Atia Newman Headshot

Atia Newman

Associate Professor

School of Film and Animation
College of Art and Design
atia.newman@rit.edu
Office Hours
Tue - Thur = 2:30pm to 4pm
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 a Pak-American immigrant and an international award-winning animation and CG professional. Atia has animated characters and creatures in Hollywood movies, animated TV shows and even a AAA game. Her work as an academic focuses on exploring how people consume visual media and the effect it has on establishing world views, particularly the colonial mindset. With the advent of AI and deepfake CG imagery, her research raises the question of how to help humanity preserve reality with as little distortion as possible.

atia.newman@rit.edu
Personal Links
Personal Website
Facebook
LinkedIn
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-217
Animation Production Workshop I
3 Credits
This course will provide the first practical experience of building a complete animated film from conception to finish. Students will apply their knowledge within the greater context of an animation production pipeline. Weekly workshops are focused on helping students plan, develop, and execute their work with regular milestones and deadlines. Students will practice time-management and build skills to adhere to deadlines, and will present their completed films to the RIT community.
SOFA-226
Advanced 3D Modeling
3 Credits
This course will focus on three-dimensional character modeling. Students will learn about anatomy and creating economical topology for deformation in animation and be introduced to industry-standard digital sculpting techniques.
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-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

  • September 9, 2025

    Deanna Moorehead, Kevin Bauer, and Maggie Slaughter pose in MAGIC Spell Studios.

    RIT project increases representation in animated films

    The Character Mosaic Project is a recently revived initiative that aims to build a library of 3D characters — diverse in their ethnicities and backgrounds — that are open source for animators to seamlessly use as a broader range of subjects in their films. The project is led by Kevin Bauer, graduate director of the film and animation MFA program.

More News

Featured Work

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.

View More about Iroquois Creation Story