- just a little After Effects exercise -

Project Q - Final Result

VFX with Chris Smallfield.

So for the last couple of weeks it has been all about render and composite, and getting the 3D character integrated into the background picture. For this Chris showed us a lot of really nice VFX stuff that would help make it all a bit more believable, like different dynamics in Maya

(like dust, fog etc.), and a lot of other things that can be added in post production.

Since the VFX class was only two weeks the focus was on getting projects done, it would have been nice with an extra week just for testing out all the dynamics that Chris showed, but I'll just have to find the time for that later.

For compositing I worked mainly with fusion, but in the end I also had to bring it all into After Effects to add lens flare and a couple of other effects that fusion didn't have.

Sandra, the animator on this project, really wanted a black and white version, so I ended up doing two versions of the "movie". The old movie style was sort of a last minute thing, desaturated in AE, adding some dust and scratches on top, so I didn't have the time to change the background which is sort of a shame, the modern buildings and cars doesn't go that well together with the rest - so maybe I'll change it.

Also the sound in the coloured version is something I would have liked to tweak a bit more - especially his "footsteps", but this is what was possible.

Self Study

- the orphanage -

- Frankie -

- Frankie needed a cat for some reason -

- momNdad -

So I have had two weeks of self study. I decided to work on some character and background design and some concept art. Mainly because I felt like it had been a long time since I did some 2D work. So I started out with no real plan - but quickly came up with a little story that all the designs where aimed for. The story of a happy little suburban family mom, dad and a couple of twin boys - and for some reason the parents wants another child - so they end up adopting "Frankie", a kind and shy kid, who some might think of as being slightly weird looking(his father was that monster - wasn't he?) well naturally this doesn't go down well with the twins, who starts to treat Frankie like shit in order to get rid of him. Now what happens next I'm still working on.

These images are the more finished designs, all made in illustrator, I did make more sketches that I'll upload later on, or maybe finish all of them - the idea was to make an entire line up with all the characters for this "story"; like all of the other orphans, they should of course all be different kind of well known monster, a vampire, zombie, mummy etc.

I'm not entirely happy with all of the characters, especially Frankie and his cat would benefit from a little more work.

Robot

- a small (illustrator) sketch I did for a little contest on www.sketchoholic.com -

helicopter model

- (13/03/11) the final model now with some textures, I'm pleased with the result I think it looks almost exactly like the toy model. And know that he has served his purpose we will say bye-bye to the little chopper and send him on his final journey....

I made this model using an old toy helicopter as reference, this is a test render using a toon shader - I'm planning on doing some textures later on.

Project Q - Elliot turnAround

Project Q - Modelling and Texturing

- Elliot the Magnificent as he turned out -

Modelling and texturing with Armando Sepulveda

Since the design is fairly simple modelling the character wasn't the biggest problem, nor was the texturing - the challenge with this character was the shading so this is where I spent a lot of time, trying out different things hoping to find what I was looking for.

Since the character is supposed to be somewhat transparent I had to model some different organs for him like a heart, lungs etc. I tried out different design - some more "human" like and some inspired by deep sea creature, making them look more alien like, but it didn't feel right for such a cute character, so in the end I changed it to bubbles instead of organs, and now I think it works. The only thing that is left is the eye - I think maybe he looks a bit too evil now...

- model work-in-progress -

- oooo the fun of a failed testrender -

- AO,wireframe and beauty renders -

squidy

- a small slightly more crazy squid sketch I did for the project Q -

- the final image made using illustrator -

Project Q - Concept Design

So the beginning of a new project; Project Q

On this project I'm working together with Sandra (http://sandranandersen.blogspot.com/) designing a 4 legged creature, later on I will model, texture and rig it and then Sandra will take over making a 5 sec. animation that I will then have to composite into a background image.

This first week was concept design with Florian Satzieger (http://paperwalker.blogspot.com/) and Willie(http://williereal.blogspot.com/)

Our first idea for this project was combining the anatomy of a wolf or lion with some dinosaur or lizard features - one of the reasons, for me to avoid having to deal with fur:)

so instead of trying to do something "cool" we went in a completely different direction and ended up doing something cute and cuddly - a small sketch I did of a deep sea "dumbo squid" ended up being the base for the final design.

We named our creature Elliot (the Magnificent) and it is the idea that in the 5 sec. he is on "stage" he will blow a soap bubble and then drift away, on top of that he is supposed to be somewhat transparent so we'll be able to see some of his inner organs...let's hope it'll work out.

- the first approach to the project Q, this sketch is made by Sandra -

- my little doodle that was used as a base for the final concept -

- the final concept turn around -