Thursday, December 17, 2009
Long time no post
Faculty consultations went well, it's been a busy last couple of weeks.
Here are some images of my finished characters, c&c welcome and appreciated as always.
Here are some images of my finished characters, c&c welcome and appreciated as always.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Scene Descriptions
In an effort to clarify the low-poly goodness of the video below, here are more detailed descriptions of all my scenes.
1 - Start at black, photos come onto screen (placed by hand) one at a time creating a moving image. Flashes of white come in between photos as if by a camera flash.
2 - Polaroid camera floating in air moving side to side flashing photos, hands reaching up to grab photos as they emerge.
3 - Low angle shot of main character, with camera above flashing photos. Hands of character can be seen grabbing photos and placing them on a grid surrounding him (puppet-like).
4 - Top down shot of main character's body, panning from feet to face (face is mostly blank, mask like in appearance).
5 - With camera over face, photographs start to fall from grid onto/around main character. Shadow of another humanoid character appears above the face of main. Secondary character lingers over face of main character observing him as the photographs fall.
6 - Cut to side shot of main character (camera low to ground), shadow of second can still be seen. Second character lowers his hand into the frame above main's face, passes finger over his eyes/mouth cutting slits in his previously blank face forming primitive eyes and mouth.
7 - Hand rests over forehead of main, camera zooms to reveal hole in the middle of palm. One droplet of water is released from hole which falls onto main character's forehead and is absorbed. Camera zooms in 3/4 view out while hand and shadow depart from scene, more photos fall from grid as character two exits.
8 - Main begins to sit up (low angle shot), as he does so, photos start to fall rapidly. When main reaches out toward grid, photos explode outward and upward as if pushed by a gust of air.
9 - Main now standing in open desert environment. There is a house in the distance (wooden, decrepit, surrounded by brown brush). Color scheme is predominantly browns and grays, very bright light in scene.
10 - Main appears confused and lost, recognizes house as a place of refuge/safety and starts to walk toward it. Ground begins to fall out from under main character as he walks (as if made of loose cloth). Main begins to run in fear, cannot reach the house before ripping through ground. Cut to black.
11 - Distance shot of main falling through black space. Tumbles for several seconds before cutting to black again.
12 - Top down shot of main lying on back on small piece of ground. Camera pans down and to side of main to reveal he is on a small chunk of dirt in the middle of an ocean. House can be seen in the distance on top of small island. (3rd eye can be seen opening on main's forehead during initial camera zoom)
13 - Main's island drifts toward house island until the two meet, and main is thrown onto shore. The house is the same one as in scene 9, only in this instance it is deconstructed, with each piece of the house floating in midair. A figure can be seen sitting inside the house but it is not clear (beams conceal most of body and face). House is surrounded by vibrant plant life. Color scheme is bright and glowing, contrasting with original look.
14 - Main walks onto island toward house, passing through tall glowing flowers. He enters house through a floating door, pushing it out his way; it floats out into space as he moves it. Second character is sitting inside house on disassembled chair. Main approaches slowly. (3rd eye on main continues to open)
15 - Main approaches second character (who is facing toward the side). As he approaches character two turns to face him. His eyes have the same appearance as the ocean on which main was floating. As main looks at character two, camera zooms into character two's eye, and we again see the ocean. Main is lying on the same chunk of ground again.
16 - Top down on main lying in middle of ocean. 3rd eye continues to open. Camera pans upward where we see character two filling sky. Water begins to pour out from character two's eyes onto main. Camera switches to pulled back side view as water hits main. Cut to black.
1 - Start at black, photos come onto screen (placed by hand) one at a time creating a moving image. Flashes of white come in between photos as if by a camera flash.
2 - Polaroid camera floating in air moving side to side flashing photos, hands reaching up to grab photos as they emerge.
3 - Low angle shot of main character, with camera above flashing photos. Hands of character can be seen grabbing photos and placing them on a grid surrounding him (puppet-like).
4 - Top down shot of main character's body, panning from feet to face (face is mostly blank, mask like in appearance).
