Witch Hagatha under the microscope - evaluation

So It all makes sense now as to why the animation evaluation didn't publish onto my blog, I just saved it, so it's a little late but that was just due to human error, here it is: With this project I spent a lot of time in the process and development of ideas and understanding the vital elements that make up a good animation. The final execution of the animation had gone through some changes, several in fact until I was satisfied. Had I had more time then the piece would maybe been able to include all the elements I wanted, but towards the end it was just having something produced to show that I understood the breakdown and process of character animation in 3ds max. I think I began to run out of time because I spent so much of it on the walk cycle. It was vital that I produced this well, I had put a lot of thought into the character of Witch Hagatha, I didn't want to have it ruined by poor animation. She couldn't have the standard walk because she was not built like other peoples in my class, she had character and she was big and heavy, she deserved to portrayed as such. I think I might have spent maybe a good month or so on her actual rig and walk cycle, perfecting it, showing her character. I thought about everything, down to the last detail, the bounce in her step the cocky swagger, the arms nearly lost beneath her shelf of a bossom. Every inch of her had a swing, from her shoulders to the individual fingers, I walked in front of the mirror hundreds of times taking notes sketching positions, I wanted her to look like a natural cartoon character. It didn't matter whether this was my first ever go at this, I had to get it right. Anyway Im really really happy with how she turned out, I may have added a little more bounce to her, but that is just me trying to be a perfectionist, I could haverobably spent forever on just that section. Another part of her character that needs some recognition is her facial reaction. I created her so she could have a whole range of expressions. Most of which I wasn't able to use in my short animation, but it deserved a mention due to the fact her face was modelled awkwardly, i didn't make life easy for myself at all in this project. She has one eye bigger than the other, her jawline is very slim which makes it difficult for the scream effect and 'o' shaped mouth expression, but I still accomplished all these feats. I really pushed her and my limits. She can wink, she can laugh, grimace, be thinking, confused, sly, feel rage, anger, sadness and all the subtle ones in between. The reason I created so many variations is because at first I might be able to use them all, but in the newer shortened version of the animation, I could only show a selection, for instance each time she flies screaming past the camera, each facial reaction is different. My most favourite bit of the piece though is when she is balancing just about ready to get onto the broom, breathing deep gaining the courage. I took so time on that section, from actually balancing her to the flicker of her fingers as she's about to get on. Then Hagatha's reaction to the broom unexpectedly shooting off with her. I might have sped up the actaully flying off up and away bit, but that Just me being picky. Although if there is one scene I would change it would be the close up of the finger wagging, it doesn't look natural enough, and I wished I didn't have to rush past it, time was very quickly running out. I also wished I could have shown more of the other elements rigs like the Broomstick and Hat, in the original version both of them were characters, but I had to just make the Broomstick a minor role and skip the hat all together. Overall I'm happy with the outcome, but the process to get there was difficult, I definitely challenged myself during this project and made many mistakes along the way, but I worked round all those limitation and produced something that I'm quite proud of. For instance I modelled Hagatha exactly how I drew it, and that was with bow legs. This made walking a bit of an issue as the knee was prone to weird twisting. Yet even though i made some pretty bad rookie mistakes, like her arms are a little short, the fact that fat characters are harder to animate, I had to create a neck for her as she doesn't have one in the drawings, or the fact she is has a wonderful oddly shaped body so rigging her was hell, I probably learnt so much more than what was intended, meaning my next animation will be so much better and I'll be able to push the limits even further creating better and better characters. Animations and cartoons are about pushing past the standard norms, blowing worldly limitations way out of the water and in this project I think Ive definitely started heading in the right direction in meeting those crucial requirements in becoming a good animation.

