Also still no new title! Ahhhhhhh! I think maybe I'll just call it the One About The Hut On Chicken Legs, which is what I'll probably call it when I talk about it anyway.
I've added a closing scene to my 2D animatic, and if I can compress it enough for web viewing, I will do so and post it.
I spent some more time on sketching this week, to see if I could resolve some character design issues (like ... y'know ... getting my characters bodies). And having burned through another notebook, I've finally come up with a sketch I think I can use to get orthographic projections. For Baba Yaga. Still working on the girl. Didn't try the hut.
I also have a decent hand, so I'm putting that up here too. I'm thinking about using it as reference for her feet as well, although for those, I'll probably need to alter the profile.
Took a break from sketching to try making a gilt-edge shader in Maya. My results were disappointing. I want a swirly design that will flow around the border of an object. Right now, I have a swirly design that goes around Baba Yaga's face. I'm happy with the gold texture (ish). But the rest of it? Pfah. It looks kind of pretty from the front, but from the side, it looks awful. I tried using a facing ratio on it, but the facing ratio wants to pick up all faces around her nose, not just the ones around the edge of her head. So I've still got a lot to figure out there. (Any hints anyone?)
I also spent some time with toon shaders, and ... I have a lot to think about. I kind of think I don't like them. But I don't think I gave them enough time. So. A lot to think about.
But these trees I keep not talking about!
I had a really nice talk with John R. about trees, and I think before I really put my tree-ideas to rest, I need to build a model and just photograph it and see what it looks like. John suggested getting a fan, so I could simulate wind, and shooting them on a green screen.
I think that sounds like a pretty good process, assuming that I can build something heavy enough to not blow away, but light enough to move at all (my original thought had been a wire-and-clay maquette, but that might be too heavy). So I think before too much longer, I have to do a test there and see if I can come up with a good, manageable result.
I have some sketches of trees, but they're baaaaaaad, so no posting for them! Glad I did them though, since each sketch has been really informative in terms of what NOT to do.
Anyway! It feels like there are a million things left to do before the end of the semester! I've got a checklist, but I'm not quite organized enough to post it here. I keep forgetting about the Gantt chart. And the proof of concept.
One thing at a time though. Characters (sadly) need bodies. Should really work on that.
3 comments:
Vue might be your solution for trees. It comes prepackaged with a ton of tree shaders(bark and leaves), but you can also put your own maps on them too. I just read a good tut on it in this months ImagineFX.
Hi - I'm not sure how you are ending the piece now, but some title ideas: The Price of Light, What Darkness Brings (okay sounds like a horror movie), Dark Jaunt. I'm just throwing some stuff out. Why not suggest some to the class and see what people think?
looks like you're really getting into things. it's scary to see how much we need to get done. have you had any experience shooting on green screen? mine's only been in DPP, and i'm scared of doing it for real! Vue sounds like a good idea, I'm going to try that too, i'd rather just stick to shooting on green screen and not outside too. we should get someone to give us some kind of tutorial over the summer. lets start a petition. anyhow, good progress and good luck on everything!
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