Camera Projection and 3D Matte Painting DVD

Now I'm yet to watch most of this DVD, however, based on what I have seen with regards to the technique, I can see now why It is so important for my final piece to have certain perspective.



After realizing that this painting wasn't what I was looking for in regards to composition and perspective, I went back to the drawing board for a couple of days. After taking on board what Alan had said, I went back to my original works and done a few redrafts.

It wasn't until I realized how much detail I was trying to cram in, until I came up with this idea.



This image of rock experiments (with a few other previous images) had some of my best work with regards to textures and shapes - so I made a 'matte painting' style of my scene using them.



This was my first attempt - I feel compositionally it isn't much different from my final piece, although it lost some of the hand-drawn charm when Photoshop got its greasy mitts on it!



This one was then an attempt to have a similar composition, yet still keep that hand-drawn element and keep the textures strong. things like indirect shadows etc. haven't been taken into account as I don't want to add things that may complicate the projection initially.

Now my plan if you are unaware, is to make this 3D painting, seem like a static yet living environment. I had a lot of trouble drawing enough noticeable detail on the parts of Hell such as skulls and spikes etc. so my idea is to go either one of two ways

1. Use my original drawings of these elements and utilize the same projection methods to go about modelling and texturing them (then just import them and scale them into the main scene)

Or the second idea which I feel could be a pretty good one for the characters more so but could be beneficial for environment also.

2. Model these elements separately (by projection or traditional methods based off of my drawings), create a UV snapshot and print it out, color it by hand (in the same way all my drawings have been done, but more importantly, like the rocks in the scene) and then rescan it - keeping in tone with the hand-drawn CG hybrid style I'm going for.

I think this could very effective if done properly, and will definitely look more seamless than mixing hand drawn with faux-hand drawn textures.


Anyway, my main priority is to get to the end of this DVD by hook or by crook so I can start employing some of the techinques and get underway with production.

Now I know to some the scene may look a little 'bare' but keep in mind, that it will be filled with people and the environmental elements over time - it's just for the sake of this projection technique, that I keep the scene down to the necessary parts.

The End Is In Sight...

It's been a hectic 15+weeks for most second years I'm sure, and whilst my final few shots are dancing down into my images folder, I thought I'd write up a brief post of what this project experience has been like for me and what I will take away from it.

I'd first like to say - I am a changed man. This last 10 or so days has really put me in a place where I didn't want to be. That place being 5am. I know even the hardest workers of all, have their moments of anxiety towards the end of a project, and my advice to anyone in the future and myself: DON'T PANIC! Telling the milkman to F*!k off, punching your monitor, or the old favourite of mine - blackmailing your PC into working, ultimately just creates a horrible environment for yourself and anyone around you. Avoid it. I'm about to show off here and say that recently I purchased a nice new office chair with a back massager...Invest, it is money well spent for those of you up at 4am like myself now. If you're a smoker, get a packet, if you drink tea, put a kettle in your room, do what you have to do, to create an efficient 'studio'.

I mean, who wants to work in a dark corner of their room, on a drumkit stool with no back, using their leg as a mouse mat, and running into the kitchen everytime you need a sip, instead of being comfortable? (Apparently me until about 2 months ago). So, the 2nd thing I learned was: REWARD YOURSELF. Now I have a rule of thumb for this little lesson I picked up. If you fix a problem you were having in Maya - Watch the Simpsons before your evening tea. If you complete one of Alans tutorials - Don't download the next one until you've eaten at least one Big Mac. And so forth. We all understand, CG is hard! with ever developing technology and techniques, nobody can ever become a master - so don't expect to pull off something way out of your jurisdiction.

Saying this, we also know that the CG community is massive and ever growing. With that in mind, why not PLANT A FEW SEEDS? What I mean by this, is we all have that one friend. You know, the guy that just spent £2000 on a PC to go on facebook with. Right? why not give him a copy of Maya? Then when you're running around, offering first years £5's worth of redbull, so as to use the computer they're on because your renders are killing you, you'll remember that ''Oh! Joe Bloggs has got maya now? I can use his computer to render too!'' It's just common sense. Also, don't be afraid to beg...

To which was replyed with...