5 - With camera over face, photographs start to fall from grid onto/around main character. Shadow of another humanoid character appears above the face of main. Secondary character lingers over face of main character observing him as the photographs fall.
6 - Cut to side shot of main character (camera low to ground), shadow of second can still be seen. Second character lowers his hand into the frame above main's face, passes finger over his eyes/mouth cutting slits in his previously blank face forming primitive eyes and mouth.
7 - Hand rests over forehead of main, camera zooms to reveal hole in the middle of palm. One droplet of water is released from hole which falls onto main character's forehead and is absorbed. Camera zooms in 3/4 view out while hand and shadow depart from scene, more photos fall from grid as character two exits.
8 - Main begins to sit up (low angle shot), as he does so, photos start to fall rapidly. When main reaches out toward grid, photos explode outward and upward as if pushed by a gust of air.
9 - Main now standing in open desert environment. There is a house in the distance (wooden, decrepit, surrounded by brown brush). Color scheme is predominantly browns and grays, very bright light in scene.
10 - Main appears confused and lost, recognizes house as a place of refuge/safety and starts to walk toward it. Ground begins to fall out from under main character as he walks (as if made of loose cloth). Main begins to run in fear, cannot reach the house before ripping through ground. Cut to black.
11 - Distance shot of main falling through black space. Tumbles for several seconds before cutting to black again.
12 - Top down shot of main lying on back on small piece of ground. Camera pans down and to side of main to reveal he is on a small chunk of dirt in the middle of an ocean. House can be seen in the distance on top of small island. (3rd eye can be seen opening on main's forehead during initial camera zoom)
13 - Main's island drifts toward house island until the two meet, and main is thrown onto shore. The house is the same one as in scene 9, only in this instance it is deconstructed, with each piece of the house floating in midair. A figure can be seen sitting inside the house but it is not clear (beams conceal most of body and face). House is surrounded by vibrant plant life. Color scheme is bright and glowing, contrasting with original look.
14 - Main walks onto island toward house, passing through tall glowing flowers. He enters house through a floating door, pushing it out his way; it floats out into space as he moves it. Second character is sitting inside house on disassembled chair. Main approaches slowly. (3rd eye on main continues to open)
15 - Main approaches second character (who is facing toward the side). As he approaches character two turns to face him. His eyes have the same appearance as the ocean on which main was floating. As main looks at character two, camera zooms into character two's eye, and we again see the ocean. Main is lying on the same chunk of ground again.
16 - Top down on main lying in middle of ocean. 3rd eye continues to open. Camera pans upward where we see character two filling sky. Water begins to pour out from character two's eyes onto main. Camera switches to pulled back side view as water hits main. Cut to black.
Monday, November 2, 2009
Storyboard/Animatic
Finished putting together the animatic I have been working on for the past week. Timing is still a little on the rough side but the general feeling is there.
Thankfully it looks as though the story I have been concocting over the past couple months will fit within the time restrictions that I have put up for myself. The animatic clocks in at around two minutes, so I figure even if scenes drag out a little once I get into production, I will still be within the three minute maximum I was shooting for. Quality over quantity.
Anyway, here is the video file, I will be posting more detailed descriptions of the individual scenes tomorrow morning.
Thankfully it looks as though the story I have been concocting over the past couple months will fit within the time restrictions that I have put up for myself. The animatic clocks in at around two minutes, so I figure even if scenes drag out a little once I get into production, I will still be within the three minute maximum I was shooting for. Quality over quantity.
Anyway, here is the video file, I will be posting more detailed descriptions of the individual scenes tomorrow morning.
Storyboard/Animatic from Victor Uhal on Vimeo.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Primitives
Finished writing out my storyline on note cards the other day.
Moving on now to doing a quick visual of the story in Maya using primitive models for the objects in each scene. I also rigged up a quick biped model so I could have a posed representation my main characters in each of the storyboard shots.
Check 'em out, and don't judge cause this shit is quick.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Storyboarding
Attempting to write out/organize the story floating around in my head.
