What I'm working on...

[itsjustme]

I've temporarily tabled the lighting of the Exam Room because I need Bertram posed in the room, so I'm back to working on the Squetch Rig update. I've got some small tweaks and what may end up being a big shoulder update that I'm working toward. We'll see how things pan out.

[itsjustme]

Just a "stay alive" post for this thread. I'm still working on the Squetch Rig update. I've made a couple of adjustments that should make the shoulders and upper chest work better...still a few more things to work on though. In the process, I've torn up Squetchy Sam's setup and I'm now putting him back together so I can work on the other things I want to add.

[itsjustme]

Another "stay alive" post, unfortunately. I've got a few of the additions added to the rig and Squetchy Sam is in a better state. There are still some things to tweak on what is already added, then I have some more things to test. This is the busy part of my year, so things are moving extremely slow...even for me.

[itsjustme]

Another "stay alive" post. I'm starting to have a little time, so maybe I'll get more done. At the moment, I'm trying to get some modeling tweaks worked out on Squetchy Sam and testing the rig additions. Still a lot of work to do...a lot of variables to think about.

[itsjustme]

Okay, I know this is getting ridiculous, but I'm posting another "stay alive" post here. I'm still working on the Squetch Rig updates, which are making me reassess the modeling on Sam. So, lots of tweaking, watching reference videos and more tweaking.

 

I replaced my old broken small Wacom tablet with a medium "One by Wacom" (CTL-671) tablet (http://www.wacom.com/en-in/products/pen-tablets/one-wacom-m) that I picked up at Amazon pretty cheap (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B013STQI50/ref=s9_simh_gw_g147_i1_r?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=desktop-1&pf_rd_r=1FCZ29A3GDBP1YC5DY7F&pf_rd_t=36701&pf_rd_p=2079475242&pf_rd_i=desktop). It'll come in very handy when I get to texturing Bertram. I'm liking it so far.

 

Also, I should be in the process of a system upgrade over the next week...I'm finally able to replace the laptop that was destroyed a little over two years ago. I'll make sure there's nothing wrong with the new laptop (to be sure I don't have to send it back for replacement), replace the hard drive with two SSD's (cheaper to do it myself) and then migrate everything from the old laptop. Once all of that is done, I'll be able to do a few things the current laptop can't handle, like make tutorials. It'll be good to have a dedicated graphics card again.

[itsjustme]

I've gotten everything up an running on the new laptop and I'm doing a bunch of testing...so not much to show at this time. I've been working on a tutorial to give everything a good shake-down and have come across something that I might end up having to report. When I can get a little more time this week I'll be able to get that figured out.

 

For the tutorial, I think I'm going to go about it differently. This time I'm going to do a full screen video capture at 1920x1080 with OBS (https://obsproject.com/) and do any editing with the free version of Da Vinci Resolve (https://www.blackmagicdesign.com/products/davinciresolve). There won't be much editing, just some cleanup, but I wanted to start getting used to the program.

 

So, just another "stay alive" post...way too many of those lately.

[robcat2075]

Glad you're still alive!

[Rodney]

This time I'm going to do a full screen video capture at 1920x1080 with OBS (https://obsproject.com/) and do any editing with the free version of Da Vinci Resolve (https://www.blackmag...davinciresolve).

 

 

I'm interested in how this workflow works for you.

Please keep us posted!

[itsjustme]

It turns out that Da Vinci Resolve doesn't like the files made with OBS. You can transcode using Handbrake to get the files into Resolve, but for tutorials I can live with using AVIDemux. So, I recorded my desktop with OBS, did limited editing with AVIDemux and then ran the result through Handbrake to bring the file size down. I thought about adding a banner or intro splash page, but decided to be lazy and just go with it as-is...warts and all.

 

I like Fusion 8 and will probably use it for some compositing and I'll probably do more testing with Resolve, but I may end up editing in Cinelerra for big projects...eventually I'll be dual-booting Linux, so I'll wait a little while to see how feasible that workflow will be.

 

Now, I'm thinking about not doing a subtitle file for this tutorial. I haven't heard of anyone using the ones I made for previous tutorials, so it might be a waste of time. If anyone has been helped by having the subtitles, let me know and I'll take the time to knock one out.

 

Before I post the finished tutorial, I'll see if I can get some input on a few things. If you want to spend the time to give me feedback, send me a PM through the forum and I'll send you a link to the tutorial and a list of questions.

[Rodney]

PM/feedback sent.

Thanks David!

