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Everything posted by Rodney
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I know this is a tall order but I'm thinking more of a one way street here. You are right... but (I think) are viewing this from a singular perspective. Artists need discipline. They may balk at this while yet inexperienced but they absolutely need it. So to refine my thoughts... You direct. (I personally think you'd excel at being a director) A modeler, animator... gag contributor... all hands on deck... then helps create the content you dictate. If it meets your standard, all share in the experience. If it doesn't meet your need you either direct a change or affect those changes yourself. In order to successfully reach your intended destination, they do it your way or they walk the plank! This isn't about money. Many a wayfarer signs on board simply for the ride or the adventure. Everyone needs direction.
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Yes indeed, this does tend to beg the question, if you aren't that into pirates what is it that you are into? If you count both Starbucklers and Wannabes you've been into pirates for pretty long time now. You can extend that back even further if you count your backyard theater days. Perhaps you are just in need of some fresh perspective. Personally I feel you need to get yourself into a place where you can collaborate with others on a daily basis. That interaction can be frustrating but it can also push the creative juices to a whole new level. I do not think you should set "The Wannabe Pirates' too far away. Even if you were to pursue other projects I think you should post the occasional strip (farm out work to others if need be!) It's a body of work you should be proud of.
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Mark, I've been noting several classic comic books and animated films that have reminded me of you and 'The Wannabes' lately thoughts on what I've see. This isn't to distract you but perhaps to inspire you and suggest there were others who have paved the way and been through similar experienced. There have certainly been many. Here's a fun one from Frank Frazetta: http://cartoonsnap.blogspot.com/2011/03/fr...-daffy-and.html ...and not quite a pirate but the origin of Popeye reminded me of Flemm's initial quest to sail to sea. I find it fascinating that he originally appeared as only a secondary character in the Thimble Theater comic strip. It sure didn't take him long to become the main attraction. I've also uploaded a drawing/prediction from back in 1936 on what the state of films might be like in 1960. I find that image rather appropriate given the current emphasis on 3D in theaters. (Your characters would fit right in) Note: I think the drawing is from 'Fleisher's Animated News' the mimeographed newsletter that was circulated in the mid to late 30s. Boy would I love to have copies of all those newsletters! All this to say, you come from a very rich tradition in comic books, comic strips and animated pictures. Be proud of your contributions to it.
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Wow Nancy, that's working great. That latest music was really catchy as well. I do have a favor to request... (I know your concentration is on the animation) The flat plane for a ground and the flat color sky really doesn't do your work justice. Please tell me you are planning the final environment with a foreground, middleground and background. It could be something subtle that doesn't distract from the characters. I don't know... throw in some flowers and plants! For what it's worth your characters really plus up the current environment! They are awesome. Oh drat. I should read more carefully! This is not the final set. I only changed the sky color because the default/standard one is so boring. I have been playing with potential backdrops, and toying around with simple prop/set ideas in my mind. I don't know what the floor will be yet. I would love to do something with them dancing, splashing thru water - but I don't know if I have the stamina to twiddle with that - maybe I can do something like that for a short segment of the dance. Press on, press on, Nancy!
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A few years ago J Griffin shared the gems with caustic effects that show up in the A:M demo video. He was too busy at the time to create a tutorial (still is) but hoped the settings could be useful. See attached project: JewelsCoverFinal.prj
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Steve, I'm curious if you or anyone else has a good recipe for dealing with the lighter areas at the nostrils? I've used a negative value white light before to good effect but don't think I've tried that with SSS. Is this a by-product of the mesh being opened at the nostrils?
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She's looking great Steve! That SSS effect looks great on her. A little voice is telling me to make note of this 'error' because it may be very useful to me someday.
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Would there be interest in a Bouncing Ball Bootcamp?
Rodney replied to robcat2075's topic in Showcase
If I ever leave the realm of the bouncing ball just shoot me and put me out of my misery. There is no practical end to the bouncing ball... it just keeps on bouncing. (The keyword in that last sentence is 'practice'.) -
Would there be interest in a Bouncing Ball Bootcamp?
Rodney replied to robcat2075's topic in Showcase
Please count me in! -
I thought I'd seen your drawing somewhere lately in animated action. Sure enough, it was Shaggy doing the 'Bus Stop'.
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Thanks Robert, it'd been so long since I'd used an IK constraint I was lost. Your simpliest IK leg was just the thing I needed to jog the memory. Still not quite where I need to be but getting there.
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Excellent Note Robert. You've captured the essence in those drawings. What I find of particular interest here is the importance (and difference) between drawings and computer animation. In essence they are the same but practically they are so very different. For example, drawing the movement of a character as you have in the third image takes a few seconds when drawing whereas creating the same thing from scratch on the computer can take hours (modeling, rigging, posing the character). This is why I think it's important to plan animation out via drawings first and then follow that plan. Regarding the subject of Rigging with regard to this side to side swaying: I made a few attempts at modeling and rigging that character in the third image and learned a lot in the process. (At least I feel a little better oriented in my approach to animation than I did yesterday!). If it isn't too far off topic I'd love to hear the experts weigh in on how they would approach rigging that guy so his feet would stay in place while the hips move around and rotate. Such a simple thing to convey in a drawing... but not so straightforward with the constraints of CG characters. Obviously, when just animating, one would hope to be working with a character rigged with that functionality already in place. Not trying to drift off topic from animation but I seeing even more clearly how the rigging of a character can make such a critical difference in computer animation. Where I'm currently hyper-focused on in animation can be found within that area of in-betweening you've illustrated in points 4 and 5. I find that while the Extremes may tell the story via the Key Poses (so very important!) but it's those in-between frames that convey the personality and spirit of our animation. It's like life itself, where we begin and end may be key'd for us but we must choose the paths we take. This is fun and educational. You have a gift for teaching animation.