I'm having difficulty not getting caught up in the details (camera movements/cuts, technical issues), and focusing on the broad story points and environments. Think I will go out to askwith tonight and check out the "Beckett on Film" DVD that John Marshall suggested. Hopefully checking out some minimalistic set design will help me to clarify what I will need to include and what I will be able to toss.
The other, and potentially more serious problem, that I am having at the moment revolves around my tendency to opt for more literal visual representations of the experience that I am exploring. As it was said earlier today "enlightened states are anything but literal", but the problem that I see with completely eliminating the potentially cliche, but recognizable, elements is that the animation might become unintelligible to anyone unfamiliar with its subject matter. But then the question is, do I care? Should I care? At this point I don't even know if the project I have undertaken was something that was meant to be understood in the first place. I am interested in the fact that this experience is beyond general understanding, so is it a futile effort to try and make something decipherable? Could be.
At this point the animation is more about the atmosphere: ethereal, surreal, unabashedly visual. I guess it will just evolve from there.
I'm having difficulty not getting caught up in the details (camera movements/cuts, technical issues), and focusing on the broad story points and environments. Think I will go out to askwith tonight and check out the "Beckett on Film" DVD that John Marshall suggested. Hopefully checking out some minimalistic set design will help me to clarify what I will need to include and what I will be able to toss.
The other, and potentially more serious problem, that I am having at the moment revolves around my tendency to opt for more literal visual representations of the experience that I am exploring. As it was said earlier today "enlightened states are anything but literal", but the problem that I see with completely eliminating the potentially cliche, but recognizable, elements is that the animation might become unintelligible to anyone unfamiliar with its subject matter. But then the question is, do I care? Should I care? At this point I don't even know if the project I have undertaken was something that was meant to be understood in the first place. I am interested in the fact that this experience is beyond general understanding, so is it a futile effort to try and make something decipherable? Could be.
At this point the animation is more about the atmosphere: ethereal, surreal, unabashedly visual. I guess it will just evolve from there.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Assets
Time to start making them.
I've been reading pretty much constantly for the past couple weeks, and if anything, have gotten more confused and conflicted about my storyline than I was before. I have more possible components to include than I could ever need (don't want this to turn into a visual vomit fest this early in the year...). I have a problem where if I don't know exactly what I'm doing, I don't do anything visual until I have made a decision between all the ideas floating around in my head. This hasn't really been getting me anywhere and November is creeping up more quickly than I would like. Considering that I want to have all models, textures, and rigs done by the end of winter break, I really need to get my shit together.
Taking advice from John Marshall I think it would be best (in the interest of time) to do some photo mash-ups for rough character sketches rather than spending the time creating hand-drawn pieces. That way the color scheme and rough form of the figures/environments can at least get out in the open for critique and analysis for visual qualities.
Too much reading and not enough 3D makes Victor a dull boy.
I've been reading pretty much constantly for the past couple weeks, and if anything, have gotten more confused and conflicted about my storyline than I was before. I have more possible components to include than I could ever need (don't want this to turn into a visual vomit fest this early in the year...). I have a problem where if I don't know exactly what I'm doing, I don't do anything visual until I have made a decision between all the ideas floating around in my head. This hasn't really been getting me anywhere and November is creeping up more quickly than I would like. Considering that I want to have all models, textures, and rigs done by the end of winter break, I really need to get my shit together.
Taking advice from John Marshall I think it would be best (in the interest of time) to do some photo mash-ups for rough character sketches rather than spending the time creating hand-drawn pieces. That way the color scheme and rough form of the figures/environments can at least get out in the open for critique and analysis for visual qualities.
Too much reading and not enough 3D makes Victor a dull boy.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
.Read.Read.Read.
That is exactly what I am doing, and what I will be doing for the remainder of the week. Most of the books I ordered have come in, and the Carlos Castaneda books in particular offer some interesting insight (and storyline) into this abstract transition I am trying to understand.
Also, the Tibetan Book of the Dead is an amazing, if dense, read. Lots of vivid and graphic imagery in there.
Back to it.
Also, the Tibetan Book of the Dead is an amazing, if dense, read. Lots of vivid and graphic imagery in there.