[itsjustme]

Okay, now I'll have to reverse my opinion on making the tutorial. The files I edited with AVIDemux have something wrong with them at the edit points, so trying to transcode them after editing didn't work very well. I decided to transcode the OBS output with Handbrake, edit in Da Vinci Resolve 12 and then transcode again in Handbrake to bring the file size down...that appears to work well and the final output doesn't lose very much quality from the original captures.

 

I still have some things to consider about the look of the tutorial, but the basic workflow went without a hitch.

 

Thanks for the help, Rodney!

[itsjustme]

Things have been even crazier than usual for the past couple of weeks...so I'll have to use a "stay alive" post for this thread. I'm going to try to accelerate work on Bertram's stuff though.

[itsjustme]

Unfortunately, another "stay alive" post. My free time has been minimal recently, but I'll have a little time this week, so maybe I'll get something done worth showing.

[itsjustme]

Still nothing to post, but I've been eliminating some of the unnecessary things I added to the rig and doing some re-modeling on Sam. Once I get Sam the way I want him, I can finish the update to the rig.

[itsjustme]

Still dinking with Sam...trying to get things to work like I want. The past two weeks went quickly, my schedule hasn't slowed down very much yet. So, another "stay alive" post.

[itsjustme]

Once again, I'm forced to post a "stay alive" post. I've been through several tests that didn't work out and have a few more things I need to try. It takes me a long time to decide if something is necessary, unfortunately.

[itsjustme]

I posted a quick update to the Squetch Rig here: https://www.hash.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=27815&p=409082

 

I also posted a tutorial on using the "Clone CP Weights" plugin here: https://www.hash.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=47723

 

I still have some things I'm working on for the rig, but I wanted to get the tutorial released and it helps having a later version of the rig to follow along.

[itsjustme]

I'll have to use another "stay alive" post. I'm still working on Sam's modeling when I have time, but free time has been in short supply for a few weeks. With any luck, I'll have some time this week.

[itsjustme]

I just posted a video on "Desired Gamma" that may or may not be helpful...it's located at: https://www.hash.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=47763&p=409439

[itsjustme]

Once again, I am forced to resort to a "stay alive" post. I'm still working on Sam, but I don't have anything worth showing yet.

[Rodney]

You should try to time your next Squetchy Sam release for the same time as the Mascot contest.

 

Just sayin'.

 

(Assuming you won't be launching another entry)

[itsjustme]

Time has flown by and I still have nothing worth showing yet. I've been working through some Smartskin issues in Sam that may end up requiring a report.

 

So, I'll have to use another "stay alive" post.

[itsjustme]

I have thought about learning Python for quite a while and I finally decided to mess around with it. The best way to motivate yourself (at least in my case), is to take on a project.

 

The first project I decided to try was to make something to linearize colors in Animation Master files. While the code could be better and do more things, I think it's good enough to basically accomplish the initial goal. I may revisit the code in the future to make improvements, but for now I'll move on to another coding project. Maybe I'll eventually get decent at coding...time will tell.

 

In an effort to get more than one thing done at a time, I used the fruit bowl from the Break Room in Bertram's project to test and demo the code. In the process, I think I improved the materials and learned a little product lighting. Of course, everything could always be better, but I'm thinking it's "good enough"...until I change my mind.

 

Hope this is helpful to someone other than me.

RGBlinear.mp4

RGBlinear.zip

[itsjustme]

One of the apple materials bothered me, so I tweaked it.

[itsjustme]

Once again, I am using the dreaded "stay alive" post...but I should have something I can show in the next couple of weeks from a small project.

[Fuchur]

We are looking forward to that David .

 

See you

*Fuchur*

[itsjustme]

This character isn't done yet, but it's something I can show that I'm working on. I'm in the middle of rigging him and reducing/adjusting splines. After I finish that, I'll texture him, give him better hair and do a little animating with him.

 

 

[Fuchur]

Very cool space monkey .

I like him . What are you planing to do with him? First flight into space in US history?

 

See you

*Fuchur*

[Rodney]

Very nice and great idea!

That's one of those 'I wish I'd thought of that' characters.

 

Looking forward to what you do with him.

 

P.S. Too bad he didn't get into the mascot contest. I can't help but think he might have been the winner.

 

P.P.S. Will I be considered rude if I tell him his hands look huge?

[itsjustme]

Very cool space monkey .

I like him . What are you planing to do with him? First flight into space in US history?

 

See you

*Fuchur*

 

He's going to be a mascot for something a friend of mine is doing. It's supposed to be a representation of Ham, the first chimp in space. There are a lot of places that I took creative license on the design, but it's not meant to be completely accurate.

 

 

Very nice and great idea!

That's one of those 'I wish I'd thought of that' characters.

 

Looking forward to what you do with him.

