KNB205 Digital Characters
To view more information for this unit, select Unit Outline from the list below. Please note the teaching period for which the Unit Outline is relevant.
| Unit code: | KNB205 |
|---|---|
| Equivalent(s): | KNB217 |
| Assumed Knowledge: | Foundational knowledge of 3D production workflows, including modelling, materials, texturing and real-time rendering, and experience constructing and presenting simple virtual environments or assets. |
| Credit points: | 12 |
| Timetable | Details in HiQ, if available |
| Availabilities |
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Unit Outline: Semester 1 2027, Kelvin Grove, Internal
| Unit code: | KNB205 |
|---|---|
| Credit points: | 12 |
| Equivalent: | KNB217 |
| Assumed Knowledge: | Foundational knowledge of 3D production workflows, including modelling, materials, texturing and real-time rendering, and experience constructing and presenting simple virtual environments or assets. |
Overview
Animated characters and creatures play a central role in storytelling, shaping how audiences connect with animated worlds. In this unit you will explore how characters are created and prepared for contemporary animation production. Building on your understanding of environments and world building, you will investigate the components that form an animated character, including form, structure and the digital systems that allow characters to move and perform within animated spaces. Through the study of character creation processes and production methods, you will learn how characters are constructed for animation pipelines. Exercises will guide you in creating characters for animation production. You will also examine how character form communicates personality, story and emotion, and consider the importance of cultural awareness in character creation. By the end of the unit you will understand how characters are constructed and prepared for contemporary animation production.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:
- Analyse and develop character designs in relation to narrative, visual language and cultural context, demonstrating how form communicates identity, meaning and story
- Demonstrate knowledge of character production pipelines, including modelling, digital sculpting, topology, UV layout, texturing and rigging for animation
- Apply character construction techniques to produce animation-ready assets, demonstrating how topology, deformation and rigging systems support movement and performance
- Develop characters through iterative workflows, demonstrating problem-solving in response to technical constraints, deformation issues and production requirements.
- Evaluate and present character designs and assets with consideration of cultural protocols, ethical representation and professional standards in animation production.
Content
This unit covers the theory and practice of digital character creation for animation production, exploring the relationship between visual design, technical structure and animated performance. You will examine how character form, proportion and surface detail communicate identity, personality and narrative within animation contexts, including consideration of cultural representation and the ethical implications of character design.
You will engage with the core components of character production pipelines, including character design for 3D, modelling and digital sculpting, topology for animation, UV layout and preparation for texturing. The unit also introduces rigging systems for body and facial animation, focusing on how digital structures support movement, deformation and performance.
Practical activities focus on the development of animation-ready character assets, with an emphasis on clean topology, efficient UV layouts and functional rigging systems. This includes consideration of sustainable production practices, such as optimised geometry, efficient rig structures and reusable asset workflows that support scalable and adaptable character production.
The unit supports critical and creative thinking in character development, including problem-solving within production pipelines and reflection on how characters are constructed, represented and interpreted within contemporary animation practice, with attention to cultural context, ethical considerations and professional standards.
The ethical and practical applications of Gen-AI are openly discussed with you as part of content delivery. In this unit, you will explore the methods and considerations involved in using Gen-AI as part of an evolving academic writing toolset, as well as in the creation of pre-production materials and emerging approaches to developing 3D Characters. Gen-AI tools are positioned as supplementary to, not replacements for, core 3D character production methods, and should be engaged with only after a firm understanding of key principles and techniques has been established.
Learning Approaches
Learning is facilitated through lectures and workshops that focus on the theoretical foundations of digital character creation and animation pipelines. Lectures introduce key concepts such as character form, structure, topology and deformation, while workshops support discussion and analysis of how these ideas inform character performance and how characters are constructed for animation production.
Across the semester, lectures and workshops progressively support an increasing focus on production. Lectures continue to frame and contextualise core concepts, while workshops provide structured, guided opportunities to apply these ideas through character development tasks. Within tutorials, you will develop and refine your 3D character using industry-relevant workflows, with an emphasis on iterative practice, problem-solving and technical development.
