Getting There

Sorry nearly at the point to add the finishing touches to my Animation, but this is a shot from the first scene with all three characters together

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!

 

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

 

 

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!

 

Chickens Walk Cycle

So I've begun my first ever hand drawn animation, just in time for the iAnimate competition. It's still a bit rough, but day by day I'm getting better and better, it's steadily being tidied up bit by bit. Considering I had no idea on how a chicken walks (my chickens must be fed up of my staring at them!) and had never successfully made a flip book or hand drawn animation of any kind, I don't think I've done too badly. I'm using the Animation Desk app on my iPad to create it, it's a bit fiddly at times and mid way through they updated the software and changed everything, Just as I was getting used to it! But with the mini set backs I think I'm getting the hang of it. I've only animated 72 frames at the minute, and at 12 frames a second that's only just 6seconds long. I'm planning to start animating the background, and have lots of things happening, like buildings being built, wars, aliens, chaos that kind of thing, life in general. Yet have the chicken causally strolling along, un fazed by the turmoil and chaos around it. It the lays an egg, and the end slogan will be "Life goes on"

That's exactly what happens, life goes on regardless of what occurs, or problems faced, life will always carry on in some way or another. I think it'll be quite interesting to watch, and if I can make the background elements interesting enough, I think it could be quite a good animation.

 

Tell you what, France is doing me a world of good!

 

Long time Avoiding

So while I've been on holiday, I seem to have lost motivation, or more likely I burnt myself out , especially towards the end of term. I think I needed a good break from it give my mind a bit of a reboot, so I can come back to it refreshed. Although that's not saying I haven't been thinking creatively I think I'm ready to get back on it, ideas and the to do list is getting bigger and bigger each week. So I think i shall begin again. I've set up my iPad so I can blog regularly so no more excuses. I'm using an app called Blogsy, really good interface, just figured out how to upload photos as well which is going to be useful. Plus I can upload videos so all my hand drawn animations which i'll be creating using Animation Desk (awesome app by the way).

I think it's this photo I took of a giant carpenter bee that may have sprung me back into action, along with my mums chickens. I never realised how funny a chickens walk is, so I've begun designing my own chicken and will be animating its walk cycle. Then I'm hoping to make little animations based upon this chicken using Animation Desk. I've got some ideas of how my chicken should look, I'm hoping this little exercise will help understand and appreciate the animation style of Tex Avery. As that is what my enter next years essay and project is on. Although Andy emailed me just to tweak the question a little as I've managed to make it a little difficult for myself, AGAIN!!

Currently I am in France, it's the one place where my mind is completely at ease, I think it's because my mum and dad take control and I don't have to be an adult or responsible for a few weeks. Well that's the conclusion I've come to. Oh these are the chickens that have inspired me, they're Sussex chickens or something I'm not quite sure, anyway here they are. They make the most oddest noise, and when they run I find it hilarious, so hopefully I can figure out how it's legs actually move, as the knee is bent opposite to ours and the balance of things I Think is off.

Once I have figured out the mechanics of the creatures I can then animate it correctly, I've video them, watched them and still can't figure it out. So I think I'm going to have to watch Chicken Run and some YouTube videos just to help grasp how they move. I will be uploading some designs of my chicken today and maybe even a outline walk through too.

We have a chubbier chicken and a more stream line one, I think I'm going to be basing my ideas on the fatter one as she genuinely has more personality and we have nicknamed her the Magic Flute as she never shuts up and makes the most bizarre noise, our chickens don't cluck and they have no fear either, well until you suddenly move and the leap away.

Anyway here she is, hopefully I can d her some justice in my designs as it is all down to her that I've wanted to start animating again. I think my mojo is coming back, my mind is more relaxed, France has taken off the pressure. I'll be here a few more weeks, so hopefully I'll have something worth while.

Also today I'll upload some videos I've taken of them walking around and just doing chicken things, like scratching the floor, pecking at insects and flapping their wings.

Wish me luck on my quest for motivation and getting back on the animation trail.

Posted with Blogsy

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.

HAH MAYA

I'm winning!! So I began to modellling my pirate scene in 3ds Max, (cheating I know). Anyway Andy came over and soon put me back on the right track and told me how important it was to use Maya. Well the quick chat did the trick and from just being able to create a sphere and box, to now having learnt how to use the 'create polygon tool', 'extrude', 'interactive split tool', and 'Bend' tools succesfully in just under a few hours. HAH! oh and not forgetting the importance of deleting construction history. Anyway really pleased myself as there are no tutorials online about how to make a palm tree, I figured it out myself, best achievement of the day. Well anyway going to carry on with the trunk of the tree now.

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.

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.

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

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.