 

P.S. Too bad he didn't get into the mascot contest. I can't help but think he might have been the winner.

 

P.P.S. Will I be considered rude if I tell him his hands look huge?

 

I didn't start working on him until very close to the deadline...just bad timing.

 

Critiques are always welcome, Rodney. The hands may be off...I think the thumbs might be too big. I'll have to do more assessing. Here are some hands for comparison:

 

http://www.andywhiteanthropology.com/uploads/2/6/5/2/26529082/7750847.jpg?348

http://etc.usf.edu/clipart/24900/24973/chimpanzee_24973.htm

https://ixquick-proxy.com/do/spg/show_picture.pl?l=english&rais=1&oiu=http%3A%2F%2Fnewsimg.bbc.co.uk%2Fmedia%2Fimages%2F47112000%2Fjpg%2F_47112338_human_ape_hands_spl.jpg&sp=0a2e06800bf8631cf1ef0f3a10e217c0

 

 

[itsjustme]

Just an update to show that Rodney was correct...the chimps' hands were huge. Just to get an idea of how big, I tried a few poses to see where I needed to make changes. The left version is what the hands and arms were originally and the right version is where he is at currently.

 

Still a lot to do, but it's getting better, I think. Thanks, Rodney!

[Rodney]

I'm not sure I would have guessed that except that your exacting detail made a stylistic choice of of larger hands unlikely so pondered it a bit.

Who knows... if it'd been someone else's character I might have said, "Hey, I really like those hands! Lots of character there."

 

Looking very good!

 

That guy might be able to double as a 'Planet of the Apes' chimpanzee too.

He kind of reminds me of the one they start they story out with in Tim Burton's "Planet of the Apes'.

[Dpendleton77]

Man that looks great.

[itsjustme]

I found this while looking for something else. Since it's not posted anywhere, I figured I would post it here. It's my contest entry from a couple of years ago for SciFi. It has its' problems, but there are some things I like about it. I knocked some of the color saturation out of it for this image.

 

 

[Wildsided]

Is that a sack of sentient goop that's driving?

[itsjustme]

Is that a sack of sentient goop that's driving?

 

Yessir.

[Rodney]

Nice. Very painterly too.

[itsjustme]

It's been a very busy couple of weeks (changed cities and everything that goes with that), so I'll have to use a "stay alive" post.

 

When I've had a spare few minutes, I've been updating the Squetch Rig while rigging the space chimp. I fixed a few issues and added a little more to the eyelid setup...still some things to go over, but I'm slowly working my way through it. If I'm lucky, I'll be able to show something in a couple of weeks.

[Shelton]

David, where did you move to?

[itsjustme]

David, where did you move to?

 

I'm back in San Antonio after a twenty-two year stay in Austin.

[johnl3d]

May the move inspire you !! You are a great artist.

[itsjustme]

Still working on the chimpanzee when I have a spare moment. I've got his face rigged and started to mess with his teeth, gums, tongue, throat and skin. I've still got some spline rings to add in other locations, but I wanted to see if I could get something decent. Here is the chimp without hair at the moment...still need to do a lot of texturing, I was just trying to establish a base.

[itsjustme]

Once again...a "stay alive" post. I've been working some on the chimpanzee, but not enough of anything that I can show. I have mainly been trying to get some decent shoulder/bicep deformations before I texture. I'm going to try to knock it out this week...we'll see how it goes.

[robcat2075]

I did not catch the Chimpanzee before! He's going to space?

[itsjustme]

I did not catch the Chimpanzee before! He's going to space?

 

He's going to be a mascot for something a friend of mine is doing. He's supposed to be Ham, the first chimp in space (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ham_(chimpanzee))...although I have taken quite a bit of creative license with the design.

[itsjustme]

Since I don't have an image I can show, I'll have to use another "stay alive" post. I've been working on the chimp's hair and started messing with a little texturing, but it's still in a jumble at the moment.

[itsjustme]

I'm feeling a little better about what the hair on the chimp looks like. I still have some other bits of hair to add and then some texturing, but at least I can show something.

 

 

[Rodney]

Wow. Looking very good!

[itsjustme]

In the process of checking through my very old backups, I came across a few things I modeled that I might be able to salvage. I tweaked this one (based on a drawing made by a friend) from fourteen years ago a little, but it still needs more work. I figure he could be sitting on someone's desk somewhere.

[itsjustme]

I have taken way too much time looking at unwrapping using other software and then decided to just use the methods internal to A:M. Now I'm trying to get something halfway decent looking for the chimp model. I'm using Krita for the painting and have a lot to learn about the software, so it's taking me more time than it should. Hopefully, I'll have something to show in a few weeks.