Scene Preparation - An Introduction to Computer Graphics for Artists - page 63

Table 5.1 File naming construction
Object class Object name Variant Version Final name

Auto Honda A 01 AutoHondaA01

Auto Fiat B 01 AutoFiatB01

Auto Pinto A 78 AutoPintoA78

Prop Salt A 02 PropSaltA02

Prop Glass D 04 PropGlassD04

Prop Can C 16 PropCanC16

Table 5.2 Task-based window arrangements

Modeling Texturing Rigging Animation Lighting Rendering

Perspective
view

Perspective
view

Perspective
view

Perspective
view

Top view Render

parameters

Node chart UVs Script window Keyframe graph Node chart Render progress

Layers Shader list Node chart Time line Light editor Batch control

5.2 Windows

Some window arrangements are more appropriate than others for certain purposes.
A model fi le may be directly imported into a game engine when it is done, or it may
be sent to a texturing station to be textured, then to someone else for rigging and
animation. Each of these steps dictates a different window arrangement. The texture
artist will probably want to see the model and the texture coordinates, but the ani-
mator might want to see the model and a graph representation of keyframe values.
It is worthwhile to anticipate these needs for the different uses of a fi le, so that each
person who works with it is aware of the preferred window arrangement for their
part of the process.
CG artists who do not make an effort to organize their windows cause other art-
ists to lose time as they clear away unwanted windows and open the ones they need.
It can also slow down an artist working with their own fi le because windows and
tool palettes that were relevant at one stage of the process may no longer be relevant
and must be cleared away. It is a good habit to always center your camera on the
contents of your scene and clean up your window arrangement before saving the
fi le. Table 5.2 provides a generic list of the kind of windows that would be appropri-
ate for different stages of a fi le's development.

5.3 Camera

The elements of a scene are viewed with a virtual camera. For wireframe representa-
tions of objects, the camera's focal length has the most dramatic effect on the image.
Focal length describes the distance between the camera lens and the focal plane o f