in a scenario that consists of hard-lined edges represented in a pattern may be

considered as a style of Low-Poly. Furthermore, this project is to experiment with different

variations of Low-Poly through the use of VR technology which is to enhance the experience of

the user.

Technical Approach:

A. Asset Creation. For this project, the artist used Blender as his main software both in

modeling and animating since this is where the artist felt most comfortable. Future

proponents should be aware that Autodesk Maya is mostly the chosen software of the

industry and should be advised that this is what they should use if they are to pursue 3D

Modeling/Animation as their career choices although they are free to choose whichever

they prefer. When it comes to asset creation, depending on how the scenes will be created

and on what program it will be used, it is best advised to separate all assets in different

files rather than modeling all assets in one scene. Although modeling all assets in one

scene is more time efficient, it can sometimes be an inconvenience when it comes to the
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performance of the hardware the proponent is using especially since there are many

objects that are being shown in one scene.

B. Rendering. Rendering the assets should not be a problem since Low-Poly reduces render

time and render resources. The artist rendered his piece through different sets of

computers each with an assigned separate scene of the story. By then, each computer

rendered different scenes which greatly sped up its process.

Creative Process:

A. Story-telling. For future researchers who will be focusing on the storytelling and visual

narrative, plan ahead and specify on what type of message the story will bring. be as ideal

as possible, especially for beginner animators. When it comes to planning, limit the

amount of characters that are to be added since more characters equals more assets to

animate equals more workload. This of course depends on the story you are going to

develop, where the project is heading and how much time is given for the development of

the project. The proponent should know that if they are to create an animation within the

span of 6 months, focus on the ideal approach instead.

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REFERENCES

Patel, (2015, June 5) Differences between High Poly vs Low Poly 3D models, retrieved

July 30, 2018, from https://medium.com/@arjun07/differences-between-high-poly-vs-low-poly-

3d-models-348cab56e82e

Caoimh, (2016, October 30) Advantages & disadvantages of the low poly style in game

design, retrieved July 30, 2018, from https://www.joshocaoimh.com/ramble/advantages-and-

disadvantages-of-the-low-poly-style-in-game-design

Schneider, (2014, September 15) comprehensive history of Low-Poly art, retrieved July

30, 2018, from https://killscreen.com/articles/poly-generational/

Gittins, (2013, September 23) How to get the low-poly look, retrieved July 30, 2018,

from https://www.webdesignerdepot.com/2013/09/how-to-get-the-low-poly-look/
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Walsh, (2015, July 1) The “Just for Kids” Excuse: Analyzing Animation in Modern

Entertainment, retrieved July 25, 2018, from https://the-artifice.com/animation-modern-

entertainment

Mcleod, (2017) Kolb's Learning Styles and Experiential Learning Cycle, retrieved

October 4, 2018, from https://www.simplypsychology.org/learning-kolb.html

Cherry, (2018, June 15) Experiential Learning Theory of David Kolb, retrieved July 25,

2018, from https://www.verywellmind.com/experiential-learning-2795154

APPENDICES

Appendix A

Project Gantt Chart

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Modern Low-Poly in 3D
Oliveros, Joshua Alexander I.
Maprod 2 Gantt Chart
Milestones & Deliverables June July August September
WK1 WK2 WK3 WK4 WK5 WK6 WK7 WK8 Wk9 WK10 WK11 WK12 WK13 WK14
Setting of Objectives
Gantt Chart
Checking of Maprod 2 Manuscript
Review of Upcoming Works
Pre Progress Report
Materials & Budget
25% Progress Report
SFX Recording
Chapters 4 & 5 Draft
Marketing Collateral Studies
Powerpoint
Rechecking of Assets
50% Progress Report
Consultation of Manuscript and works
Chapters 4 & 5 Draft #1
50% Progress Report
Contingency Layout Vs Original Plan
Act One Animation 45%
Act Two Animation 20%
80% Progress Report
80% Progress Report Progress
VR Presentation Report
Contingency Layout Vs Original Plan

Project Management Documents

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Appendix B

Project Production Documents

Production

Appendix C

Visual References And Studies

(References or pegs?)

Appendix D
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Final Project

(Add Final outcome of Project)

Exhibit

Appendix E

Marketing Collaterals

(add collaterals picture)

Website