Atia Newman

Associate Professor

School of Film and Animation

College of Art and Design

atia.newman@rit.edu

Office Location

GAN-2264

Atia Newman

Associate Professor

School of Film and Animation

College of Art and Design

Education

BFA, National College of the Arts (Pakistan); MFA, Pratt Institute

Bio

Atia Newman (Quadri) is an award-winning international 3D animator with roots in Pakistan. She is one of the first women to ever work in the Pakistani animation industry. Hired as a 2D animator straight out of school, she made the shift into 3D animation when she discovered the added challenge of combining technology with the aesthetic value of animation art.

atia.newman@rit.edu

Personal Links

Personal Website

Facebook

Areas of Expertise

3D Modeling and Motion

Animation

3D Animation

Select Scholarship

Published Conference Proceedings

Newman, Atia. "Cultural Preservation Using Game Technology." Proceedings of the Game Developer's Conference. Ed. GDC Reviewers. San Francisco, CA: n.p., 2022. Web.

Shows/Exhibits/Installations

Multiple, . The Character Mosaic Project. By Atia Newman and Mark Reisch. n.d. online, Rochester. Installation.

Currently Teaching

SOFA-216

3D Animation II

3 Credits

In this course students will learn the mechanics of motion within characters. Complete character-rigging techniques will be discussed and demonstrated. Students will gain further knowledge of a variety of three-dimensional computer animation techniques and will produce a series of short 3D computer animations using a pre-rigged character.

SOFA-411

Animation Capstone I

4 Credits

The first of two classes designed to advance students toward the completion of a capstone. It will advance students from capstone proposal toward the completion of a project. Students will also take part in weekly critiques to present their work and discuss the work of their classmates. At the completion of this course, students should be at the halfway point of their set project.

SOFA-501

Animatic Day

1 Credits

This course will allow students the opportunity to receive feedback on their in-progress capstone project. Students will be required to submit their work by a determined deadline and then take constructive feedback. At the completion of this course, students will decide how to implement the criticism they received with their advisor to better their work. 20 hours of class over one weekend in fall semester.

SOFA-575

3D Lighting and Rendering

3 Credits

This course is an intensive look at lighting for three-dimensional animation pipelines. Students will learn to observe, plan and replicate real-world environments and expand those into artistic interpretations of style and design. There will be a strong focus on surfacing, set-dressing, production design, as well as economical rendering techniques. Students will learn to identify the balance between artistic needs and technical limitations and how to adequately prepare a scene for post-production practices.

SOFA-583

Building the 3D Character

3 Credits

This course is an intensive exploration of the process of character creation, specifically character rigging for digital animation. Students will learn to build a working rig by applying their research into body mechanics, character deformation, and dynamic restructuring. By combining their understanding of aesthetic character creation with the study of three-dimensional technology, the course is designed to teach automation through code-building and expressions.

SOFA-599

SOFA Independent Study

1 - 6 Credits

SOFA Independent Study will provide students with the ability to study in a specialized area with an individual faculty member. Students, with the assistance of a faculty adviser, should propose a course of study or project with clearly defined deliverables. Students must obtain permission of an instructor and complete the Independent Study Permission Form to enroll. Student must have a minimum of a 3.0 GPA to apply.

SOFA-638

Complete 3D Character Creation

3 Credits

This course will explore the process of character creation, specifically character rigging for digital animation. Students will learn to build a working rig by applying their research into body mechanics, character deformation, and dynamic restructuring. Students will combine their understanding of aesthetic character creation with the study of 3D technology. Students will be exposed to automation through code-building and expressions. This course has an additional research component.

SOFA-675

3D Lighting and Texturing

3 Credits

This course will offer an intensive look at lighting for three-dimensional animation pipelines. The focus of the course will be: surfacing, set-dressing, production design, and economical rendering techniques. Students will learn to observe, plan, replicate real-world environments, and apply to artistic interpretations of style and design. The course will also provide a balance between artistic needs and technical limitations in order to prepare a scene for post-production practices. This course has an additional research component.

SOFA-799

Film and Animation Graduate Independent Study

1 - 4 Credits

Film and Animation Graduate Independent Study will provide students with the ability to study in a specialized area with an individual faculty member. Students, with the assistance of a faculty adviser, should propose a course of study or project with clearly defined deliverables. Students must obtain permission of an instructor and complete the Independent Study Permission Form to enroll. Student must have a minimum of a 3.0 GPA to apply.

SOFA-890

Research and Thesis II

4 Credits

This is the second of two courses designed to advance a student towards completion of their thesis. Students will work independently on their approved plan of work for their thesis while meeting on a regular basis with their committee chair. They are required to meet at least twice with their full committee during the semester as well as present a final screening of their thesis.

In the News

January 17, 2024

New Wehrheim Gallery prominently showcases internships, projects, and collaborative research

Photos from past internships, events, and research projects at Genesee Country Village & Museum stretch from floor to ceiling in the new Wehrheim Gallery on campus. Located on the first-floor of the new Student Hall for Exploration and Development (SHED), the Wehrheim Gallery will be used to highlight work done as part of RIT’s partnership with GCV&M.
March 21, 2023

RIT faculty senate and administrators gather in Dubai for Global Governance Summit

Representatives from RIT’s campuses in the U.S., China, Croatia, Dubai, and Kosovo recently gathered in Dubai to increase communication and collaboration around RIT’s academic policies and shared governance model.
August 19, 2022

President Munson calls on RIT community to reinvigorate the campus this academic year

RIT President David Munson welcomed the community for the start of a new academic year with a call to re-energize the campus’s atmosphere to its pre-pandemic level. During his annual President’s Address in Ingle Auditorium this morning, Munson encouraged all RIT faculty, staff, and students to make a new academic year resolution to spend more time face-to-face with one another.

More News

Featured Work

The Character Mosaic Project

Atia Newman

A joint collaboration with professor Mark Reisch.

Iroquois Creation Story

Atia Newman

A huge collaborative project combining 3D animation, 2D animation and live action shoots into a short film chronicling the origin story of the Iroquois nation.

3D Lighting and Rendering

T Mazzaglia