I mean...what a stroke of luck! For those of you who are unfamiliar with Eric Keller, he is first and foremost a true gentleman, and secondly a part freelance tutor at the Gnonmon School Of Visual Effects, and part student at the same place. Now don't worry, all he did for us was render a few shots! The point I'm driving at is - HELP EACHOTHER OUT! we're all in the same boat, were in the same boat, or will be, so why not lend a hand when you can and vice versa - don't be afraid to beg for computers to render on (Disclaimer: Any restraining orders, fines or funny looks you get are entirely accounted for by those who act)

I've had a positive experience on a whole. A love hate experience, as I have learnt a lot from being with the guys in my group, as well as come out with the most important lesson of all: Use your time effectively and enjoy all the little things. Despite this I'd like to take a quote from the very wise Jordan Buckner and say:

"(I've had) enough of this fucking project... if group projects represent a real life scenario, I'd rather work in McDonalds for the rest of my life"

I can understand why some people would tend to feel this way about certain aspects about this project (myself being one of them) but it is important to lastly TAKE AWAY THE POSITIVE and LEAVE BEHIND THE NEGATIVE.

Right, well, my monster render is about done, so I will leave it here. I hope at least even 1 person see's this and tries to take something away...heck even if I stick to it It'll count for something!

MARI 1.1

I don't know if anyone has already made a post about this, but I've recently seen the demo hosted in LA, and was very impressed!

The 3d painting programme seems to be an ideal standalone piece of kit, mostly used for the texturing of "Massive projects".

The programme was developed for films such as District 9 and Avatar, and has now found its way into mainstream texturing. Brought to us by the same company who gave us the 'Nuke' software, The Foundry appear to have given us something really user and manageable here.

I won't go into details, but being specifically designed for 3d texture painting (and animating textures for that matter) in theory it should stand head and shoulders above any 2d application like Painter or Photoshop. I am eager to give it a try.

Take a look at this first part of the tour. I'm sure it has its limitations, and doesn't look like an 'easy' route, but perhaps could be useful from time to time.

Does anyone have any experience with it? I know it currently only operates on linux but I think I'm also right in saying there has recently been a windows 64bit version released too

http://www.thefoundry.co.uk/products/mari/

Metanarrative and The Simpsons

In particular, the episode ''22 Short Films About Springfield'' holds many of the theories and key terms used in Post modern critique and art alike.

As well as the obvious post modern, pastiche and borrowing from other media (with alarming success) that The Simpson's uses, a lot of people argue that the show argues cultural, political and religious points
e.g. Many TV critics believe the character chief wiggum, portrayed as the governing and powerful authority in the fictional town of Springfield, despite being 'in charge' so to speak, is actually grossly incompetent at what he does, and is actually more along the lines of a less well rounded child than someone you would assume to be of a higher intellect. is this a stab at the governing bodies of America? or is it just funny that the town sheriff is a buffoon?

The same feature is noted for many other 'powerful characters', The reverend is an emotionless self involved man, the lawyer is a money grabbing free loader, the doctor like all of the before mentioned is again grossly incompetent for what he does.

The reason i chose this episode in particular, is it shows many of the characters, is very ''borrowed'' and ''re-worked'', it is also very aware of itself, often citing cultural references as well as references to itself, occasionally breaking the fourth wall, and ''spilling the beans''.

the exhaustive list of over 1000 characters is considered by many an ample amount, considering the shows longevity and style. however it is because of this, characters such as Barney the town drunk, the lonely grandpa, The local bully Nelson (the list goes on) that Simpson's reflects and parodies the pluralism of post modern society, in the most obvious of symbolic ways.
this episode shows how the characters, all varying from one another act as cogs, each having their own outrageous storyline, yet the town works because of it.

being unable to pin the show down to one genre, is what makes it post modern, the episode starts with the most mundane intro, yet finishes with the whole town congregating into a final scene.

Maggie Simpson...the poster child (literally of post modernism). the baby has lived for over 20 years, yet still wears a baby grow and sucks a dummy. although clearly the Simpson's represents contemporary social America, they also live in 'no time' 'no place' and are not specifically anyone, yet this paradox allows them represent every American family at any time during this post modern era.

I need help condensing the key points and theories really. there is a ton to work with and i do find myself jumping around. I really just need some sort of outline of which key theory/ies i could possibly work more with.

thanks Phil

3D Buzz

My copy of the 3D Buzz tutorial dvd came today, I didn't pay much for it as it was second hand off of amazon, although I'm excited about giving it a quick glance.

The dvd: Mastering maya - The fundamentals, is supposedly one of the better ones out there for beginners, and it's really just a shot in the arm for the summer.

the 2 disc case comes with over 80 hours of comprehensive tutorials and then the second dvd has 3 miniature projects.

From what I've seen of it first hand and heard, it's definitely worth a look, I'm sure it's not too hard to come by ;)

When Mechs Attack

Above is a still of the 3rd project on disc 2, that someone has already completed: exciting stuff