Update... Witch Hagatha and the New iPad

So my Silent Comedy story has had some radical changes due to time, body limitations, need for a better animation, and me being ill (Hence the reason for not updating sooner). Anyway I just wanted to share with you what I've created so far, I am literally now finishing up on the last scene, so I might hang on a little while before I actually show that, no point in showing half finished work when I'm sooo close to being done.
The story has been changed about 5 times now, I have three written up and two different storyboards, so you can see I've actually tried to work on some of them in my actual animation and decided no its not working. To be honest had I not changed it I might be finished by now, I've had a sneak preview of a few others and they havent concentrated on the story as much as me, its just about the animation, which is really good as that's all really Andy wants. I just can't be satisfied with that, I have to do every tiny bit, in fact there is a scene right at the beginning of my animation that I'm not quite happy with, and already thinking about re doing it all. Its very frustrating, but I havent got the time to dally, the longer I spend animating the more Roma's project, the Hansel and Gretel one, suffers.There is such a battle going on in my head, but I think I've made a decision because next teh area I'm choosing to do an in depth study in is Animation, its really important for me to get as much under my belt now.
Unfornately my poor little laptop couldnt take anymore, the powerful programs I'd been using like Mudbox, 3ds Max and Photoshop finally took its toll. So My grandparents and other family relatives have helped me invest in a new 32gb iPad 3 (birthday coming up), I know its not a great subsitute for a new laptop, but I am saving up to be able to build my own computer, so I'll be able to update it when ever needed, meaning that it'll never go out of date and will be a lasting thing. I feel there is definitely no point in buying a new laptop as after a few years they just can't cope. Which brings me to the reason why I have become an Apple Slave.
I can not afford a fancy flash imortal desktop computer just yet, but I do really need something for the summer while the Univesity computers are closed. It's ridiculous to not be able to do anything digitally creative for for 5 months. So after a good few months researching, and plenty of in depth conversations with my fiancee and family, I gave in. I'll use the iPad as a portable sketchbook, using "Apps" like Sketchbook Pro and Brushes, Autodesk 123d Sculpt, Moodboard Pro or Adobe Ideas,  Animation Desk and of course probably GarageBand or some kind of music creating app for my animations. I've aslo invested in the same stylus pen as David Hockney the Alupen, plus a hard case (don't want to damage something that costs more then my Bills). I hope this does help and change the way I work, which is very slow due to the process of transferring a rough sketch into a piece of digital Art work. I'll be able to create on the move which is the ideal thing, I understand there is a lack of pressure sensitivity but looking back I've struggled with that in my normal graphics tablet anyway.
Anyway I get it tomorrow, and hopefully I can hook it up to blogger and show some doodles or something, will also create some music for my animation. By the end of this week, we'll find out if it was a good investment or will it end up on ebay as part of a packaged with pen and case.

Hagatha's Walk

So here is a short clip of her walking:

Test Render of Hagatha

Here is just a test render of Hagatha, just so I can see how she looks when moving. I've just done stills for the time being as they're just a test. More of an update for myself as its been a few weeks since being able to work on this project. I'm actually pretty happy with where I left it. I can't understand why I was getting so frustrated at the time with it. First time walking animation she's doing great.

Just needs her hat and eyes, and we'll be well on our way.

FINALLY

Well Hagatha is finally back in 3ds Max, taken weeks to figure out what was happening with the seams, anyway, after a lot of trial and plenty of error, this is officially the best outcome of all my hard work. There are elements of course I'd like to improve but for animation and progression purposes I am happy with this. It does do something weird when rendered though, but I think that is mainly to do with materials. I can sort that later. I no longer have the patience to faff around. I just want to move forward!

Facial Expressions

I've been watching these clips, trying to learn the range of facial expressions. I can't wait to kick Hagatha into action, well as soon as i get the modelling thing sorted. Really frustrating as she is not working the way I want her too, every time I model her and add a few more sub division layers to her in Mudbox, she goes weird when I export it. So annoying, but hopefully Andy can save whats left of my hair.



Anyway these little guys have definitely brightened up my day, some very funny quick sketcghes. Something I would really love to get into.

Tweaking and Playing

So I've re done the UVW Map to Hagatha, along with re doing her model in Mudbox. It was very flat and bland and I couldn't figure out why, but after a few discussions I realised that I hadn't been using my original design as a reference but just doing it from memory. Anyway by doing this it looked flat and dull, so I've gone back into Mudbox and started from scratch. So here is the difference now from the original image:

Original above, Below the Tweaked.

She is getting some real shape now in her torso, the "shelf" is more obvious and so is her stomache and bulge. The tweaking has just begun, this may put me back a little bit but there is no point in doing things in half measures.

A helpful bit of Visualization of Hagatha

Just did a quick video of Hagatha, just to help me visualise her better. There are some flaws, but I'm going to leave her alone this week, before I start over workign her and lose interest. Bad I know, but I have to move and progress otherwise it gets stale quick. Anyway I'm currently working on a mini project for myself using 3ds Max. Its going to be my production logo, Kvasir Productions. Anyway its going ok modelling wise I'm about to start animating.

here is the title....

