Gerry

That link to the cp weighting tute was really useful! I downloaded the tute, it's a big help.

Yeah, but I probably won't put in the word balloons, though!

Mark, this is a nice image. Try the cougar's head in profile, looking off to the left like something off in the distance got her attention.

Yeah, can you show a wireframe?

Got it covered!

I've never entered one of the image contests because my AM work was usually rigging practice or the occasional live project for my day job. But I've got this online comic, Bugbots: The Mansect Rebellion! that has been back-burnered for a couple of years now. I've occasionally tried some 3D treatments but usually ran into some glitch or complication and put it aside. But I decided to try one more time to model and rig a character, and recreate a scene from the comic as a still image. So what I'm working on is a model of Croaker, the assassin bug, in a 3D recreation of the last panel of Chapter 3.

I hope looking at these is some help, Rob.

Things were slow at work the other day so I spent some time playing with walk cycles. I'm not taking this further at the moment so it's not exactly a work in progress, but I thought you might enjoy these. Comments welcome! KeyKat_render01_h264.mov

Luuk, that's a great workaround. I'm sure you must have been pulling your hair out at times, but once you get something like that to work all the frustration somehow melts away. I hope we can get to see it here (or you can link to it) sometime. And John, whenever you can post your test I'm sure I'm not the only one who would like to see it.

Wow, this is a really cool effect! Thanks for the tip!

Paul, you're right about starting with a good script! But just as important are concept and character sketches, and storyboards and animatics as things progress. I would recommend spending some time with pencil and paper before even firing up A:M. It will make the animating part about a hundred times easier.

the head size definitely makes it look young-ish, or a little cartoony. But overall really nice, good splining too!

Nice work!

Yeah, nice job all around!

Here's a good face tute. I've used it a couple of times and it works well. It's a pdf, so download it and print it out. Someone here on the Hash forum did it, Jeff Lew maybe? the url has jsherwood in it. Sorry I don't know more about the creator. http://www.hash.com/users/jsherwood/tutes/SkyLark.pdf

Don't the Squetch rig tutes go into assigning cp's and some fan bones for the shoulders? I can't find the link right now, but I seem to recall that info in the videos.

Yeah, I have to be careful about talking to my friends about my work. If you try to describe what you're REALLY doing their eyes glaze over in a heartbeat. Keep it simple, like "...so I made his pants BLUE!" Great work by the way!

This is a great start and a fun theme! As has been mentioned, I think it needs to be snappier overall. You can move something like this along pretty quickly and the viewer will still "get it". More please!

that Anamie book looks so great I just ordered it! Great clips on the book's website too.

I've never used an animated gif but any image sequence will do. A:M seems to like targa's best, so that's the way I go with anything, other than using a QuickTime movie which also works well. Like John said, the bit depth of the gif might have made A:M hiccup.

Just checking in here for the first time in a few weeks. Great work! This is all coming along beautifully! I'm curious though why you went with TSM instead of the Squetch Rig? I take it the TSM install is more automated in some respects?

Yeah, really nice model, and nice detailing. Will you be able to show us the client's finished :30 when it's done?

I've been following your progress on this and it's coming along very nicely! In your efforts to get some definition/detail in a low-light setting I wondered if you've tried giving the railings (or other elements) a little ambience so that you're not depending entirely on the low lighting to be able to see the scene.

What can I say, this is looking great and I love the ship. But what are the yellow things on either side of the prow? Solid objects, or banners of some kind? Still, it's all looking good.

Haven't been here in awhile but wanted to say this is looking great as usual! Gerry