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Hear Hear! Happy Birthday David!
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Woohoo! Ticker tape parade time! Congratulations. Well deserved recognition.
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More Kapsule Klones... http://vimeo.com/21438369 (It's a rather cute commericial in a language I don't understand... Vietnamese.) Are you rich yet John???
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You've been holding out on us Mark!!! The Adventures of Elliot Wangley? Very *HICCUP* intresting.
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Yes, Helvetica. Very readable. Found this reference in a write up on the comparisons between Arial and Helvetica: No wonder people are tired of Arial... they've been staring at it on computers for two decades.
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I'm not much one to say when it comes to Pro work but I find myself continually returning to Arial for readability alone. I've been using a font called Lafayette Pro for anything comic related but it doesn't have caps (actually it's all caps... I need non-caps) , italics or bold so I have to create them on the fly if I want those. In order to use it commercially I think I'd have to pay for it. (I double check on that) Below is an example of text in Lafayette Comic Pro. The final commentary and illustrations (using Arial because I didn't take the time to convert it) can be seen on my blog. I'll guess that people don't like Arial because they find it boring. I find it readable which is rather important and the whole point when reading words. What I've also found is that regardless of the text used it often seems too stark for my tastes so in the finished product I often copy a burred duplicate of the text over the top of the original and then adjust the transparency of that blurred layer. Bottom line as far as I'm concerned; if going for the final reel and really trying to land a job it may be worth the money to pay for the perfect font. Otherwise it's mostly just preference. I would steer clear of anything even remotely unreadable. Also take into consideration that it takes time to read text on the screen. Added: While looking for a reference on ideal time to leave text on screen I stumbled upon one that suggests .33 seconds for every word over 14 words on screen. This suggesting that a change occurs in our brains when we see larger masses of text and we adapt to better read it. Obviously if the text is harder to read or stylistic it may take longer to recognize and comprehend. (I never did find the reference I was looking for though)
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If you are trying to focus on the dancing here... Is zooming in the camera a little closer to the characters an option? If so that would be my recommendation. You can do this by adjusting the Focal Length in the Camera's settings. Do this on frame 0 though or you'll create an animated zoom. (which is also an option for you if you want to track closer to the dancers)
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I do think the flame decal should be applied to a distortable grid. Then you could alter the flame to give it a sense of moving through the air as the object moves and then returning to it's upright burning once the object stops moving. That ol' Follow Through and Drag thing. Right now the flame tilts a little mechanically with no real drag or followthrough.
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Ooooo. Pretty Fire! Very nice. I think fire and Thom would work especially well together.
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Great video analysis Robert. Me likey! ...and Chris, I like your additional tips here on the head turn. Spot on Commentary. Having some movement in the face would definitely sell the shot. The standard tip out of Richard William's TASK when the head is relatively stationary during a head turn is to push the head out, then down and around. I understand what Robert was saying about the down and around part not always hitting the mark... that's not what I'm trying to relate here. It's that displacing outward that sells the shot. To my way of thinking it's something of an anticipatory setup. In animation its the change that counts. Diplacing the head outward gives you more change in shape. For instance, if you've got the two key poses, 1, Looking Left and 2, Looking Right, the next inbetween (or breakdown pose) pushes the head or distorts it a little over to the left. This gives the sense of dimensionality to the turn as that makes the characters features turn around versus travelling around. The example is on page 87 of TASK (both editions). I recall some debate about Comic Sans but for the life of me cannot recall the outcome or suggestions that followed. My memory says that it was something to be avoided but that was for use in comic books, not animation reels.
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Darrin did post some images up there. (Most probably haven't seen the attached bitmap with the dog, car etc.)
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The Boy and/or Girl. The Plot. The Villain Vanquished. That's my story and I'm stickin' to it. Even in that short story there can be found quite a few variations on themes that would set the stage for a fifteen minute movie. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ I do like the idea of keeping a focus on animation and storytelling. Perhaps we could break our ideas down into a Storyboard/Animatic/Pitch Project for a subsequent Project: The following are not fully framed definitions but general ideas: One panel/Still Frame: (Shot - Establishing Scenario) An image capturing a moment without words [ideas] Two panels/Spatial Art: (Sequence - Anticipation and Action) A Setup for a viewer determined outcome [Motivations] Three panels/Comic Strip: (Arcs - Setup/Reactions/Results) The basic elements of a story or plot [Outcomes] Four panels/Sequential Art: (Acts) The completed story arc [Characters and Personalities] Five or more panels/Serialization: (Plots) A story with a prologue, epilogue or denouement [Precursors and Consequences] Whether drawing or rendering computer generated imagery we have a tendency to stop at that first panel. Note: Because I added "The Plot" into Act 2 that full story above could (theoretically) be told in a minimum of six panels.
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TOO CUTE! Even then it's plain to see you were destined for great things Nancy. Like... performing as Mrs. Yoop! Regarding your Doll and Lion dance... now that was superb.