Ihab Mardini Headshot

Ihab Mardini

Assistant Professor

School of Design
College of Art and Design

Ihab Mardini

Assistant Professor

School of Design
College of Art and Design

Education

BA, International University of Science and Technology (Syria); MFA, Rochester Institute of Technology

Bio

Ihab graduated in 2014 after being awarded the Outstanding Student of College of Imaging Arts at RIT, and he was chosen as the delegate of all RIT grad students. His teaching career took-off in 2014 as an adjunct Professor in the School of Film and Animation (SOFA), he was hired later as a visiting professor at the 3D Digital Design program (3DDD), where he later was offered the position of an Assistant Professor, a position he currently holds. He is now also an affiliate Professor of the Center for Media, Arts, Games, Interaction & Creativity (MAGIC).

In addition to teaching academically, for several years Ihab has taught 3D modeling and animation to kids at the RIT Tiger-Camps. He has also been volunteering to teach animation to kids at the Joseph Avenue Arts and Culture Alliance.

Throughout his career at RIT Ihab worked on several personal and commissioned films, which reaped him numerous film recognitions including a permanent display of Iroquois Creation Story at Ganondagan’s Seneca Art & Culture Center and two Best Animation awards, in addition to a permanent display of Soap Film at the Exploratorium Museum of Science. As a Professor, Ihab was nominated for Teaching with Technology in 2022, the Eisenhart Nomination – RIT Outstanding Teaching Award in 2018, and a Nomination for Outstanding Teaching Award for Non-Tenure-Track Faculty in 2015.


Areas of Expertise

Currently Teaching

DDDD-103
3 Credits
This course provides experience in generating images, both still and moving, for use with the three-dimensional software environment. Students learn techniques for drawing perspective and orthographic views as well as cabinet drawings, oblique drawings, and other techniques. Students learn to create curves to import for model creation, to capture images photographically to use as textures, to create wrapping textures, to compile multiple frames into a movie, to merge segments together into a single movie, to record and incorporate audio elements, and to export results to the web and other media. Students learn to use a green screen to add live elements to their work.
DDDD-202
3 Credits
In this course students will apply visual effects and enhancements to incorporate multiple layers of still images, video and audio into a single project. Emphasis is placed on incorporating various visual elements into a cohesive cinematic design. At the completion of this course, students will be able to troubleshoot technical challenges and present their work for addition to a professional portfolio.
DDDD-207
3 Credits
The course will focus on advanced techniques in lighting, materials, and rendering. Students will light objects and spaces. Students will use shading networks to incorporate groups of two-dimensional and three-dimensional textures into realistic and non-photorealistic materials. Students will learn to use texture maps instead of detail in models to increase interaction speeds. Textures are used to prototype simple models into complex scenes before completion of final geometry. Normal maps and displacement textures are used to create detail in model UVs. Use of the node-based system to control many aspects of the 3D environment is covered. Use of textures to simulate non-dynamic lights and shadows is introduced. Planning for the economical use of textures and for the replacement of models with texture maps in level of detail (LOD) situations will be addressed as well. Students will learn to design effective render layers and explore the strengths and weaknesses of various renderers to make effective judgments about which renderer to use in a given situation.
DDDD-303
3 Credits
This course contextualizes mid-career acquired technical and aesthetic 3D Digital Design skills within a professional production setting. Students join or are assigned to collaborative teams that work with internal or external clients in the design, development, and completion of a long-form 3D Digital Design project that meets specific client-centered goals. Project scope, outcomes, milestones, deadlines and deliverables are negotiated and agreed upon between the client and the student team. The course focuses on the development of collaboration skills among the team members, and in the differentiation between team objectives and individual goals. Students will learn the process of clear communication with a client in a professional setting.
DDDD-400
3 Credits
The course focuses on the creation of the capstone project for the completion of the 3D Digital Design degree. This course will guide students through their individual three-dimensional digital design project from the planning stage, through completion and to presentation. Students will refine and complete their projects as well as prepare their capstone pieces for competitions. Completed projects will be presented in a senior capstone exhibition.
DDDD-403
3 Credits
The course focuses on the completion of a major three-dimensional digital design project from the planning stage, through completion and presentation. Based on the feedback received in the critique at the end of the previous sections of Senior Capstone I, students will refine and complete their project and prepare to submit their work to competitions and integrate it into their portfolio. Finished projects are presented in a Senior Capstone show.
DDDD-523
3 Credits
The course focuses on designing and constructing hard surface models including machinery, furniture, vehicles, electronics, and robots. Students explore the use of different modeling techniques in the process and are particularly interested in the flow of the topology within the geometry. Some attention is given to creating controls for moving the hard surface models.
DDDD-599
1 - 6 Credits
3D Digital Design 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 advisor will propose a course of study. 3D Digital Design independent study students must obtain permission of an instructor and complete the Independent Study Permission Form to enroll.
VCDE-633
3 Credits
The course focuses on designing and constructing hard surface models including machinery, furniture, vehicles, electronics, and robots. Students explore the use of different modeling techniques in the process and are particularly interested in the flow of the topology within the geometry. Some attention is given to creating controls for moving the hard surface models.

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