ATRG Advert with Music

So made the music to the animation last night, using Garageband. I think I like it, in my eyes this is now done I can now just tweak and play with it as much as I want to before the deadline, its a good feeling. Now today onwards I can concentrate on conquering my real weakness writing.

This is my ATRG Advert (with no tweaks):


Eventually I will add little ATRG signs everywhere, like in the sands of egypt, the cave paintings and Punk graffiti, but for now I have to just be done with it.

Backgrounds done

catalogue ideas

ATRG Update

ATRG Update

Halfway through the backgroudn now, just have Georgian/Colonial to Modern day left to do. Still not hundred percent how I plan to finish it, but as long as I get the bulk of it done I'm happy.

I'm drawing a lot of it on the iPad using procreate and just transferring it over via dropbox to Photoshop, its so much easier to draw I find and then I can just tweak it and make it fit when I need to.

YAY

Got feedback for my last essay, high 2:1 which means I'm on track. Thats really good considering I havent written anything formal or done referencing since over a year now. Anyway also means I was only few marks off a 1st too.

Well I've been carrying on with trying to finish my Client and Catalogue projects this week, also this afternoon I've touched up on Maya again. Will be honest have been avoiding it a little, but I have no choice have to get back on it. so here is my updated evolutionary timeline



Plus a this is an updated version of Hagatha:

Ived added thr walkcycle below (shortened version).

ATRG Update

The evolution walk cycles done;

ATRG Evolution- Group One Basic

So this is what I've created so far for the Client project - ATRG. I've got a basic walk cycle up, all I need to do is set up the transitions between evolutionary levels and background scenery. I've made the rest and they're just sat waiting to be uploaded into a walk cycle on After Effects. Hopefully should have this and the Catalogue project done by latest next week. Giving me a good few weeks to concentarte solely on my Research Project. I got some more books, two through the post yesterday; "The Art of Hotel Transylvania" and "What's so Funny". Also bought "Monsters in Films", "Character Mentor" and "Fantasy Art Workshop" These last three books are just for general purposes rather than for the Research Project. I am also slowly making my way through the Tex Avery Book, I writing notes in it as I go along, just small summaries and useful quotes bit of knowledge and references to certain small animations, it helps so I dont have to keep re reading it and can progress through it quicker, I've also realised in the back are two long interviews with Avery himsef, excited to read what he has to say.
Anyway reading a side, back to finsihing off these other two smaller projects.

Catalogue

Given a new project so here is one of the pieces I've created for it. I might add a long walk cycle underneath just to put it better into context. I've also finished the character models, MODELS! For the client project, will be working on the background this weekend.

 This are just the first 4 of the 17 I've created, going all the way through to modern age!

Anyway will update again when I can this weekend as I have to dash now

The Horrifying Rant!

So I know i said I'd write a blog about my internal project yesterday, but I actually was very productive in another project, my Research Project.
After spending a good time reading what is expected of me in the 3000-4000 words research paper, and what is necessary in such a paper, I've come to realise that there are not enough words for what I want to talk about. I thought it would be a in depth discussion, but apparently not the case. The extra section like 'background to research', 'research methodology' and 'description of proposed practice' can surely be merged into other areas. Why waste entire sections for this headings when it is a creative course, I'd understand more if it were a soical/science dissitations, as then it is obviously advantageous. But by giving entire sections away means having to write more than just a few sentences and writing something more substantial to justify having it as a section, right?
I don't know, maybe my lack of experience is showing, but there is not much logic behind it, yet others have done it in the past. Although with this is mind, after reading the example given to us as reference from someone last year, their discusson section was mostly pictures?!! They too didn't have enough to space to write. Maybe I'm being too optimistic in what I intend to write and will be glad to have so few words.
Anyway least I have a structure in place and a topic that interestes me. In fact I went to see 'Hotel Transylvania' yesterday. Good film, not great, but definitely would watch and enjoy it again.

In terms of animation I actually expected more extreme poses, it was great what they accomplished don't get me wrong, but it didnt have the wild takes I was expecting after reading some of the articles that Genndy Tartakovsky wanted it to be like the wild Warner Bros. and Tex Avery Cartoons.

They've done an awesome job at finally a new way to animate, rather then try and copy the kingpins Pixar. Its very much like Tex's work in the grand era of Walt Disney. Animation needs a fresh perspective, I know the picture above shows some extraggeration, but it wasnt like that all the way through the film, in fact some of the extreme emotions didnt really show till towards the end , which i dont understand as dracula had plenty bursts of rage since the beginning of the film. I would love to have seen it pushed more.

In fact that is what my finally year is all about, pushing the limits of animation. Tartakovsky's team had to re program and script how the rigs and models would morph so as to make it smooth and not crumpled or disfigured in a horrific mess. I'm not sure how I'm going to go about doing it, but I know they used Maya. so thats what I intend to learn today, wish me luck.

Everything but!