The unit emphasises a strong conceptual understanding of how characters are designed and prepared for animation, with practical activities used to reinforce and apply these principles through the development of 3D characters for use within contemporary animation workflows.
Feedback on Learning and Assessment
You will gain progressive feedback in this unit by participating in regular reviews and critiques with academics and peers, discussing writing and animation work in development. You will also receive written feedback on your assessments.
Assessment
Overview
In this unit, you will develop a strong connection between character design theory and the practical creation of characters for animation production. The three assessments are designed to progressively build your conceptual and technical understanding of digital character production pipelines. In the first assessment, you will undertake research-informed character design, analysing how visual design, narrative context and cultural influences shape character identity and storytelling. This task focuses on how theory informs design decisions. In the second assessment, you will apply character construction theory through the creation of a 3D character model. Using modelling and sculpting techniques, you will develop a character mesh while demonstrating an understanding of topology, structure and animation-ready geometry. In the final assessment, you will prepare your character for animation production through texturing, rigging and presentation, culminating in a posed and rendered portfolio image that reflects the character’s personality and readiness for animation. Throughout the unit, you will document your development process through annotated workbooks, reflecting on production methods, technical decisions and problem-solving across the character creation pipeline. Classes provide opportunities for feedback and support your development of both conceptual understanding and practical production skills.
Unit Grading Scheme
7- point scale
Assessment Tasks
Assessment: Character Design Language Analysis
In this assessment, you will undertake research and critical analysis to explore how visual design communicates character, narrative and cultural meaning in animation. You will develop a character design and provide analysis explaining how the character’s visual language, personality and cultural influences inform its narrative role and aesthetic context. You will be required to respond to specific prompts, constraints or contextual materials provided in the unit and detailed on Canvas. You will apply your understanding of character design principles to these materials, demonstrating how theoretical concepts inform your design decisions and analysis. Your submission should show clear connections between theory, research and your design outcomes, demonstrating how character design operates within specific narrative and cultural contexts.
This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.
The ethical and responsible use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools is authorised in this assessment. See the relevant assessment details in Canvas for specific guidelines.
Assessment: 3D Character Model Development
In this assessment, you will apply key principles of digital character construction through the creation of a 3D character model suitable for animation production. Using sculpting techniques, you will design and construct a character mesh that demonstrates appropriate topology and edge flow to support animation. The project focuses on applying theoretical concepts of character structure, form and animation-ready geometry. An annotated workbook will document the key stages of the modelling process and reflect on how theoretical concepts informed your technical decisions and problem-solving during development.
This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.
The ethical and responsible use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools is authorised in this assessment. See the relevant assessment details in Canvas for specific guidelines.
Assessment: Character Rigging and Presentation
In this assessment, you will complete your 3D character for animation production by applying texturing, rigging and presentation techniques. Using industry-standard workflows, you will prepare your character to support animation through appropriate materials, shading, rigging and deformation. The project focuses on demonstrating how these production processes influence character expression, performance and visual outcome. Your final submission will include a posed, professionally lit render that reflects the character’s personality and readiness for animation.
This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.
The ethical and responsible use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools is authorised in this assessment. See the relevant assessment details in Canvas for specific guidelines.
Academic Integrity
Academic integrity is a commitment to undertaking academic work and assessment in a manner that is ethical, fair, honest, respectful and accountable.
The Academic Integrity Policy sets out the range of conduct that can be a failure to maintain the standards of academic integrity. This includes, cheating in exams, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion and contract cheating. It also includes providing fraudulent or altered documentation in support of an academic concession application, for example an assignment extension or a deferred exam.
You are encouraged to make use of QUT’s learning support services, resources and tools to assure the academic integrity of your assessment. This includes the use of text matching software that may be available to assist with self-assessing your academic integrity as part of the assessment submission process.
Breaching QUT’s Academic Integrity Policy or engaging in conduct that may defeat or compromise the purpose of assessment can lead to a finding of student misconduct (Code of Conduct – Student) and result in the imposition of penalties under the Management of Student Misconduct Policy, ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.
