Selection of YCN briefs

Last two weeks I started figuring out how certain competition brief websites work. After quite the struggle, I managed to find the briefs of YCN (dandad is still a mystery to me)

From their briefs I managed to find a few that I liked and I want to try this semester.

The first two listed are the ones I liked the most, because of it's demands and my potential (what I'm trying to say is that I could immediately visualise how I could participate in the brief).

- Britvi J20 (mainly design)
Brief is to redesign J20's logo to appeal to certain older audience (25-35 year olds)
Have to create 8 images showing solution for individual bottles and four pack, plus supporting information (400 words)
With this brief no animation is required, but I figured this might be a nice way to practice modelling and texturing, alongside the designer part that's the main idea of the brief. Creating a 3D model with new designs can help illustrate the new designs in a different way than just the designs.

- Propercorn
Audience: young professionals, 20-35 year olds. Health conscious and art appreciators.
Brief is to bring illustrative work to life as animator. The challenge is to bring to life the ethos of 'done properly'.
I was perhaps thinking of either animating one (or some) of the designs in their respective style.

- Scavi & Ray Prosecco
Create a campaign to raise awareness to UK first premium brand of prosecco.
Focus lies on fashion and design (considering their partnership with London fashion week and others)
Audience is females who enjoy life and love the occasional glass of bubbles, it's supposed to be fun!
Mandatory is logo and brand guidelines adherence. Medium is free.
Since the medium is free, animation is an option here.

- GAP
Create a student brand campaign. Give students a reason to shop at GAP. Must use the GAP logo, the rule of 25% off during Fresher's 2015. "Dress normal" is the tone of voice for the campaign.
Considering it's campaign, animation is a possibility.

-Moo
Create a visual representation of their new tagline 'Design Works Wonders'. Audience: businesses, industries for fashion/art/fitness. Connect it to design and creativity. Promote awareness, must be visually engaging, make people get excited. Animation possible.




I'm more excited about the first 2 of the five chosen, because I have a brighter idea of how to fill in the brief. For other competition briefs, I'm waiting for the new month to kick in to participate in '11seconds club', and I'm busy brainstorming for a short for 'Loopdeloop' october/november.

Study Task 2 and playing with simulations

This weeks study task consisted of some basic 101 animation practicals. Working with the graph editor and understanding the Maya universe.

For the bouncing balls I decided I wanted 2 completely different animations. The red one represents something close to a bowling ball dropping to the ground (minus the rolling away), while the green ball represents something more of a big rubber ball? Since I already animated bouncing balls last year at AKV StJoost, this was doing it again, but hopefully better than a year ago.

The pendulum was quite an easy task. The only difficulty I encountered was my spacing (I wanted to create a gradient decrease in the amplitude, but I think the spacing might still be off at certain points.

I loved the segmented pendulum. Really an easy concept. Only difficulty I encountered was the timing of the overlapping action; what kind of delay fits with the speed assigned to the object? That was the only thing that was a bit of a puzzle for me.

Since I think my jumping can be done better, I wanted to try combine the anticipation exercise with jumping again (this time without reference: bad Danique. Next time use reference because it still looks terrible!) The anticipation part of the jump was quite easily done, nothing difficult going on here (except maybe the one stiff arm movement here and there) but with the jump a few things didn't really go according to plan. For some reason the body doesn't stay at the same Z position when going down, meaning the feet always end op behind their starting position. During this exercise I saw again how rusty my 3D animation is when it doesn't concern basic movements or loops. Better create excellent reference as a guide for my final animation.

Reading through some Maya Manuals I encountered the Active and passive rigid bodies. So I wanted to try that out for a minute, with just simple balls falling down. For some reason I still managed to mess up something this simple. I created too many fields and my gravity field was way off! I think I made some mistakes with creating the bodies and the fields because the balls fall down rather slowly for my liking, not really according the law of gravity... Might take another look at this. Fields are rather interesting with creating winds and such, it's nice to know the basics.

Updating the mug 22 october

I wanted to update the texture on my mug because I wasn't satisfied the last time when I was working on it. At first I selected a Phong surface because I wanted to layer it with a dielectric texture. (I was trying to follow along an explanation somebody used on the internet. In the end  I couldn't figure out how it worked so I gave up on the idea and tried to find another solution)

I wanted a bit more reflection of the red cloth on the mug, without losing the semi-matte finish I was trying to achieve. So I went on using different textures and altering those textures to different lengths. I used a layered shader but it didn't work the way I wanted it to, so I switched to a mia_material after looking up some more information about the special textures in mental ray. It seemed like you could select a certain texture (copper, ceramic) and it will provide you with the basic texture with lots of possibilities to alter/layer it.

