September

DARE has passed. Awards were won, nominations for BAFTA were given. I’m in one of the fortunate teams to await March eagerly. This chapter closes abruptly and a new page awaits a scribe.

I remain on the job quest – I’ve sent out applications to several companies in the Dundee vicinity. Hopefully they’ll respond in kind.

Until then I shall continue creating artwork with whatever means I have. I’m working on an image I began back at the end of third year, some may recall it. Frogboy chases his dream of catching the inzediddle – I’ve taken it back to the monochromatic stage in order to really focus on the values.

Any criticism welcome.

Also, I’ll be taking part in the NEXT LEVEL DUNDEE event which begins Monday – next week. I’m looking forward to pitching ideas this FRIDAY.

~

Story so far…

So I’ve spent the last year (in uni) working toward creating my film, and I’m still headed toward that goal. I’ve learned a great deal of practical techniques and gained personal insight into my work ethic.

There have been times when I’ve lost sight, and stumbled into a little confusion – but the creative ambition continues to live on. I’m going to continue to work on my film, independently for the time being until I can organise some structure – some over arcing plan.

The next chapter in my life is DARE – a computer game competition hosted at Abertay – I believe in the library. I will spend 10 weeks honing my skills as part of the Gents of Fortune (you can follow us on our twitter profile here http://twitter.com/gentsofortune), to create the art assets for the game Quick As Thieves.

I’ll leave you now with a couple of screenshots and poster artwork for the story so far.. the tale of the bumbling hatted ne’er do well.. and his long lost friend turned foe.. I give you, Hatavar and Windbag in an Escape from Common Thought.

 

Also – here’s a still from the animation in progress -

For those of you who are interested in seeing more – the work is on display in the Hannah Maclure Center – found here on GoogleMap until the 19th of June.

I’d like to thank:

Adam Wyroslawski for Musical Score and Composition.

Martin McCormick for the voice of ‘Windbag’

Martin MacGregor for Rendering/Compositing

Violet for being the inspiration I find her to be.

Updates

Let’s hit the ground running – hard.

Of late, I’ve been working on the Hatavar model texture – adding improvised details to his clothing.  I’m quite found of the underside of his shoe which I shall demonstrate for thee now.

Also today I was writing a more comprehensive draft of the beginning narration for the animation. It will feature Windbag recounting his past and present, giving context to the state he has come to find himself. Crest Fallen.

Also – I’ve managed to rig up Windbag’s Moustache in Maya using Spline IK. Each Control Vertice of the resulting spline curve is then applied to a Cluster – these can then be parented to strategically placed NURBS circules for animation handles.

Next step is to link up the Smile/Wide Blendshapes to the appropriate moustache handles with a Set Driven Key – so the moustache will move believably and automatically when he smiles.

…..

Beard.

Quick As Thieves

Crazy Weekend…

 

Artwork by Jamie Mackinnon and I– we can thank Jamie for the Background Museum Interior – I just filled the Foreground with a Dinosaur and Junk.

Thief’s name is Jean Eric de Fault.

~

Since you can’t reply to comment on Blogger (for why guys?) I’ll reply here.

Martin

Thanks dude, I enjoy character design foremost, but at least I know I’ll have fashion designer to fall back on ^_^;

Visiting D-Con made me realise that if I wanted to get noticed I needed quality to artwork to display. Filtering your work through the criteria of ‘Would I print this out and attach it to the wall behind, could I continue to stand in front of it for an entire exhibition?’ knocked a few holes in my body of work.

So I worked Frogboy up from an existing image applying some more lighting techniques I’d learned since.

Searra

Thanks Searra – you’ll have been able to catch glimpses of him no doubt throughout the years. I’m liking him at the moment.. all Zen Fu, Don’t touch my Bubble Pipe, Fish Master.

Revisiting Characters

 

I’ve been touching up a WIP of a Frogboy concept from last semester and creating Portraits of my antagonists, the Obligation Council in order to contextualise my story, and build a believable cohesive world.

This is what my research is tending to lean me towards, and it is what I enjoy doing most. Plus I haven’t updated here in a while.