As part of my training in 3D character animation, I focused on developing facial animation skills using Autodesk Maya. This exercise allowed me to understand how subtle facial movements can communicate thought, emotion, and intention in a believable way.

I practiced three key areas:

• Lip Sync: I learned how to time and shape mouth movements accurately to match dialogue, paying attention to phoneme transitions, spacing, and keeping the performance natural and fluid, rather than mechanical.

• Eye Darts: Implementing eye darts was essential to bring life to the character. These quick, subtle eye shifts helped convey thinking, reacting, and emotional shifts, making the face feel more grounded and responsive.

• Facial Arcs: I worked on ensuring all facial movements followed clean arcs, which added elegance and flow to the performance. Avoiding linear or stiff motion was key to achieving a more organic and expressive animation.

This practice greatly improved my understanding of how to animate facial performances that are both technically solid and emotionally engaging, deepening my control over timing, spacing, and acting in 3D.