After finishing up the texture I went to play a bit with the lighting. I got rid of the spotlight and wanted to create a more "realistic looking surrounding/lighting". For as far as it would work that is. I didn't want to put too much time into creating the surroundings, so planes sufficed. But then I stumbled upon the problem with the shadows that are being cast because of the vertical planes (which represent walls, imagine the table located in a corner) Even though the walls are placed way beyond the lights, it managed to create a shadow on it's own surface. I'll have to ask Mat how to fix that so I won't make the same mistake next time. As far as the texture goes, I'm happy with how it turned out right now. Even though it doesn't look really realistic right now and I didn't manage to get the red cloth reflection in the end, I'm more happy with these results than the ones I achieved before.

PPP2 briefing 21 october

In short: continual professional development.
This module helps to develop an integrated understanding of the practical and professional concerns of individual creative practices, and create higher level of communication skills
The keywords are Personal, Professional, Innovative, Entrepreneurial. (of external creative industries/communities)

Deliverables

1. Portfolio of Blog Posts (minimum 20) Everything you see, everybody you meet, all the things you do regarding animation, but not related to Responsive or Character&Narrative)
2. Learning Journey Presentation
3. Self Promotion - Marketing Material - Showreel (2 Minutes), Portfolio and Name Cards

Considering I'm leaving in january my schedule will look a bit different. I'm pushing the Showreel a bit more forward. (I try to be around the same pace as my school back in the Netherlands is. Because I have to look for an internship for april, I have to create a showreel sooner so I can apply in january) I already discussed this a bit with Annabeth and we'll figure out a way to make it work.

I'm not yet a 100% sure what this module will bring, but I'm looking forward to it!

Scans first part of research, the lyrics.

In an earlier blogpost I already wrote down all the lyrics with a short explanation with my thoughts on them. Here I post the short process of finding these lyrics.

 

I also made kind of a planning? (more of a planning then I used to make before, that's a plus) I really want to have at least a model at the time of the interim crit 7 november. I think this way it gives me enough time to animate the sequence and make more tests in between to experiment. Since I've already made a rig before I hope I can create one faster this time.

One by one I crossed off the lyrics that I didn't see fit to use, this way I found out I like two/three lyrics about equally, so I just picked the one with the song I love most. Two out of the three gave me a feeling of frustration and I really like that idea, while the third was more of a really funny story, but I didn't really think I can adapt my style to make it work. I chose "Let's Talk About Me" by Alan Parsons Project because I think there can be a nice switch between tension, frustration and anger and calmness and defeat. I really hope I can portray that well. I've been busy with sketching some thumbnail poses, but I didn't scan that yet, so that'll be in the next update when I have a definite idea of what I want in this sequence.

Facial expressions exercise.

Today I wanted to go back to Mery again and practice with her facial rigs because I really liked how it worked when I was trying it out the first time.

The tool picker for the facial rig looks like this:

It's a collection of nurbs, created somewhere in the scene, with it's own camera. The creator of the model and rig has made a beautiful picker editor that you can move around easily.

I wanted to try out the facial rig to see if this way of rigging is a nice way to use for my own model I plan to make in the near future for this module.

After creating some facial expressions I called it a day and rendered a playblast. Looking at it from two angles at the same time I now see some structures look a bit creepy and surreal. The best way to prevent this from happening is to pay better attention and look at the model from more angles while animating it, since I animated it mainly from one point of view.

Zombehhhh - swaggering out of my comfort zone

Continuing from where I left off on friday, which was only creating a zombie-like pose for my Hotel Transylvannia zombie, I started to create a walk cycle today. I looked up some reference videos since I wasn't able to film it myself in my tiny dorm room this evening, but I thought the general idea of the movements would suffice anyway (because of course nobody was using my pose. duh.)

I added the video as a plane to a newly created camera so my reference was quick at hand. I used the reference mainly for the timing and spacing of the main movements (i.e. the legs moving and the arms wobbling, flailing and waving around) after I was satisfied with the legs I moved on the the upper body, arms and head. 