Requirements to Study
Requirements
All students are requested to visit and review the Health and Safety information on the HiQ web pages (CIESJ Tier 1 HSE requirement).
You will be advised if you are required to complete a Tier 2 CIESJ Health and Safety Induction which is provided by the technician on site in the theatre, workshop or studio, or a Tier 3 CIESJ Health and Safety Induction which is a hands on induction on specific machinery.
This unit involves substantial computer-based work. You are advised to take regular rest breaks when engaging in prolonged computer-based work, and ensure that your workstation is set up for optimal comfort to prevent strain or injury.
Costs
In this unit you may be required to use a WACOM CINTIQ tablet pen (approx. $170). (Staff will advise on suitable version/model in Week 1.) There are a limited number of pens supplied but students are advised to purchase their own.
It is highly recommended that students undertaking animation units acquire a high-speed, portable solid-state drive with USB-C connectivity and at least 500 GB. Cost can range from $150 to $500 you should discuss with the teaching staff before purchasing.
Resources
Additional resources are also available through the Canvas site for this unit.
24-hour computer labs are accessible - on campus – during term time.
Resource Materials
Recommended text(s)
Assaf, E. (2015). Rigging for Games : A Primer for Technical Artists Using Maya and Python. (1st ed.). CRC Press LLC.
Bridgman, G. B. (1971). The book of a hundred hands. Dover Publications.
Bridgman, G. B., & Pinchot, B. (2005). Drawing the female form. Dover.
Ellenberger, W., Baum, H. J., Dittrich, H., Brown, L. S., & Dittrich, H. (Hermann). (1956). An atlas of animal anatomy for artists (L. S. Brown, Ed.; Second Revised and Expanded Edition / edited by Lewis S. Brown.). Dover Publications.
Funke, J., & Grove, J. (2019). Sculpture, Sexuality and History Encounters in Literature, Culture and the Arts from the Eighteenth Century to the Present (J. Funke & J. Grove, Eds.; 1st ed. 2019.). Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-95840-8
Goldfinger, E. (2004). Animal anatomy for artists the elements of form. Oxford University Press.
Miller, S. (2000). Sculpture and Art History. Art History, 23(4), 633–638. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8365.00231
Monsters in the movies; 100 years of cinematic nightmares. (2012). Reference & Research Book News, 27(4). Ringgold, Inc.
O’Hailey, T. (2013). Rig it right! : Maya animation rigging concepts. Focal Press.
Schider, F., Auerbach, M., Wolf, B., & Lenssen, H. (1957). An atlas of anatomy for artists (M. Auerbach, Ed.; B. Wolf, Trans.; Third American edition.). Dover Publications, Inc.
Software
ZBrush, Core 3d sculpting software
Epic Unreal Engine, Real-time engine used in presenting and creating outcomes in the unit.
Autodesk Maya, used for character rigging.
Other
Wacom cintiq tablet pens (to be advised by teaching staff)
Risk Assessment Statement
For risks associated with using campus buildings or QUT facilities, refer to the HiQ Health and Safety information.
There are no out of the ordinary risks associated with this unit.
Every effort is made by QUT staff to ensure that you work in a safe environment. Conversely, you are expected to follow all safety rules, procedures and directions, and to ensure that you do not put at risk the safety of others, or yourself, or of the highest artistic fulfilment of the project in any way.
Course Learning Outcomes
This unit is designed to support your development of the following course/study area learning outcomes.CA01 Bachelor of Creative Arts
- Cite and discuss a broad and coherent knowledge of historical and contemporary cultural contexts for creative practice, including the contribution of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledges.
Relates to: ULO1, ULO4, Character Design Language Analysis, 3D Character Model Development, Character Rigging and Presentation - Identify and demonstrate knowledge of the techniques and concepts underpinning your field of creative practice.
