Major || Progress Report 5 - Ironing out the Models and Setting the Scenes

Whilst my rigging is done, there were a few issues after testing which were put down on a list, and few more that appeared during the continuing testing process. There was popping on the eyebrow blend shapes that was fixed by going to the inputs for the face and swapping the blendshape input to be on the bottom ~(not sure how this worked but it did). For some reason the blink controls went nuts when keyframed, found out that there were two blend shapes in the shape editor, so one was deleted. The restrictions that I set up earlier were too restrictive, so they were adjusted, and the weights were blended a bit better. An interface is also really important for quicker selection of a desired joint without fiddling around with the model too much. When working on the hair physics I found out the IK had somehow become attached to the foot, so I redid all the simulation, then fixed the hair so it would move with the model. I'm glad I gave myself a bit of time to troubleshoot everything now so issues like these wouldn't arise to annoy me later at a crucial moment.

I compiled the entire process for this character for easy referencing. This will probably appear in my art of as well.

The hair really did need animation because its right in the middle of the face, you can see in the videos how I tested this element and its interaction with the geometry. I was planning on having soft body simulation for the hood and hairs at the back but this was too complicated so i just used more nhairs instead. Then I set up another CTRL to turn those simulations on and off to streamline animation.

Major || Progress Report 4 - Square-Eyes Rigged Model

Though it took longer than expected I finished the rigging process for my main character on Thursday, and cleaned up the scene. I want to begin testing it by applying random animations, mostly by putting it into a pose and attempting natural shifts, beginning to set up rulesets about dos and don'ts and writing them down, but first I have to address the functionalities of the rig and get the hair moving naturally. 

The character in the environment took ages to render (~13+ mins). It's most likely to do with optimisation of the scenes, so it won't take that long. I'm setting up an editable scene and an optimised one for animating with.

At least in the meanwhile I can exercise my skills in photography. 

Major || Progress Report 3 - Blank Space Test Renders and Stylisation stuff

I moved onto the facial rigging finally despite my earlier post a few weeks ago about reaching this point by the end of February, I'm going to try and do as much as I can for this week so i don't have to worry about this stuff in the near future. Here you can see the results of the mouth rigging tutorials. Considering the character in my animation doesn't talk, the mouth articulation doesn't need to be overtly complex, however i am taking advantage of the resources granted to me in order to learn more about how to do things. 

Re analysis of my environments in a 3D context. I had another look at my initial sketches and also some online examples to better understand the look I'm going for. Overall the sketches were very influenced by the idea of black and white in combination with bright colours. I chose this style initially because I wanted a lynchian feel to the animation, a kind of weird black and white short except with splashes of colour throughout. Implementing this will solidify the cartoonish artstyle a bit better.

this sketch is seeking the differences between the two spaces. The blank space is a lot larger and decrepid than the normal bedroom, and has a flooded floor that reflects the neverending ceiling. the cracked walls reveals a dark sea all around the space. the red door stands in the background.

Major || Progress Report 2 - Test Animations and Environment Texturing

While attempting test animations on the body rig I noticed that some of the driven keys weren't working for some reason, so they were fixed. Helps to notice this now so it doesn't make problems in the future. Now all that need to be completed is the face rig stuff.

Finished some more texturing for the environments, was a bit torn on whether to include patterned bedsheets or not, decided against it because the white looked ok if a little clinical. Tried to put a normal map on the carpet but the texture went very dark in the viewport? In the future perhaps look at making the main door taller, adding the window, and think about focal points.

I want the Bedroom to look like it belongs to a young person, so I'm avoiding using the 
same colours and utilising neutrals like white to fill in gaps in design. The use of brighter palette will help to create a family friendly, airy space to contrast the Blank Space, which will be characterised by its sense of enclosure and isolation echoed in a negative palette of darker colours and patterns. 

The inclusion of rain throughout the entire animation provides an extra layer of drama known as pathetic fallacy. There are mood changes to do with rain that varies between different people, I want this characters mood be affected by the weathers presence in the same way. I wanted to extend the interaction with water a little further by having the floor of the blank space be submerged in a thin layer of stagnant water. This will play with the idea of reflections both as a concept and in visual practise, as well as adding an extra layer of interaction. On the Outside scene as well, when I get around to it, could have a sparkle of morning dew and the remnants of clouds in the sky.

Looking at my concept art, the original Bedroom seems to become bigger and the waterlogged walls become taller through the use of vertical drip stains. Adding this to my current perception of the room, the ceiling should be out of sight completely, making the reflection of the room in the water like a bottomless pit. The small entryway with the red door is extended into a long winding path with the door standing out with red paint. The darkest corners of the room glint with something unearthly.

surprise. it's birdperson.

Major || Progress Report 1 - Square-eyes Body Rigging and Environment Modelling

As this is the first post about my Major since the end of my Minor project, I'm planning to update my project every Friday and detail what I have managed over the week chronologically using my physical diary as a reference. This should help me plan ahead so I can get things done on time, as well as giving me a secondary point of reference for physical progress and timelines on the project.

At this point in time, the work being achieved over the week is slow as I am still in the rigging process. Most of what I planned for this character is at a satisfactory standard, I've only waylaid myself with other work, like the included work on environment, for the sake of variation in my daily activity. The rig for the body is done, I am in the process of building a face rig now whilst troubleshooting as I go.

The aforementioned standard is a simple character that will interact with the changing environment of the bedroom, who will also be part of the furniture in the way that they are designed. They are a recluse with computer addiction. I also consider the title 'A Boy and his Shadow' a working title as when I look back on the work for this project, the original character was intended to be androgynous or sort of tomboyish to best represent a wider range of people.

Within the next two weeks, in other words, by the end of February I want to be finished with the face rigging and have no issues with the rest of the rig. This will enable me to move on to designing the core focus of the animation which will be the shifting environment. Spectacle is the best part of my animation and I want it to look as good as it can be. The time frame for this will be about two weeks from the beginning of next month, whereupon in the second half of March I can begin setting out the scenes in 3D space.

Toolkit 3 || Moom Animation 'I'm so Embarrassed!'

'A Boy and his Shadow' Minor || Submission

A story of a young boy and an unlikely friendship.

Reflective Statement

During this project, I have gotten a sense of how larger scale animation finds its foundations. I have worked on my management skills by using a timetable, though my work ethic still needs attention. Also I have found parts of the production phase that I have felt comfortable in.