Hagatha has Colour

So here is Hagatha finally painted, she's not as detailed as I like..BUT I have to hold back as much as I can and keep her quite simple otherwise she'll look od in her surroundings. I do feel I might have over done the detail and lost that Looney Tune simplicity but she is my design and in my image, I don't want to copy.

Below is a close up of her face, warts and all I'm keeping her bald, witch's should be creepy.

Into Mudbox we Go

Here she is transferred into Mudbox, I've added a few warts, but for tonight I think I'm going to leave it there. Will carry on tomorrow, like spiking the nose and curling the toes more. I will also see if I can mould in hairs, perhaps. Well at least I get to start painting Hagatha tomorrow, all the unwrapping i finally complete, it took forever, she is very detailed!! Anyway I am done for this evening, time to go home and get some food and sleep. Night

Basic Backdrop

After a lot of thought about my scene, and studying the backdrops in other cartoons. I realised how important it was to keep it simple, in a lot of them they're almost abstract, and impression of the scene around main  characters. I have made the moon seperate as I might be using that in another scene, with her flying over it or something. I'm still working on how to best to create the forest scene around  her house, but most attempts have failed either lokks to shabby or there is too much in the scene to render so it crashes.
Anyway I will be working on the scene for the time being as nothing has been sorted with NOW, so I can not really progress further without the tutorials Andy has given us, which is a big shame as its been over a week now.

Wile Coyote

I love how it still keeps in theme with the classic cartoons. It is a mordern version, fitting in with the times today, but seeing as my own piece is going to be very similar to Looney Tunes I had o show their own 3d work too. It brightens up my working day while working on this project

The Witch and the Broom

So I've now added her hat to her head, and modelled the broomstick, I'm hoping that in both these models to increase the level of depth with Mudbox. Just need to figure out how to do it. Unfortunately I can not progress further with these two models at the minute because the basic tutorials on how to rig etc. have been deleted accidently on the University website, infact my entire years tutorials and briefs have all gone. Hopefully will be uplaoded soon, I really want to see my podgy witch move. The brrom I've decided wont walk in my animation but I may make a seperate one just for my own little personal challenge.

Hat and Body of the Witch

She is coming together quite quickly now that I've almost sorted the face, just got to connect the hat to her head. I will most definitely be importing her into Mudbox, just to give her the extra finer details and smoothing out a bit more. This is the very first character model I have ever done. I hope the animation goes just as well

Quick Model update

She has legs and apron that ties at the back, now onto the complex bit I think, the head. Wish me luck

The Modelling begins

So here is a screen shot of Hagatha's Torso and arms, I thought it time that I plucked up the courage to begin the modelling process, I can just keep adding drawings as I go along, it is no longer essential. Well apart from the storyboard, key scenes and her facial movements, thats all I really have left to draw up. Will update again once she has legs.

Sharpened Pencils

So thought I'd add some of my sketches and idea process for this Silent comedy project. I really want to focus on the  character designs and the process along with it. I've got quite a few ideas swimming round, here are a few: Hiccupping Cat Burgular, Witches first broom, The chicken and the Naughty Egg.

I get bored of writing so I like to sketch as I go along helps with the visualisation process. Never know when an idea is going to stick. (Sorry not been able to rotate image, using the phone).

Below is how the process begins, in this project I'm not going to concentrate so much on being neat and tidy, i'm just gonna do it.

 Since hearing this project last term, i've been stuck on one idea, unfortunately I've let it fester, so ove rthe weekend I bought the looney tunes boxset, loving it!!! Also the Laurel and Hardy Collection, surprising how much its helped. There is a sketch on the Road Runner DVD where Wile E Coyote has a broomstick, simple short funny sketch. I realised throughout the DVD's I loved the ones with ghouls and monsters in, and it led me to witches... This might be the route i'm going to take. Its funny there is alot i can do with it, along with the character design of it all, just a simple background is nessecary with the main focus being this little fat witch struggling with her 1st ever broom. Yes I think that is a better idea then my last which started getting too complex and would be better as a short film then a 1-3minute one. To be honest it may all change again, so will keep u posted.