The Breakfast Scene

I tell you what I have huge respect for those involved with lighting. It is the key element to any 3d subject.

So the Evaluation:

For a 1st time go at making a full scene, I haven't done too badly. The models are how I envisioned them on paper, the materials worked well especially the loaf of bread, that is my favourite element. I am though so happy not to have used V ray or any types of plugins, all the materials have been made completely from scratch. I felt it very important to fully appreciate the capabilities of the 3d software including my own skill. There is no point in cheating using the Arch and Design elements if you don't undertsand them, maybe my scene would have looked more realistic, but I wouldn't have learnt the key basics to make me better. For my next project I will be ready to use the plugin materials. Although maybe not for my Jar, as I'm not sure if it will make the glass any better than what i have created, really really happy I figured out that, especially in the last shot with the shadow it casts.
Now to my arch nemesis, LIGHTING. This is probably the area that has most let me down,  no it was the shadows that were the element that was the hardest for me. Creating a sense of weight is key to any scene and if you havent got the right shadows it looks like its all floating. I have spent hours upon hours tweaking and deleting entire light setups over and over again trying to see what works best. It got to a point where I almost handed in the entire project with no lighting!! But persistance is key, it may not be spot on but I can honestly say this was the best attempt I could make to perfect. I also was admiring other peoples work on the course and I realised many were just using one main light source like a candle or lamp, I feel that i pushed myself further than that, and hopefully this has worked in my favour. Perhaps not now, but in the future. I know now from this project where my weakness is, and where I really need to read up on, perfecting it can only come from practice, I can't even begin to say how much I appreciate the work of the lighting crew in companies like Pixar and Dreamworks, their skill is what brings the film to life.
I am happy that i re made the background to, especially as it again helps give it weight, also the kitchen reflection in the border really helps set the scene. I would have liked to add a few crumbs but when I did, it looked out of place and all wrong, it does look quite clear and clean cut but its like an narrative advert for family breakfast in a sunny kitchen.
Once I've cracked and fully undertsand the use of lighting I think my scenes and designs will truly look realistic and believable. Thats what i wanted from this sequence of shots, a believable narrative, a reflection of my home life, especially when at my mums, the food rapidly dispappeares, its 1st come 1st served or be left with the end crusts.

So it has started....

I have now huge respect for those who are involved with lighting in the industry, hardest thing to accomplish, I think it is going to be my biggest accomplishment once achieved. Still have a while to go yet.

LIGHTING!!!

Ok found something I need to really practice on, I've never experienced such frustration from one element; lighting. It is driving me mad, anyway getting closer to cracking it, I've now finally got shadowing around the chopping board which I didnt have before as the work surface and back wall were all one piece, which drastically affected the lighting setup. So I've made the back wall seperate and it has helped things between the work surface and chopping board. I think I'm getting there, I also got rid of the lid as it just didnt need to be there and felt out of place for some reason. So instead I've added a butter dish and knife along with some butter, I've again kept it simple like the plates and Knives as I don't want it to distract from the bread. I'm so relieved to have the chopping boards shadowing just about done. I have been at the lighting set up for over a week now, its an important factor otherwise the board has no weirght, its just floating. Half asleep I took some photos before breakfast of the new loaf we got:

 There is a shadowing that goes all the way round the board, something I previously could not get, until now I've re evaluated the light source too. It is a mixture of daylight and an above indoor light from above, a ceiling light. I've been staring at this image so long, I'm slowly losing the plot. Everytime I change something, something else goes wrong. Anyway I prefer having the butter dish there rather than the lid, it fits with the idea and scene.

I'm glad all the objects have base lighting, but the chopping board is now too light, so the next update will hopefully have that fixed. Then finally i can begin with my four shots and maybe add some crumbs in there if things work out.

