My Scene.

First image has the blue sky environment mapping I put on shortly before renders. I WISH I could of had my grass throught my animation, if I owned several super computers then it might be possible. but at 15 minutes a frame for render, wasnt worth it and had to 'compromise'.

I added good detail though, didnt so everything by halves.
All concrete blocks are seperate objects all mapped.
Park benches and bins scattered along too.





This second image was during the early creation of scene and doesnt have most of the things it does later but this image best showcases my lighting and tones in the mise-en-scene

Gavin in Environment

Pictures of Gavin my Robot.

Rationale

Rationale

SO. At the end of my DP3 project I have found that animation can be difficult; it’s a process that can ultimately highly frustrating, time stealing and patience sapping process; but one that is extremely rewarding. Whoever said you have to suffer for your art got it bang on.
My main basis for my theme was original slapstick... but can be aimed at any audience, and I did this by keeping it simple. I believe my work has the understated and eloquent narrative that still delivers a humorous punch and light-heartedness that can be sweet and endearing.

Starting with my robot (Gavin) I decided to add personality. I took inspiration from looking with insight into the world he was created for, and from. Other animated characters such as Grounds-Keeper Willie (the Simpsons) fit the purpose as they both have become cleaning characters with comedic effect playing the fools. I added a range of emotion to my character, making him sulk, smile and gasp. –Unfortunately I had problems with the eyebrows. (I just could not get the morpher modifier to work on them for some unexplainable reason. But it does work on the smile).
With a body and head shape based on a sketch I did back in late 2008 I still added the beard on a robot just on the taking risk nobody will think anything of it and go with it. –My reasoning for it was it was a homage to Grounds-Keeper Willie and that it could be passed off as rust or anything, but is a defining characteristic of Gavin.

Overall the animation I think speaks for itself. I think it was pretty good myself for my first computer animation EVER, and that shows sometimes in the walking and it got screwed up a little in places and I fully recognise that.

These places of fault are as follows, the hands on the broom start off ok but begin to get strange to a point where it seems he doesn’t have much of a grip, and then the fall takes far too long. (Too long but my first few attempts where WAY to short...so it was a ‘compromise’ – the most hated word in my diction) And then just after my fall getting up his arm does nothing except rebel against the rest of his body un-naturally. A result of me making him scratch his head then accidently removing a few key frames in looking back over it. Mistake!

Finally my biggest shortcoming was the most crucial. I am not the best editor in the world. I find myself extremely human and hence prone to gaffs and guffaws that would make a professional cringe. During the edit of my film I have lost the ending approx 15-20 seconds worth that explains why the banana moves. These frames missing will be posted up as pictures to give an explanation and then I reedit my film better within the next few days.

Overall, despite the faults, I am hopeful that people enjoy my first animation and that they appreciate the work that people put into these things, as I genuinely believe that animators do not get enough credit sometimes. SO. At the end of term1, bots and bananas done. Slapstick nearly figured out. Loving this pathway.

Client Liaison

Getting a bit of practice in for my 'career' -god that word scares me.

Using 3ds max and a few new techniques I've learnt over the past 2 weeks I've made a mini football pitch (well a goal and lines) for a new flood-lit soccer school opening in Kingstanding, Birmingham. Getting paid was the best part of this gig. Made me feel like a professional. and the words such as 'breathtaking' where used by the senior coach I spoke to when he saw the first draft.

Ohh yeah I already knew it would take a few drafts and communication between me and the coaches who commissioned this to get it right and the way they want it; but it was great seeing it and learning from it. I found it's always better to do just a little more than what they ask for every time and only stop when they've either think you've lost it or found perfection and ask you to dial it down a tad.
Other than that. Am pleased with myself.. work maybe could have been better I think; but as this will only be put through letter boxes throughout eastern Birmingham and mostly ignored it did not need to be the Mona Lisa..

I thought I'd try 'Grass'. Its what every art student does at one point.

(Was a Joke.Worked if you laughed)


OK. I needed to do this as my scene is set in a park... and how many modern parks don't have grass? Not many. So; using the 'hair and fur (WSM)' tool it started off OK. I found the longer the strand of grass the better it looks.. as it fills more of the gaps in between the individual hairs. It started off at around 3000 hair count.
Finished at 72,000. (render time difference was nothing on 64-bit so I don't know why I was so scared about it)
Another thing I learnt was displacement and the mutant variations add great detail and depth into believably. Essential in other words. So is lighting as it adds shadows to the hairs.
The above image shows my first scene without lighting or effects and when my hair count was very low. Left and below are my finished renders that showcase the difference. I particularly like the softer feel of the later variations.
Have a look. Have a go yourself. Fairly easy.