So Lately it seems I can concentrate on learning everything but what I have to, for example I have been studying Neanderthals, homosapiens and the famous Lucy. None of which have anything to do with animation or 3d in anyway.
I need to get my focus back on track, so this evening I spent most of the time looking for topics on the new film Hotel Transylvania, and I am loving what I've read so far, in fact tomorrow I have insisted with my other half we go see it and on top of that I have ordered the art and making of book.
I found this really good little tidbit into the behind scenes animation of it on dengeek.com http://www.denofgeek.com/movies/hotel-transylvania/22999/hotel-transylvania-a-look-at-the-animation-style
Which even includes a little clip of the pre materialed models being animated. It describes how they replaced the in between blur that usually happens in animation with a  step by step key frame and nickenamed it Genndy blur. Ontop of the modellers and riggers having to do this and create a new engine software, they would give their extreme pose of say Dracula, in which Grenndy Tartakovsky would draw over the still of the extreme pose on the Cintiq ensuring that the 2d extreme style inspired by the Warner Bros. and Tex Avery style (as quoted), would be transferred into 3d! The film director was so determined to have this, he would draw over it!! Love it, it's everything Pixar is not, and is exactly what I am looking for, he steers clear of the realistic CGI stuff that everyone is trying to do and creates something a cartoon should be! Love it
Anyway I'm really looking forward to the book arriving which should be over the next week or so, I've also ordered "Why is that so funny? A Practival exploration of physical comedy" which is also quite fitting as I've been watching the Marx Brother films, wasn't sure what to make of them first but "Duck Soup" actually made me giggle out loud!

Besides all this book ordering and laughing to myself I also had a major panic when I realised we had another project this term, internal client project! Da..da..duuuhh..... So in my hectic busy family week last week I had to pull together a presentation for an idea I didn't have, well lucky for me I work well under pressure, in fact I'm rubbish if there's no pressure, I procrastinate, a lot! Anyway back to the main point at hand, this week I'll be creating an animatic/storyboard of my idea which I came up with the night before! It's actually pretty good. In fact tomorrow I'll write up a post entirely dedicated to it as I'm going to try and read my tex avery book now.

Here's the YouTube link to fatboy slim video Rig here, right now. Inspiration to my internal client project

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R795KiMD4zs&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Weird I know...

Due to the workload I've not had chnace to upload anything onto my blog for a while. So... Sorry for that. Well I've managed to complete a presentation and handed in my first essay. Also had a big realisation as to how hard it is to read and write. Due to not having done it in a while, it has been a real hinderance, but i keep telling myself practice will make perfect. Im currently trying to read Tex Avery: King of Cartoons by Joe Adamson, really interesting but takes me three reads of the same page to actually get it and make it stick which as you can imagine being very very tidious.

Anyway I'm determined to do it, especially as its the only thing that is going to help towards my research project.

Here is my presentation for my Research Project:

Avery Presentation from simone Hunt on Vimeo.

Then we have the designs and idea for my enterpanerial idea, it is for my Context 3 essay. Hard as i quickly gave myself a crash course in business and investors, along with the inner workings of 3d technology, kinect and Infra Red lights and sensors.

Not bad considering I had no idea what Infra Red even was let alone how the sensors work together, and IR Light or what use the RGB Camera is to a Kinect. Anyway I did it and I'm quite chuffed with my little self. It could possibly wipe out keyboards and the mouse, who knows.

Daily Sketch: Self portrait

Jeebus... How hard was that!? Never realised how hard self portraits are, spent ages trying to figure out where my eyes were on my own head!! I'm done staring at myself, not the most vain person as it is, can be occasionally but fed up of it today. Anyway realised the more I challenge myself with different facial features and characters the better I become.

 

This one has been quite difficult, I knew My main features like the button nose and huge lips and big eyes, did not know how out of proportion it ll made it though!

Anyway it came together better when I started looking at it as a whole, with the hair and ears neck and shoulders. Also a big challenge was the 3/4 view not done that in ages and ages! I'm really getting into owning an iPad especially to draw with, best alternative I've got to one of those fancy big computer ones, once I've got a job and money then I'll start doing more fancy things

Daily sketch Le Chef

So my other half is doing a patisserie course this year, and every Tuesday keeps bringing home lots of fattening goodies, then we eat them while watching The Great British Bake Off. Well I was a little inspired to draw my very of a chef.

Here is the outline, and then I did a coloured version on my iPad using the Procreate app.

Only annoying thing about my daily sketch is his stupid squinty eye! I've forgotten how to draw them, will keep at it though! I like it apart from that I think, I like my little random daily sketches thing I've got going on though.

text Postitions

Logos Coloured

GiCandi Designs Finalizing

Daily Sketch: Beethoven

Just practicing my drawing skills, practice makes perfect. Anyway thought I'd have a go at a caricature and chose to do the famous Beethoven. Did not realise how big his forehead and hair was till I studied his pictures. Anyway here's my version of him done on iPad using Procreate and a Alupen.

not bad for a first time go, anyway I might add more detail later, just kept it simple with block colours and basic shadows. His hair could do with being a bit more fly away and messy though I reckon, anyway daily sketch done!