Relates to: ULO1, ULO2, ULO3, Character Design Language Analysis, 3D Character Model Development, Character Rigging and Presentation - Demonstrate complex problem solving through iterative experimentation and the creative and critical development of ideas and outcomes.
Relates to: ULO2, ULO3, ULO4, 3D Character Model Development, Character Rigging and Presentation - Demonstrate technical proficiency and a knowledge of contemporary digital practices and technologies in one or more disciplines and apply these in creative and critical settings.
Relates to: ULO1, ULO2, ULO3, ULO4, Character Design Language Analysis, 3D Character Model Development, Character Rigging and Presentation - Communicate independent learning clearly and coherently in diverse modes relevant to your field of creative practice.
Relates to: ULO1, ULO4, Character Design Language Analysis, 3D Character Model Development, Character Rigging and Presentation - Communicate, represent, and promote your work in ways relevant to your creative field.
Relates to: ULO1, ULO2, ULO3, ULO4, Character Design Language Analysis, 3D Character Model Development, Character Rigging and Presentation - Discern, critically analyse, and synthesise knowledge in complex creative and critical settings.
Relates to: ULO1, ULO4, Character Design Language Analysis, 3D Character Model Development, Character Rigging and Presentation - Work productively as a leader and collaborator in disciplinary and interdisciplinary practices.
Relates to: ULO2, 3D Character Model Development, Character Rigging and Presentation - Formulate and apply an independent perspective through contextual research, reflection, and by acting on the informed critique of others.
Relates to: ULO3, ULO4, Character Design Language Analysis, 3D Character Model Development, Character Rigging and Presentation - Demonstrate respect for cultural and social differences, sustainability, and work with integrity across all practice and professional settings.
Relates to: ULO5, Character Design Language Analysis, 3D Character Model Development, Character Rigging and Presentation - Operate with initiative, ethical judgement and professionalism, both alone and in groups.
Relates to: ULO5, Character Design Language Analysis, 3D Character Model Development, Character Rigging and Presentation
IN05 Bachelor of Games and Interactive Environments
- Demonstrate broad knowledge of games and interactive environments principles and theory, with an in-depth knowledge of one games-related discipline.
Relates to: ULO1, 3D Character Model Development - Apply creativity, critical thinking and problem-solving skills to generate solutions to design challenges.
Relates to: ULO2, Character Design Language Analysis - Communicate complex concepts at all stages of the development cycle to specialist and non-specialist audiences in written, oral and interactive visual formats.
Relates to: ULO4, Character Rigging and Presentation - Critically reflect on social, ethical, cultural, legal and accessibility issues in the context of games and interactive environments, including as they relate to First Nations Australians.
Relates to: ULO3
KK43 Bachelor of Creative Industries
- Demonstrate broad and coherent theoretical and practical knowledge required for creative enterprise, career development and interdisciplinary collaborations, supported by depth in at least one creative disciplinary area.
Relates to: ULO1, ULO2, Character Design Language Analysis, 3D Character Model Development, Character Rigging and Presentation - Demonstrate well-developed cognitive and ideation skills to identify, analyse and evaluate opportunities to address authentic complex problems.
Relates to: ULO2, ULO4, 3D Character Model Development, Character Rigging and Presentation - Demonstrate technical expertise to support skills and knowledge within the Creative Industries.
Relates to: ULO4, 3D Character Model Development, Character Rigging and Presentation - Communicate effectively in a range of forms across multiple media modes, for sharing and disseminating knowledge, skills and ideas, and collaborative practice and navigation of social networks.
Relates to: ULO3, Character Design Language Analysis, 3D Character Model Development, Character Rigging and Presentation - Apply and adapt creative disciplinary knowledge and skills with agility in a range of industry, community and intercultural contexts.
Relates to: ULO2, ULO3, ULO4, Character Design Language Analysis, 3D Character Model Development, Character Rigging and Presentation - Embody social and ethical responsibilities and exhibit well-developed judgement with resilience, integrity, curiosity and responsibility.
Relates to: ULO3, Character Design Language Analysis, 3D Character Model Development, Character Rigging and Presentation