Less Tweaking, More Texturing!

Snapshot of the head with a bit more neck and shoulder width.

On to texturing now. Mon then eh!



Head is complete...at last!

Completed the main sculpt for the head. Just got to do a few tweaks, then on to UV mapping. I'll then be taking it in to Mudbox to add in pores etc.



I'm getting there. WORK MODE COMMENCE!

Recently I've been lagging a bit behind in my modeling. My constant fear of it not being perfect is seriously hindering my work and putting me behind schedule. Having said that, recently I've realised exactly what I need to do. I'm gonna crack on and get this head finished by Saturday afternoon, then it's on the UV mapping and texturing on Sunday. Let's do this.

Side view of the head.

 3/4 type view.

I keep getting really picky about the birdge of the nose that runs in to the eye area. ARGH!

Particle Render Type's and trying get particles to behave the way you want them to...

I'm trying to replicate a character jumping through a pool of paint. The thing is the character comes from underneath the paint and through it. I'm currently trying to replicate the outward burst of the paint. I think I'm going to have to combine what I'm doing now with some sort of passive collider. Is it possible to make both sets of particles passive colliders, so one set of particles are large and the base of the paint, whereas the second set of particles are the finer splashes of paint and react from the first set of particles? My mind is boggled just now. No update on the head as I've been researching particles lately. Will post an update on the head tomorrow I guess. In the mean time...MOSH! Dugga dun!

 This is the first test after changing the render type of the particles. This is the MultiPoint render type.

 This is the MultiStreak. It gives, literally, a streaking effect. I don't to over do this as I don't think paint reacts in a 'streaky' manner.

 This the same as above but with a larger tail size on the streaks. I also played about with the size of the streaks here. The images above, combined, might look for a cool splatter effect.

I'm still trying to figure a way for the emitter to only emit upwards for the initial contact of the character coming through 'pool' of paint.

Reduced Particles Per Second

Quick shot of the reduced amount of particles for my test. I know need them to form on the top face of the polygon and make a still puddle like blob of paint. 

Less particles, but I now need to manipulate them to act like a puddle. Gravity...

nToday

I have been looking at nParticles and how to get them to sit on a piece of geometry like a 'puddle' of paint. So far... I have the test block and the particles are going absolutely everywhere. Let's dig into this and see how to manipulate these wee bandits!

Test block

 Particle party...

 

There's still progress to be made!

Started blocking in the eye socket, mouth and the basis for the ear. Getting there! It's also very windy today...

Maya workspace shot. Who is that guy on the image planes???

 Shaded screen shot of the model so far.

Had a chat with Chris yesterday regarding the motion my character will take in my film. Discussed the possible idea of having the character starting of looking slightly down, then looking up to the side slightly, then turning his head in the opposite direction (towards the camera) and his eyes momentarily locking with camera. I think this will give the feel I am going for. When we are told to not look at the camera, no matter what, the human will always have a quick glance at the camera. Interesting...

Being...

So some of my research will be completely abstract, some will be meaningful to my project and some will exist because of their symbolism and iconic nature. We exist on this planet, but we as a human 'being' will never know why. Are we just a number in a system, who's 'life' is determined by time? Why?

 

An update?

This may well be another update. Loads of tweaking. It's starting to take shape :D INSERT EDGE LOOP TOOL! It's getting there. I've been taking some snaps of my glasses as they will also need to be modeled.

A quick shaded snapshot of the head.

Here it is with the wire frame and reference photos.

It's underway!

Here are some quick snapshots of what I'm doing for my project. Modelling my own head is a bit strange at time, but it's kinda fun! Had a quick discussion today with Carlo and Dan about 2k/4k textures and what would be best for our films respectively. Anyway, here are the images.

Some wire frame fun going on here!

 

Shaded version of my head. 1.0

 

What the...?!!

Is This Life?

Basic idea of the film is a photo realistic model of myself, existing in it's immediate space.

There is no real story to the film, other than the character 'being'.

The character is in a fixed position throughout the entire film.

The character blinks, moves it's head slightly and twitches like a natural human being would, if sitting 'still'.

Eye movement and lip movement are slight.

The film in total is roughly 30 seconds.

Personal Aims

My aim for this film is to gear myself towards a possible role in the gaming industry doing FMV sequences or possibly films.

I want to concentrate on the modelling of the head and make sure the topology and flow of the model is perfect.

