CMPT 466: Computer Animation

(Spring 2026)

Introduction
Prerequisite

Course Staf f
Resources

Course Schedule

Introduction

Topics and techniques in computer animation, including: The history of animation, traditional animation, animation production pipeline, 3D model representation, kinematic animation, motion capture, particle systems, physics-based animation, character animation, soft objects and deformation.

Prerequisite

CMPT361
Good-to-have background: Multivariable Calculus, Numerical Analysis, Ordinary Differential Equations, Probability, Data Structures and Algorithms, Fundamental Physics.
Good-to-have skills: strong in programming; comfortable with math.

Course Staff

Principal Instructor: KangKang Yin
Guest Lecturers:
Teaching Assistant: Vincent Hu

Resources

Recommended Textbook: "Computer Animation: Algorithms and Techniques (third edition)", Rick Parent. Morgan Kaufmann, ISBN 9780124158429. The first edition of this book is available online here.

The movie and game industry has strong presence in Vancouver:
Electronic Arts Atmosphere Sony Imageworks Relic Entertainment CD Projekt Red

Publication venues for animation research:
Siggraph Eurographics SCA Motion, Interaction and Games CHI Pacific Graphics I3D

Some cool confereces you wanna check out:
GDC GTC

Course Schedule (tentative, subject to changes, check regularly)

The classes will be held on Tuesdays and Fridays @ 10:30. Instructor's office hours Fridays 11:30-12:20. TA's office hours TBD.
The Maya Labs will be in ASB 9840. Most machines should have Maya installed. Alternatively you can bring your own laptop, but make sure to install a free strudent version of Maya prior to the classes.
There is no midterm exam for this course. There is a final exam.
Lecture notes will be available before classes. Please do not circulate the notes electronically, however, as I don't have time to contact the original authors to obtain proper copyright for all the images and videos I use. We need to follow the fair use principles.
Evaluation and Grading: Programming Assignment: 50% (C# in Unity); Animation Assignments: 10% (Maya); Final Exam: 40%.

*Week*	*Tuesday (10:30-12:20)* *WMC2200*	*Friday (10:30-11:20)* *WMC2200*
1	Jan 6 Introduction to Animation; Animation Production Siggraph on YouTube Graphics Papers on the Web Graphics Gems The 5 Types of Animation Dreamworks Animation Pipeline Chapter 1.3 (before 1.3.1) Chapter 1.4 and 1.4.1	Jan 9 Principles of Traditional Animation Chapter 1.3.1 Principles of traditional animation The cartoon animation filter 12 Principles of Animation 12 Principles of Animation in Games
2	Jan 13 Review: Coordinates and Transformations; Interpolation and Smoothing Chapter 4.1 Chapter 2.1.2-2.1.4 Appendix B.3.1 and B.3.2	Jan 16 Maya Basics (ASB 9840) Maya Interface Tour
3	Jan 20 Curves and Splines Chapter 3.1; Chapter 3.4.3 Appendix B.5 First Programming Assignment Out	Jan 23 Unity Tutorial https://unity.com/ https://learn.unity.com/
4	Jan 27 3D Rotations Chapter 2.1.5 and 2.2 Appendix B.3.3 and B.3.4	Jan 30 Building a Character in Maya (ASB 9840) Maya Basics - Shaping and Positioning Objects Maya Basics - Building Your First Model
5	Feb 3 Interpolation of 3D Rotations; Skeletal Animation and Forward Kinematics Chapter 3.3; Chapter 2.2.3 Visualizing Quaternions Maya Gimbal Lock Explained	Feb 6 Inverse Kinematics Chapter 5.1; Chapter 5.2
6	Feb 10 Inverse Kinematics (continued) Chapter 5.3 Damped Least Squares Method Second Programming Assignment Out	Feb 13 Maya Assignment (ASB 9840) Maya FK and IK Maya Assignment Out
7	Feb 17 (No Class, Reading Break)	Feb 20 (No Class, Reading Break)
8	Feb 24 Motion Capture Chapter 6	Feb 27 Physics-based Animation Intro Chapter 7.1; Appendix B.7
9	Mar 3 Particle Systems and Dynamics Chapter 7.3; Appendix B.8 Differential Equation Basics Particle System Dynamics	Mar 6 Particle Systems in Maya (ASB 9840) Creating Passive Colliders in Maya Fluid simulation with nParticles
10	Mar 10 Rigid Body Dynamics Chapter 7.4 RIgid Body Dynamics Third Programming Assignment Out	Mar 13 Articulated Rigid Body Systems Constrained Dynamics
11	Mar 17 Physics-based Character Animation Chapter 9.1; Chapter 9.3.3; Chapter 9.3.4 SIMBICON	Mar 20 Physics-based Character Animation (continued)
12	Mar 24 Introduction to Deep Learning Deep Learning: A Crash Course The Theory of Everything	Mar 27 DL-based Animation Methods
13	Mar 31 Introduction to Deep Reinforcement Learning; DRL-based Animation Methods Learning to Move CS285 at UC Berkeley Forth Programming Assignment Out	Apr 3 (No Class, Good Friday)
14	Apr 7 Rigging and Skinning; Review (Last Class)	Apr 10 Maya Skinning (ASB 9840) Painting Skin Weights in Maya
	Apr ?, ??? Final Exam