Hi, sorry I have being gone for a few weeks but my computer died on me and I have only just got it up and running again a week ago. So in event of this happening I had to revert to the traditional paper ways. So here are some of the figures in action I have done.
To top this off I now am going to a busy bee again. since now I am going to be working on a freelance project. YAY!!! Its really exciting. I am now officially a freelancer . I am really looking forward to it. at the moment though I might be a little out of action pretty much juggling 2 jobs and I can't actually put any work up from the project. Wish me luck in the mean time. I will try to do some more stuff when I can.
Oky so I am updating twice in one week. whooo this is probably a first for me. But I have amped up my work level again this week. I have decided because of the slow level of progression that I have to cram some more hours in on my portfolio work. Less sleep, but more work accomplished so all worth is. So here is the last couple of days work.
My interior/exterior concept has reach some more progression in the last few days. Its not completed, but I hope to have that done in the next couple of days. Here is what it is looking like for the moment.
Ignore the squiggly perspective lines. I am thinking on changing the perspective of the bridge though its really funky looking. maybe even changing the type of bridge.
Okay to the next thing as for my drawing studies I have only managed to finish half of one. It shows you a bit about how I sketch it out though. So here it is.
Do you love my squiggly blurs.
Next thing on my list is the most exciting thing in my news. I have done the last one of my blendshapes.
Here they stand all in a line/s.
As I was doing them I started off really slow and clunky in the facial expressions. But I feel as though I have developed. I am starting to understand a lot more about the characterization of characters. How to get a expression and on top of that add the elements of a characters persona.
I did a lot of research on the way. I found the best thing to do is do research and find your reference. The next step for me is to finish off the rest of the rigging on my character, then start filming the reference footage and to start the blocking in the animation. most of my rigging has being completed, but I have to finish off some stuff on it and then to top that off to finish the skinning of the character.
On a last note I am half way through storyboarding my next short. You might remember me posting up some pics a few weeks back. I thought my last animation had a lot of shots. Well this one pretty much tops that one. To be posted soon once I finished it though.
Another glorious week has pass and yet again more has being accomplished!!! Oh the flow of work never stops.
So I am still doing sketches to further develop my abilities. I feel as though doing these studies has helped me in developing and I have improved from the first time I started. At the moment I have started to work on group figures. I have quite enjoyed it. I am also getting a lot quicker at drawing them. Here is a couple of them.
Over the last week I have also got some more blend shapes done. I am almost through the whole list. I now introduce to you pouty and fierce.
pouty needs some work still, but I shall finish her tonight.
I am still in the process of working on my concept art for two other things. Wow I am a busy bee.
So the past week has being crazy but I have managed to get some stuff done.
First I have an update on my interior concept I have narrowed down what I want to do for it. I have decided to go for a combination between the two. I am currently doing the line work for the concept now. Here is a little sneak peek of my concept
I will show rest of the line work when finished.
On another note I have being doing some more figures in action. It has being a really good exercise to work on my drawings. I feel as though I am getting a little better bit by bit. Here is the last weeks work.
As for my Abagail short I am still doing blend shapes. I have got two more blend shapes done over the past week. I can't wait till the point that I can start doing some more of the animation side of things.
I am nearly through the whole sheet. After I have finished the sheet I am going to finish off the rigging for my character and start recording the reference footage so I can start blocking in the animation. This should get me more on the road of completion of my short.
I am still also working on the storyboard for my other short. I am getting closer to finishing it. I will upload the final one when done. After I finished I am going to work on some of the concept art and colour boards.
So I am currently working on doing a new environment, but I haven't decided what I want to do. At the moment I am thinking of something either old and abandoned or something more natural. There is obvious limits within taking on each of the types. For example doing an natural environment will require a lot of organic objects, which can take more time to model. Especially with trees. something old and abandoned will require more work with texturing. I might even try to take something that is a little of both. Each one of the task will require me having to work with my strengths and weaknesses.
For my first part and to help make my decision about what I want to do I decided to do some research. So here is what I looked at a variation of colour, style and environments.
Though they are all different they all have the similar earthy feel. I am going to look into it a bit more before I make a decision. but I am leaning a bit towards the organic with the brighter foliage or maybe doing a combination. I like the idea of nature taking back its land.
Phew things have managed to get a little bit hectic the past week or so. Since I hadn't taken any time off since my holiday early this year I promised myself it was time to take some time off doing my side projects and have some break time. But before I took my time off I did manage to complete some more work.
So I have worked on more on the blend shapes over the past week or so.
This is all my blend shapes collectively. Still a lot more to go.
Also I have started to some more drawings. At the moment I am starting to focus on body and shape to gain a better understanding when I need to draw concepts. I have had some trouble at first but now I have started to get a little better at. I want to keep at it so eventually I will be able to draw off my head.
Here is some of my work so far.
I want to keep at it so I can get better. At the moment is has started to help me in developing my story boards.