I will also being taking a keen interest in lighting and compositing as they will be vital to the final outcome of the film.

Film Aims

To make the viewer question if it is real or computer generated.

To make the viewer ask what the film is actually about.

It's about life and why we exist.

Is this life?

In progress...

My idea is now a much simpler one, yet it will still allow me to achieve what I want. What do I want? Photo-realism. The animation ideas for my films are very subtle and slight and the aim is to make the viewer believe the character is real.

I'll be looking at a couple of Gnomon Workshop dvds, some Digital Tutors courses and hopefully be able to acquire a book called 'The Face' by Ballistic Publications. I've also been given contact with the head of Forensics at uni which will allow me to really dig in deep into the facial expressions and muscle movement side of things.

Until next time...

An overview

My film/animation is one of a simple nature.

The main character is myself. I am sitting on a chair. I stare straight in to the camera and point a gun to my head. I pull the trigger and the bullet penetrates my skull. My head proceeds to burst open from the opposite side. There is blood. Lot's of blood. The film ends.

The film will be shot in slow motion, with a poem being spoken over it.

The overall look of the film will be a sort of realistic one. I will need to take photographs of myself from different angles, model myself in Maya (based on the images) and generally make the character look as similar to myself as possible.

As for research, I will be looking in to blood, skull, skull structure, upper torso, hand guns and poetry. The main area of concern is showing development of research, as my main research will be photographs of myself. I'm not sure how I can develop 'myself'.

Thanks...

For nothing.

In a world where it is normal to willingly give away our social lives and sign away our rights, we have become obsessed with the digital world. We are essentially becoming post-human, in the way that we conduct ourselves in private and in public. I don't need to know if you have just 'taking a shit in your toilet', 'are watching a film with 'a', 'b' or 'c'... and I certainly don't need to know if you are hungover on a Sunday, when you should be in church praying to your 'God'. I used to be all this, and probably a shit tonne more, but I have realised that there is more to life than sending a picture of your lunch to the world via 1's and 0's.

I give up on people that moan and bitch about how hard their lives are on a daily basis. They don't realise that by merely having the ability to tell the world about their 'problems', they are extremely privileged. 'I don't have any money', 'I need a job'....blah blah fucking blah. Shut the fuck up, you are a sorry excuse for a human being.  

 

What if they internet never existed, mobile phones were never invented. Half of these fuck-wit textologists (text message scientists who can't use vowels or spell there/their/they're) wouldn't be able to structure a full sentence in a letter to tell their family of how hard 'life' is.

What I'm saying is, I get so worked up about the little things. I'm not really sure why but it may have to be with the fact that these binary munching fuck bags either:

• don't have any aspirations in life
• are happy to evolve in to a full slavering cabbage by the age of 40

or

•  feel pressured to 'fit in'

Fitting in. What if I don't want to fit in. Wait... scratch that. It's not about not fitting in, it's about being who you are. We are the total of everything and everyone that we have ever encountered. Whether you like it or not. That is the truth. If you encounter someone who has a mannerism you don't like, or someone who you don't like, you will, unknowingly try to not be like that said mannerism or said person. This is what I see on the magnificent 'internet'. I don't want to be like you. If I follow through on this project, and that's what it is, not just a film/animation, then I will lead a better life knowing that I can enjoy and share moments/adventures/experiences in their full glory, rather than taking a picture of it and not giving a fuck. Technology, sure, it has it's pros, but in a sense of people and networking, we have become zombies. Zombies are cool, but leave them in the movies.

Now you may be reading this and thinking, 'get to the point'.... but that's just it, there is no point in this. I'm just spurting ideas from my brain onto this keyboard.

Yes, I know, I'm a contradicting dick, but as part of my universities criteria, I have to have some sort of online blog/presence. Hmmm...

Who Am I?

My idea is a simple one. A man holds a gun to his head and pulls the trigger.

• 'A bullet of conscious objection spits from an ever revolving gun.'
• 'Penetrating the mind of he who does not conform to 'normality'.'
• 'He exists, but does not know why.'
• 'As the bullet sears through his mind, it explains to him all that is.'
• 'Motionless, the end has come. But for who? You, or I?'
  
  
  
  
  This is my film.

Here is a 1 hour sketch I did. Black & White. Pencil. First sketch I've done in a good while. Hopefully more will follow.