Merry Grinchmas 2014 - LIMITED RELEASE CARDS

OCTOBER 2014- December 2014 Made a limited run of cards

MERRY GRINCHMAS!!!

ACNZ group project "STARFISH" - Term 4 week five part 2 of 2

    

   

We are so close to animation, just a little more focus and nit picking rigs and textures. Locking down the scene layouts with cameras. Its exciting. STARFISH will be a short film in 20 days.

Now that the character has been modelled it is time to move in to UV mapping / unwrapping. ready for texturing.

Here is Group one.

From Left to Right

Top : Esther , Jamie, Jaron and Sean
Bottom : Leon , Jono


We are on track and ready to animate MONDAY!

We are kinda excited.

ACNZ group project "STARFISH" - Term 4 week five Part 1 of 2

We had a group meeting late on Thursday afternoon to plan for the week. This has helped us focus on what we need to complete before aiming to animate in week 6 and 7. Then rendering in week 8.

24 days - Then it is due. So we are on track for completion and always trying to beat deadline and exceed our expectations.

 Starting to work on the topology of the large starfish. I start with the eye getting the indent matching the turnaround model sheet.

When adding extra edge loops to adjust the face I make sure I have control on where the edge loops are heading and reshape to suit.

For this character his large frame is weighted in the belly area. So I have shaped the vertex to make the basic shape of the character.

Modelling the large starfish. It is important to keep his cartoony feel. Especially his face (eyes, eyebrow and mouth shape. He has some shaping to do, before he suits his scary presence.

 Now that the overall design has been modelled and approved. It is time to move on to UV mapping.

This is the last character in the group to be modelled and textured as my time has been spent finalising 2D parts in the group. Storyboarding  (deciding the layout and making sure the continuity is finalised)  and the animatic then designing the final character turnarounds.

Teeth and mouth shape finalised ready for UV Mapping and texturing.

 So far this is the fastest I have worked. completing the model in 4 - 5 hours.

ACNZ group project "STARFISH" - Term 4 week four Part 2 of 2

WEEK 4: Part 2 of 2. Modelling the 'Dad Starfish'.

Turnaround model sheets ready for MAYA.

Above is MAYA, project set, images imported and ready to model.


Focussing on a strong shape with good topology.

I plan to finish the modelling on Monday finalising the face / inner mouth and bending parts. Then moving on to UV mapping early Tuesday. The Dad Starfish is .As a group we are going very well. We have updated the schedule and looking at finalising scenes and layouts mid to end of next week.

ACNZ group project "STARFISH" - Term 4 week four Part 1 of 2

WEEK 4 : Finalising designs and confirmed sizes of characters to get proportion correct. Jamie has unwrapped the main character TIERONE ready for texturing. Esther is currently working on texturing the main character and nailing it. I am super happy with how it is shaping up. Below are the finalised designs for our characters.

Tierone 2D turn around (Leon) verses 3D modelled turnaround and unwrapped by (Jamie). Textured by Esther.

Size:

After completing the turnaround models. It is now my turn get stuck into modelling myself. I will be doing the adult starfish. This character is not in the film for long. But he is the punch line. So we have to get his scary presence across in the final moments.

I have now completed most of the 2D requirements. Finalising all characters and the animatic. It is now my turn to do some modelling in MAYA. I am responsible for 'Dad Starfish'.

Here we go...

ACNZ group project "STARFISH" - Term 4 week three

WEEK THREE: Over the weekend I finished the turnaround model sheet for the boy and then applied the colour and colour keys to see what would best suit the environment.

 

 

 

After being happy with the design I handed the turnaround to Jamie to complete modelling. We feel most comfortable with the red/orange hair. We then worked on and finalised all the critiques on the animatic. We are now sitting at 1'10'' which is the length we are aiming for.

Modelling and modelling Assets begins

Schedule is being organised to finish Pre-production.

 

ACNZ group project "STARFISH" - Term 4 week two

WEEK TWO: This is the part I am most passionate about. Story, Timing, Storyboarding, Character design and Matte background art. Bringing the story to visual life. Its super exciting. Planning to make deadline and how we make deadline.

Concepts begin. We are aiming for a simple style like Adventure time and The Regular Show. But in 3D / CGI. Very cartoony. Very pleasing on the eye to match our story and setting. This will make lighting more manageable inside of our cartoony realm. We start referencing these shows, grabbing as many images that relate to our story. We start reference and the look / style guide process begins.


I have then made a mood board to gather all the info before the concepts are started properly. This gives us all an idea that we are all working together as a group to come up with designs. Together.

This is an important part of the creation process that I support and feel your idea can grow quickly. But more than anything this is where the character gets depth and believability. which is everything to us in animation.

I have come up with some of the original concept designs to get across the simple style we are going for. I have then given a character to everyone in the group to redesign. After everyone has redesigned the characters based on our simple style. We will then present these concepts with our storyboard for our first critique. The critique is to get a fresh pair of eyes on the story. To make sure it makes sense.

Below are my concepts and working order of how the idea developed in to a style we can happily model, texture and animate.

While other group members went to redesign some characters I focused on the main character. The annoying boy at the beach. He was looking far to cute. So I had to make him look super evil and almost antagonising little boy.

Jamie and I worked on the animatic while other members worked on concepts and assets for the production. We then had a 'Rush' session and received great feedback on the animatic and identified parts that did not hook up very well.

Over the weekend I worked on the finalised BOY concept and background we will be referencing for the production. I completed some thumbnail/silhouette of the boy concept idea to make sure the character suits. I also completed the course requirement of Sneak, Staggering, Double take and showing weight.

Hector Fisheries - coloured turnaround.

Hector Fisheries is a Solo greek fisherman. He lives to fish. He feels at home when at see.

Problem is. He loves the fish so much.


I am currently modelling this character in Autodesk - MAYA. I am really enjoying it so far. I look forward to sharing him in the coming months.

Below is the current process shown through screen shots in MAYA.

Plato's cave 2013

I realise I am on the Internet.

I know you are reading it on here. 

I understand the irony of this inspired piece. 

I think this mainly came from the onslaught of the Internet and how many do not know life without it. I was born in 1980. I am lucky enough to be apart of the dawn of technology. 

Four heads help illustrate the terror and overwhelming feeling of information. Or misinformation. 

Doesn't mean we need it all the time.