SPP3 Images

While my Client project is rendering (so far 15 hours and still going!)...


...i've had some time to think about my SPP3 project.
I have to...
- write 75 words which will sit as an 'about me' in the catalogue,
- include 8 images of my own work at 11x11cm,
- write a 1000 word rationale describing and reflecting my selection of images and text supplied
- supply a catalogue portrait photograph (which is currently being generated by Sarah).

Here are some ideas for the animation images...





Soundtrack: Cinematic Orchestra - All Things To All Men

Round 6

Website: Here
Development Blog: Here



This is sooo coooool!!

Found it via Zap's Mental Ray Tips blog. Made by Snowball Studios. This would make a brilliant game! But it's a short film in the style of a cinematic for a game. A bit like The Running Man meets Zombies meets Rudy.

Client Project - Render Passes & Compositing

This is just a very quick small render of the dog, still in Maya, but with all the light settings looking pretty fine I think. I'm working out how i'm going render out the dog, lights and plane (with shadow) in different passes so I will have full control in compositing.

I found this very useful tutorial via What's On Media on how separate render passes should be layered in the different blend modes:

• Specular: Add/Linear Dodge (Add)/Screen
• Diffuse: Normal
• Shadow: Difference
• Reflection: Add/Linear Dodge (Add)/Screen
• Diffuse No Shadow: Normal

By tonight I should hopefully have rendered out every pass in HD ready to begin compositing tomorrow.

Update: Glorious HD...



Soundtrack: Nick Cave, Shane Macgowan, Kylie Minogue, Pj Harvey, Anita Lane - Death Is Not The End

Client Project - Tracking, Lighting and Rendering

It's a been a long haul getting the dog to this stage, but i'm very happy with my work and have progressed far in a short space of time. I'm now synching the run cycle with the backplate (2D footage), lighting and rendering. I'll hopefully finish this by tomorrow so that if there's anything else the client wants me to do, i've got a week to make any changes.


Soundtrack: Gentle Giant - So Sincere

Client Project - A Gigantic Leap

Last night I was stressing out so much because of how far behind I am. According to my Gantt Chart I should be compositing and I still hadn't got my rig working!
...It's all about time management; an art, nay, a craft!!

I've been working on the PRP artefacts and SPP essays/research while working on the client project and having to find time for everything has been a challenge. So last night I presented myself with two options; stay up all night and rig the dog, or talk to smoke and mirrors about all the problems and ask to use their rig. The latter however, to me felt like I would be cheating, so full speed ahead, I threw myself into the rig setup.

And I did it! =)...


This meant that I could finally start the fun part: ANIMATION! As you can see from the screen shot above, I have started blocking the run cycle. So I really feel like i'm moving ahead with things now.

Update (06/03/10):
Again last night and this morning I started work on the materials. I'm using 'Mia_Material_x' with Mental Ray in Maya 2009. As you can see the colour is not quite there yet but the plastic/metal material is making it look more robotic now. I need to get an image from Smoke and Mirrors, that the head uses as refraction.

So basically Client Project is out of my hands until Monday. I will finally be able to present a run cycle to my tutorial group first thing Monday though. I'm looking forward to showing it and getting feedback.



Soundtrack: Rush - What You're Doing