Of Bots and Banana's - the Soul of a machine?

Wow. designing a robot. sounds easy. Some wires a few hydraulics a cool metal shader or something. nope. Making a robot the audience can identify with is difficult. the robot needs to have a conceivable soul or human aspect that can be animated and controlled to express emotions.
Without emotion and insight into the character I have found that the audience will not be able to connect with the character and therefore not care about the story. It seems that the design of a robot is very much the design of how we want to portray our ideal animated humans.

With this in mind; I have stylised my robot and his emotions and temperament on a human character. -Groundskeeper Willie (The Simpson's).

Flash quiz

http://davejwood.deviantart.com/art/Rock-star-quiz-165992259

the link for my flash project.
I lost the original piece, the one that had videos, was based more on scene-it, and had videos such as flyleaf and paramore. Mostly modern rock, and some songs asking you to identify the artist. Bt anyway, had to redo it as i lost the other one, and this is the best i could do on a short time frame. a song is on thier, couldnt have more than one song this time, couldnt get code right this time, would make whole thing go wierd when moer than one song.

questions are good, gets really hard, my flatmates struggeled to finish it. top score is 18. get that i'll be impressed

So, here is the video walkthrough of my supervillians lair, hopefully you can tell its a sort of nuclear bunker, I used low ceiling and large areas to ensure this look, but has lots of scienctific elements, as I wanted my villian to be as I saw him. I saw him as a man that uses science to create things that harm people and other superheros. His abilities are his intelligance and secrecy. (All superheros or villians are flawed, and not having any real powers but remaining very human is the biggest flaw at all).
I also wanted to make my character flawed ina way that gives him backstory, so I added x-ray pictures up, of himself, to show somthing could be wrong with him, Prehaps he is dieing.

The more backstory, the more interesting the lair becomes. His symbol is of a blue circle with a gasmask on, which is seen dotted around varoius locations and largly behind his desk. This desk overlooks a large time-machine that is surrounded by generators, very advanced science going on. Overall for my first project I am happy, and shall finish it over the summer, With outside walls and all the lighting I wanted orignally, but could not afford the render times due to deadline.

(its too big for blogger, so here it is on youtube)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bD5LzbsjqoE

Darren Aronosfsky and Michel Gondry

For the visual Essay we have been asked to look at three or more possible practitioners that we admire, and that are in the field of our chosen pathways, as I am currently thinking about the moving image pathway I think back to the incredible films "The Fountain" by Darren Aronofsky and "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind", by Michel Gondry, these films inspire me artistically and spiritually, intense visuals and fantastical in nature it becomes the essence of what I believe i aspire to do. Here is a trailer I could find for The Fountain. I particularly like 'Toms story' in the year 2500.. this film which spans a 1000 years, shows a transformation of human society and the psyche unlike any imagined before... This film showcases it own beauty in its unique special effects, using a technique none have used before to my knowledge... so enjoy, I shall further my explanation in my visual essay..

Am I a practictioner yet?

Hi, so... here we are, start of a new term and possibly the most pivotal moment for choosing my chosen pathway and understanding it, and I go and get sick. Great. So; sorry for last weeks absences whoever is reading, I've have had flu or something. Not nice; nor recommended. So this is late, but better late than never. I have been asked to identify and define what, at the moment, I am doing creatively to further myself and develop into a practitioner of the arts.

Well, so far I with my classes at the moment studying the flash programme, making our own quiz, which is difficult, not because of the complexity of the programming but of the creativeness or rather lack-of behind the questions and responses and trying to make it new, interesting and engaging for the players.

Other than that, I'm currently creating my own little avatar sketch, something as a recurring theme I could play with for a while in all my future drawings and works, much like a artistic signature. I do this alongside doing personal art and doodles which I have been doing for many years now, and currently I'm trying to discover my own style, as I believe that everyone has a unique aspect to their work, just depends how hard you look for it I guess.
I watch many films, always looking for new talent, recently I discovered Darren Aronofsky particularly for his use of stunning visuals (above) [The Fountain, 2006]. Have always loved Tarantino, even his lesser known stuff such as "Death Proof" from his grindhouse days.

In the future I hope to accomplish more animations, and have a better understanding of the art forms that interest me such as japanise anime, the style of it, and why it is effective in its method.