Update on Artefact Five

Update on Artefact 5 from Simone Hunt on Vimeo.

Basically the last animation I did was pretty awful, lots of things wrong with it, people expected better of me. (Although that was two weeks of work, so not too bad in the time frame).

Anyway I've been getting some feedback from a friend of mine who used to do a bit in the industry, small animations and stuff. This piece has been re-worked 3 times. Still not 100% happy with the walk and the odd flick, but its not too bad.

I've simplified everything down, concentrating on animating one character and doing that well.

two thirds done, one third left to go.

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.

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.

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.

Painting

learning to paint properly in Photoshop, here is the first stage of my concept for the Graphi Novel/film I have in mind. Its called 'Pods'.

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