Another bug walk and lip sync

[gra4mac]

It's late and I'm tired so I'll get to the point. I'm trying to make this bug character that has an expressive face yet is still recognizable as a ground beetle. I made the face lighter so the facial features, and especially the mouth, were visible. I got the idea from studying A Bug's Life. Overall, I'm hapy with the results, but I would love some suggestions on how to make the face more expressive. I think I should make the mouth bigger, but should it have eyelids that blink and eyebrows? Any other comments or suggestions would be great.

 

Here is the link: bug test

[shaunf]

Hey Hey!! We're all making bugs.

I like it Graham. Perhaps to make the face more expressive, shift the eyes more to the front add some very basic pupils, and model in some very basic eyebrows. Its a fine balance. If you make it to human, it looks creepy, if you make it too bug like it looks odd. You're on the right track though I think.

[KenH]

Nice. He does creap me out abit though....too realistic. I don't know if they did it in Bugs Life, but eyebrows add so much expression for little cost. So that might be the one to go for. Also, his head looks a bit small especially if it's for kids which from the dialogue it sounds like it is.

I think the main thing creaping me is the movement of the feelers as he talks.

[gra4mac]

Thanks for the feedback Saun and Ken. I will try a larger and more cartoony/human head. In A Bug's Life they did have eyebrows and they blinked too, I think. They did a good job of characterizing the bugs, but then they have had a lot of practice. I would probably have an easier task if I used a more characteristic bug like an ant or ladybug, and one that wasn't black, although, I'd love to get James Earl Jones to do the voice, if he wasn't dead. However, I chose the Ground Beetle because it's big and common around here, and the point of this is to show benificial bugs, like ground beetles and ladybugs, as good guys in the garden. Hmm, maybe a western theme, or not.

[Godfrey]

I'd love to get James Earl Jones to do the voice, if he wasn't dead.

What?! James Earl Jones is dead? When did this happen?

 

Interesting walk cycle, though for some reason it looks to me like he's crawling on his knees.

[gra4mac]

Looks like I was mistaken about James being dead. I thought I had heard it, somewhere, but just did a quick sarch on Google and he seems to be alive, Sorry if I caused any upset.

 

Thanks for the comment on the walk Godfrey, the bug is walking on it's knees. I need to fix that.

[Pengy]

gra4mac, James, died but only in the last Tom Clancy movie maybe thats what you heard. I think he would be great for the voice though...I'd kill for a voice like that.

[adamjames]

Great work, gra4mac...real bug-like movement.

 

This forum is filled with creepy-crawlies...what happened to the days when animation was all furry mice and fluffy rabbits?

[PlJack]

.what happened to the days when animation was all furry mice and fluffy rabbits?

Pixar

[gazzamataz]

Graham mate!

 

I just watched your flick and it's getting there (not that i am an expert at all).

 

First off as far as the walk cycle is concerned his legs move fine but his abdomen and thorax need to move up and down a little - he's too stiff. He also covers the ground a bit fast IMHO. I know what it's like animating a creatre with more than two legs - I did a spider and that's got SIX! Also as he is walking towards the camera get his head to point at it. Perhaps, at the start have him kinda looking around and at the ground then noticing the camera, acknowledging it and heading towards it.

 

You could make the mouth bigger and add eyebrows, but then it could look too cartoony, it might be better to give him more of a beatles mouth some nice mandibles, colour the inside of it to give it depth and make you look at it more. Perhaps make his head move tinty amounts whilst he is talking too.

 

One final touch when he does get to the camera and rears up make his middle legs prop his thorax come up higher than the back ones so he stands up more to get more attention drawn to him. I like the antennae they really do look like a real insect.

 

Well, that's my tuppence 'appeny

[PlJack]

I just happen to come across this link and thought of this thread.

Hope you find it useful.

 

http://www.dinocarl.com/epistemology/story.php?id=21

[gra4mac]

Thanks. This is all usefull information. I'm working on the changes and hope to have something to show soon.

[gra4mac]

Time for an update. I replaced the eyes and remodeled the mouth going for more of the bug's life look. I made him orange, to show off his blue eyes, and fixed his walk. I think it's a big improvement. What do you think? I also added a facial exression test at the end.

 

bug movie 02

 

It bothers me that I can't get his face very smoothe, but I've never been good at that.

[modernhorse]

Wow it's cool. I actually like both of them. But the color in the 2nd does allow us to see all of him better.

 

I think when he says 'I live in yer garden' the voice sounds happy but the face doesn't. Maybe put a little smile there. I think the faces deforms well and depending on what you're gonna do with him (of course) I think it works well.

 

The first one seems actually creepier to me. Its darker and more truly bug like. But I prefer the 2nd one as I really dig the more toony stuff. Can't wait to see more. More bugs! More bugs!!! Mo Better BUGS !!!

 

Doug