 

Coloured Designs

Slight Change

So I've looked at the bearded man so much I don't know how to improve it, I think I'm going to have to give it a break for a whole.

So with that in mind I've started my essay properly, not just the research and quotations for it. Forgot how hard writing was, spent nearly all day just doing the introduction, September I hope is going to be a long month. 4000 words here I come!

 

This is my mood and inspiration board for my essay. I'm going to get it done!

Bearded Man update

So I'm going to call it a night on this drawing, come back to it in the morning with fresh eyes. Not sure what more I should do, but that's why I'm going to leave it a while, refresh my brain. Don't think I'm doing too badly with my first go at a background!

Also client project going really well. Got a logo and design can now just play with colours! Will begin that this week, going to be ready for my September 16th deadline!

 

quick update

Another quick design before I'm thrown out of the computer room

Styles and Logos

Have another meeting this evening, just to update on progress and make sure im heading in the right direction.

Background painting

So I am getting there, my first real go with a background and scenery painting, something I always seem to avoid for some reason. Its taken me forever to get just to this point since yesterday!

Hopefully it's starting to get a little more depth to it

 

 

Bearded man update

Just a quick update on the progress of my Bearded Wise Man painting, it's taking shape, I've just completed the basic shadows. I'm now able to start intensifying shadows and the light, and start adding details into the trees like bark and mushrooms. Add some leaves and texture to it. Then I think I'll finish off with the man. The glowing orbs are still 50/50 at the minute.

It's taking shape isn't it?! Hopefully will finish this soon and be able to carry on with my chicken animation. Had a sneaky peek at the other contestants work, I think I'm in with a chance!

 

Ok bit naughty but... He's got a BEARD!

Ok I know I've got like a billion and one different projects going on, but this idea struck me and theres nothing else out there like it. I have started my essay, and getting all my research together, to be honest I've got the answer and what I want to study in my final year, but it's how to best word the question, so I get to add all the things I want to study into it. Also my client project is coming on, but uni systems are being updated so I can't use them at the minute so it will have to wait.

Oh my chicken animation has come to a stand still BUT... Yesterday someone contacted me asking if it was possible to use it, a video company wanted to use it in a wedding video they were doing. How good is that?? So later today I'm going to get back on it, especially if someone thinks it good enough just from the 6second walk cycle.

Anyway back to the present this bearded fellow, just started the background, something I still haven't got my head around taking me an entire day to get the courage and begin drawing it. I didn't know how to start it what setting would best suit him, I was thinking indoors but then lighting became an issue. Then I thought about him on water almost meditating like, but that too became a bit too complex. I'm only a little beginner so that I'd start a little easier and do it in a forest setting. So here is the base, I might change the colouring, I'm going to add little light orbs around him, make it more mystical. Just have a play. Hopefully the base is a good enough start for me to get my head around scenery painting.

Practice makes perfect!

 

Successful Meeting One

Well had my meeting yesterday and it went very well, we're going to meet weekly. Anyway after showing some of my rough designs, this one was a winner, so ive expanded on it since then, taking into account the text style and coloruing they wanted. I'll be doing plenty of variations on this, this is just day ones worth of work. I'll be getting quicker and quicker narrowing it down to the perfect design they want.
the logo will be the cocktail glass with the lolly/olive being the initials GC for GiCandi

Gi Candi Samples

Sheet One

For a client, just samples see which styles he's looking for.

The Butterfly Walk

So I'm taking a bit of a break from my animation, going to save it for my long journey back to the UK tomorrow. Trying to figure out to best do the background to my chicken walk, I've got all the ray ideas but getting it into the animation is going to be a bit tedious and complex. I've got a 14hr journey ahead of me so plenty of time to kill. So today went on a walk and came across this little fella. My sister though he was adorable and I manage to capture his fantastic little expression, definitely something I'm going to give a go at drawing.

Anyway this walk primarily was a butterfly hunt, haven't been on one of those since I was a child, can barely remember the names of most of them. I managed to capture three decent pictures of this very pretty little things. I think it's important that even though I'm on holiday and taking a break from my animation to still keep the creative juices flowing.

I spotted this Gate Keeper on my mums flowers. He sat there a little while just long enough for me to take the picture of him against the pink.

Then we saw this large White fluttering across to some flowers, spent ages chasing him, only find that these guys are fluttering all over the place.

And finally I saw this beautiful creature just chilling on some nettles. Such a lovely juxtaposition, I couldn't have asked for more. He didn't even move when he had my giant iPad in his face. The Admiral, one of my favourite butterflies as a child, he kept wings perfectly still so I could see all the detail!

I thought I might save this one till last, definitely my favourite of the three, and thats including the goat.

Anyway I've also been commissioned to create a logo for a website, similar to Groupon but for Gay men. Having a meeting with the creator next week. Hopefully I will be able to create something to his liking, as I definitely do need the money!