Back to it.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Refining the 3D Skills
Thought I might post some recent work. Did this creature over the weekend to explore sculpting musculature in Zbrush as well as working with the re-topology tools within the program. Being able to use both of these things will be very important for making animation ready models for IP. (Text on piece complements of Eileen Tjan) :)
Rigging comes next week.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Some light reading
Ordered some books today:
The Doors of Perception & Heaven and Hell - Aldous Huxley
Island - Aldous Huxley
The Teachings of Don Juan: A Yaqui Way of Knowledge - Carlos Castaneda
Separate Reality - Carlos Castaneda
Journey to Ixtlan - Carlos Castaneda
Tales of Power - Carlos Castaneda
Hope they get here soon.
The Doors of Perception & Heaven and Hell - Aldous Huxley
Island - Aldous Huxley
The Teachings of Don Juan: A Yaqui Way of Knowledge - Carlos Castaneda
Separate Reality - Carlos Castaneda
Journey to Ixtlan - Carlos Castaneda
Tales of Power - Carlos Castaneda
Hope they get here soon.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Sketching
I've started to focus in more on what I want my storyline to revolve around.
The Mind at Large. It's an idea that says that the human mind is capable of perceiving everything going on in the universe at any given time, but that we block most of it out because it isn't useful towards survival. It 's often described in a manner similar to a faucet through which only information pertinent to us leaks through. What if it was turned on full blast? The amount of information pouring in would be overwhelming, destructive even. This image of a faucet of perception opening and closing is what I have been playing around with for the past couple days.
Sketches coming soon.
The Mind at Large. It's an idea that says that the human mind is capable of perceiving everything going on in the universe at any given time, but that we block most of it out because it isn't useful towards survival. It 's often described in a manner similar to a faucet through which only information pertinent to us leaks through. What if it was turned on full blast? The amount of information pouring in would be overwhelming, destructive even. This image of a faucet of perception opening and closing is what I have been playing around with for the past couple days.
Sketches coming soon.
Friday, September 18, 2009
The Doors of Perception
The last couple sessions in the studio have been a mix of reading and tinkering.
Aldous Huxley and Ubuntu respectively.
I have been focusing on reading as many psychedelic experience accounts as I can, they seem to have a very direct link to the kind of transition I want to recount in my animation. They are quick to read and straight to the point, dealing with people who feel as though they came close to a full dissolution of ego, but retreated. The reasons differ, but the feelings and thoughts leading up to the retreat are almost always the same. Experiencing reality without the distractions (or comforts) of linguistic definitions, or spatial and temporal relationships is overwhelming. Many say the beauty of even (and especially) the most ordinary of objects is too radiant to bare. Huxley's writings are particularly interesting for the removed, almost scientific way in which he approaches these experiences that are described as spiritual by most. He gives you what he sees as well as how he feels, but never gets lost in the experience.
Look up "Mind at Large", interesting stuff.
Aldous Huxley and Ubuntu respectively.
I have been focusing on reading as many psychedelic experience accounts as I can, they seem to have a very direct link to the kind of transition I want to recount in my animation. They are quick to read and straight to the point, dealing with people who feel as though they came close to a full dissolution of ego, but retreated. The reasons differ, but the feelings and thoughts leading up to the retreat are almost always the same. Experiencing reality without the distractions (or comforts) of linguistic definitions, or spatial and temporal relationships is overwhelming. Many say the beauty of even (and especially) the most ordinary of objects is too radiant to bare. Huxley's writings are particularly interesting for the removed, almost scientific way in which he approaches these experiences that are described as spiritual by most. He gives you what he sees as well as how he feels, but never gets lost in the experience.
Look up "Mind at Large", interesting stuff.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
first post
Sitting in the studio, no one really around (except for a bunch of desktops).
Anyone know which linux distro is best for running Dr. Queue? I dont. Might be in a little over my head building this render farm right now, but doesn't really need to be done anytime soon.
Bored. Need chair. Desk would be nice too.
Anyone know which linux distro is best for running Dr. Queue? I dont. Might be in a little over my head building this render farm right now, but doesn't really need to be done anytime soon.
Bored. Need chair. Desk would be nice too.
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