Now perhaps my most exciting news is that I have managed write 2 scripts for animations. One is a 2D mini series and the other a 3D short. The 3D short is the follow up animation from Abagail about a young boy. I have started to story board it all out here is the first section.
On a more personal note. I have recently re-watched Spirited Away. As part of that I also managed to watch the behind the scenes making of the movie. I was completely inspired about the way the director Hayao Miyazaki managed to create the movie. The amount of dedication that they put into the movie is amazing. I would love to have the ability to get to the level in my own animations. The funny thing was as I was in a little bit of a slump in my own work, somehow seeing them so dedicated to what they do and see such an incredible story and the meaning behind it inspired me to work on my stuff. Its funny how little things like that in your life pick you up from the slumps and manage to get you back on track. I have come to realise that as an animator it will require me a large amount of work and belief in myself to get where I want to go. I have a lot to learn to reach my ultimate ambitions. I do love though that after the 3yrs of study in my course that I still have come out of it and still am learning a lot about how to create animation.
I know that even as I develop and get better there is still always going to be more to do and more to learn. I love the endless possibles and only hope that I one day will become a good enough animator to inspire the next generation. I know I have a long way to go. But I have made a decision as of today that I knew was going to be the lead up to at the beginning of this year. I have decided this is a year for me. This is the year that I save all that money I need, take on challenges, believe in myself and at the end of this year have a portfolio I can be proud of. It has taken a lot longer then I expected to get my stuff together, but I knew that would be the case since I can only get 3 days of work done a week but working pretty much full time has finally given me the opportunity to put some financial backing in myself so I can afford to go where I need to go.
With each passing week I manage to get better in my work and learn new things.
So the past week has being a busy week for me but I have managed to cram some more work in. I haven't being able to work on any drawings throughout this week but I have managed to do some more blend shapes. They are starting to pick up a bit more now so here is some of them.
The first angry face turned out really bad. The mesh was warping too much. So I had to re-do it.
This is just a little bit of progress but I am still working. I want to have a good section of my short done. It is taking longer than expected but I am working hard at getting it all together.
So the past week has being a busy one for me. I have got a little bit done in between working and saving. I did a few more drawings this week. I am going to start working on body shapes next. So check them out.
On top of doing drawings I have even managed to work on another facial expression for Abagail.
I have being looking more into how each muscles works when a face is made to get better characterization out of her. When I was in the development process of my character I was working on an expression sheet and to better my skills I have decided to apply that to my 3D character.
On a last note as you know I have being writing again. I have now begun the development process of a new script for a new 3d animation. I have started to write the script at the moment, but over the next weekend I hope to have the script finalized and some concept work done.
Phew being a busy bee I have. I am hoping to move quicker with my work over the next week though. Since I got a little dragged behind because of work. Wish me luck.
Hay all I have being away for a while, but today is the day I get back into the blogosphere.
So I went on holidays which was a big celebration of my completion of studies, it was amazing and I loved holidays. I have being back for the last 2 weeks and as a part of my new motivation scheme I have set multiple tasks on the journey of getting a job in the wide world of film.
I have dissected my work and pick on multiple things that I can improve on each day I work on tasks that revolve around the things that I need to improve. The current task for me has being working on my drawing skills and working on my rigging. Here is my current work progress.
With my drawing the thing that I find the most difficult is people, getting details and proportions correct always blow over my head. so bit by bit using references and tuts I have being working on some sketches and writing notes. Here are the sketches.
Oh yes and I worked on some animal sketches and some of the finer details are lost. One of my aims is perhaps if I understand the structure of the human form that I will carry on the knowledge to my 3D work and it will make it easier to work out correct topology and model quicker. I also want to understand texture a bit more so I can carry it onto my work.
The next task that I have being working on this past week has being my short. At the end of last year I had rigged the body and face, but I have decided that the facial expression needs to work with blend shapes. So the task I am currently working on is blend shapes, I have started with very basic facial expressions, to test my abilities.
so far I have managed to get one completed and am starting on the second one today. so excuse the creepyness of her non textured face.
I am working on covering all the expressions that I need to animate my short, but I know that is going to take a while.
My last thing that I have to announce is that I am writing again. I use to write all the time when I was a kid and I just gave up because of the lack of time. It use to create a large amount of inspiration for me. Now after reading one of my old stories I have just begun to take it up.It is really helping my create juices flow once again with excitement and anticipation. Lots of self motivation here. This is the first time in 17yrs that I have not being in school so I have a chance to work on my stuff.
Oh here is my most up to showreel. This is the one that I used for my expo and what I need to extend on.
My aim by the end of this all is to get a job. I haven't started to look as of yet, because I want to work on some of my skills more and due to the fact I want to save up some money just in case I have to look outside of Perth. But all these projects are essential to developing my skills and perhaps end up landing a job. I need to put some sweat in tears now to extend my work outside of what I have done at tafe and this is the primal time to do it. I have to stay away from using anything in my current portfolio because its too student like and optimally I should have more outside work. So this is what I am aiming for. Wish me luck people.