It had to be done

Ok after a lot of tossing and turning last night, I couldnt sleep properly at all and the reason is because of this still life project. I knew I hadnt worked my best, i did at the beginning but slowly I've just gotten more lazy. So today I kicked myself into gear and re done the scene and surroundings, no longer is it just a rubbish picture I took on my phone, it has been completely re modelled:

I've used my own kitchen as a reference, like the surface and side boards. I didnt want to go over the top with the plates and knives as they're just a background feature although while I was modelling I did a quick render and got this cool shot:

I really like the reflection from the steel border, especially as you can see how much detail i've put into the loaf of bread. Anyway I'm gradually becoming more proud of my work again like I was at the beginning, just think I hit a rut at one point, hopefully will pull it back before the deadline.
I still have to sort out the lid and the fact it looks a little lifeless.

latest Updates on Still Life

So sorted out the glass thank goodness!! And kinda sorted the Knife blade and spoon. Just have the handle also going to re-do the lid I think, as I copped out and was lazy with that too. I'm gonna finish this right I've decided, I'm so close why be lazy now?!! Anyway here is the latest:

Also tweaked the background again too. It is getting there, just everytime I redo something another element needs tweaking. Anyway I've got a lovely cold so think I'm going to have a lie down and get on with some sketches.

Still lifes background

Here is just a quick update, I've sorted out the background, looks a better already now that I've spent sometime on it. I was being lazy and Roma picked up on it straight away and made sure I worked on it, I should have done it in the 1st place rather all slap and dash. Still need to sort out the reflection on the Knife and of course the glass Jar. I'm not sure how to go about the jar, and I should have finished the background properly before showing Roma as she would have been able to see what needs tweaking etc. Oh well onwards...

Background Inserted

So I've almost sorted the environment, just need to play around with the lighting so it all fits, the background is actually the one at home, changed my mind about the one in France as I didnt have all the shots needed to complete it and I want it more homely than that, what better place but my own home here in Nottingham. Anyway Knife blade needs adjusting along with the glass Jar, I want to avoid Mental ray for the time being until I understand it fully. I think I will wait till tuesday and speak to Roma on how to achieve the best effect. I'm getting there though bit by bit.
I have also begun my big animation project due in April (sounds along way away but is NOT) anyway I have a decent idea for the Silent comedy but I just need to start sketching it out and putting it into practice before it can fully develope.
Anyway this is the background added:

This is just the model setup.

Still Life update

So this the latest, I think today I will also begin on the background aswell as the jar and the two slices of bread, they need some more seeds ontop I think (also a little too light).

OOOHHH and I'm gonna start the jam, i'm just not sure where to begin with it, but the jar needs sorting 1st. Also ignore the lighting it will all change for the final images.

The Sketches

So here are the basic sketches I begun with before I started modelling, sorry both the camscanner and camera didnt give the best quality, but it will do for now. Also keeping with my New Year's resolution still practicing my drawing skills, I'm going to start my graphic novel initial sketches soon, its called P.O.D.S its futuristic and creepy. Anyway back to my Still Life sketches, here they are;

 And Bread is surprisingly hard to draw, out of all of it, that was definitely the most challenging.

 I now can say I practice drawing anything, chopping boards! Never ever have I drawn different styles of chopping boards. I can see myself in the future needing to be able to draw different styles of knives, maybe even jars, but chopping boards is new one.

Never realised how many different types of spoons there are out there, like there shapes and styles of handles. Anyway the Bread might have been hardest to draw, the spoon was definitely hardest to model.
I think after this I will upload my latest bit of work on this project, I've re done the knife handle and chopping board.

Beginning of a new year

Happy new year!!!! Woke up this morning to find bread already sliced up knife still on the board little pot of jam, going to use this as a reference to keep my scene as natural as possible. Took the picture and left everything exactly the way I found it. Think it'll be a good reminder to keep it real, haha. Anyway happy New year.

The Base Model

Well the basic models are just about complete, the hardest thing to do was the spoon, such an odd shape. All the models may change when I start putting on materials. I may also seperate the knife blade and handle so it'll be easier to control the material. My mum bought some bread for me today so i've got pictures now of its texture and everything. Hopefully it will work.

I think I need to re check the measurements of the chopping board to as its gotten smaller, everything else seems to be the right size, 20x18x10cm bread, 30cmx1mm knif, jar 11x5x6.5cm jar, 6cm lid, 13cm teaspoon, and the board should be longer than the knife by 5cm, so it should be 35x24x1.5cm. Will double check everything later, too tired now been modelling that little spoon for over an hour.

Also took pictures of the kitchen side, its kinda rustic because its from the old cottage in france. I've taken close up images of each section. Only problem is we're leaving fance tomorrow so tonights my last chance to get all the photos I need. Little bit worried I'll forget something.

I do think my models will fit in this kind of evnvironment though, homemade bread and jam, old chipped chopping board, worn knife, yes!