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!

 

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!

 

Location, Location Complete

Welcome into the dark and eerie cottage of the witch, now you know what it looks like on the inside of the sweetie cake covered house from Hansel and Gretel.



In Just a few days we have This

So this just shows how my Location, Location project is coming along. I've taken the roof off so its possible to see the layout more cleary inside. I'm hopefully going to have finished the modelling by tonight, so tomorrow can be based on lighting. Hopefully Roma will be around to help a little. Then render the finished thing on wednesday and had it in, well maybe leave it to render over tuesday night so I can just hand it in sooner or sort out any problems that may occur. Really really wish I had more time, just to develop the models more and have a bit more of a play around, not quite sure why all the deadlines are sooo close together especially as we have a month left with only a small side project to do, but oh well, it is just the way it is. I havent done too bad considering I've only seriously begun modelling and building for a few days now.

Morning Play

Just been playing around with a tutorial by Andrew Kramer, it taught me about subtle ligthing and shadows.Still in the playing stage of the producion logo. Mini projects keep me learning new things. Especially the shadows I can use within a scene. Anyway I might do another. Will keep you updated

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.

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.

Peppers to Carrots

Keeping up the practice, i'm getting there bit by bit, I've found that modelling fruit and veg is a good way to practice just gettign used to the program. Today I made a carrot as you can see, not figured out yet how to sort the lighting out to not make it sooo shiny, but I like its shape and its stump of greenery. I think I could of added some more stringey bits at the bottom, but it didnt work out so well when I tried. I think I'm gonna make a snake or something next, build up from fruit and veg to legless creatures, then onto creatures with legs, leading to humanoids. I'm trying to think of what to make next but all I can see is a candle in front of me and that is my only inspiration at the min so that might be up next, unless I get the courage to skip my initial steps and create Ratchet from the Rachet and Clank games, maybe. I don't know I should really begin the still life project, I've finally decided to go with my grandma's kitchen idea, I think visually it'll be nicer if not harder.
Always like a Challenge

Had to share

Saw this image in the book Essential CG lighting techniques with 3ds max, thought it was amazing, such depth and detail, It is by Jason Kane. One day my skills and knowlegde will match masterpieces like this, I love the subtle colouring, texturing and the hint of reflection from the glasses. The mood is perfectly fitted.