After a lot of tweaking I ended up with a walk cycle I'm quite fond of actually. I'm happy with how the timing of the legs turned out, and the moving of the upper body. I still have some issues with arms and hands though. I feel like it's animated too less now, but I'm afraid if I want to animate them more, I'll overdo it. I have to find that golden midway that's just right.

Responsive OUAN503 - Notes from Studio Brief 1 - 16 October 2014

Notes from Briefing 16 october:

Module briefing

• Possibility to collaborate between students from other disciplines (graphic design/illustration)
• Select briefs that fits with your choices of practice
• 20 credits - deadline 23 april 2015 (contact Mike about this, what is in my agreement?)
• Briefs on Estudio

Module Aims

• To enable students to work cross-course, understand cross-disciplinary approaches, work collaboratively or respond to an external event or activity with a significant pedagogic value.
• For a programme to respond to the arising needs of a specific group of students at a specific stage of course.

Outcomes: A 25% B 25% C 25% D 25%
A Knowledge and understanding - Research and critical awareness
B Cognitive skills - Problem analysis, problem solving
C Practical skills - Visual quality and conceptual development
D Key transferable skills - Organisation, communication and evaluation

Indicative Content

• Address a key external theme
• Collaborative practices that are cross college
• may involve individual or collective endeavour in the use of certain processes or in response to a competition or other form of external competition
• facilitated by a blended learning approach

Will explore

• Approaches to the informed and strategic selection of briefs
• Brief analysis and clarifying of problems
• Brief management
• Project Review and documentation
• Presentation
• Roles and responsibilities in relation to individual and collaborative practice

Studio Brief 1 - Individual practice

• Opportunity to explore a range of individually identified practical, conceptual and creative  concerns within the field. 
• Select and resolve a range of live and/or competition briefs appropriate to your individual emerging practice and interests.
• Investigate content, processes, products and techniques that will help you to understand and define your own creative ambitions within the field
• Focus on 1 element of practice

Interim deadline 22-01-2015

Competition briefs, live briefs for studio brief 1. A minimum of 5 briefs (these do not have to be taken to full production)

Try to extend the brief, eg Design a character -> include a range of other disciplines as well (for example storyboards with that character?

Use the links on the brief as a starting point or when you are stuck

When doing a brief: RECORD EVERYTHING, DOCUMENTATION IS KEY.

Studio Brief 2 - Collaborative practice

• Combining technical, practical and theoretical skills
• expect to respond and submit work

Studio Brief 3 - Project Report

Produce a project report that presents the work produce in response to brief 1 and 2.

In a professional format.

Link your Responsive work to PPP2

Remember:

• Check terms and conditions for any competition briefs and/or site.
• Agree any terms and conditions with a client/live brief before you start work.
• Do not enter into contact with any party unless you fully understand what you are committing to.
• All client and live briefs are entered at own risk.
• If there are issues with confidentiality agreements, intellectual property, etc. Discuss beforehand (keep in mind you have to keep a documentation)
• Keep copies of all your work including developmental work throughout the module
• Mail copies to yourself: a sealed envelope with stamp is a secure way against plagiarism.

Evidence for submission:

1. Blog, tagged OUAN503, studio brief 1, studio brief 2, studio brief 3
2. Products, proposals and presentation boards in pdf format (gotta ask about this)
3. Project report
4. A written evaluation (750 words, included in project report)

Character & Narrative, friday october 17th and onwards

Modelling/animating

While Mat was explaining I started to entertain myself before we would start with the assignment for that day. Earlier this week I found a zombie rig from the move Hotel Transylvania. I wanted to step out of my comfort zone and create a movement that isn't as realistic as I've always been doing. I thought using a zombie as subject for this is a great first step to do this. I started discovering the rig and start posing it and after a while Mat came with the tip to look up for reference (oh well duh, we've been doing this before as well, how could I not think of this? Stubborn ass). I came already to the conclusion that I don't like this rig as much as I love Mery, but I'll try to make it work anyway.

Then after introduction was finished the assignment for next week is to model two objects, the first being a truck (with the use of the guide provided on estudio) Because I like many polygons for some reason, my truck consists of many, many more than the example provided, but I like it anyway, I didn't add any more detail to the truck like windows or doors because it would take way too much time (and since it's not in the assignment I left it as it was) 

After that I paid attention to Mat explaining hypershade and that's when I thought, hmm better pay attention since I'm a shit when it comes to shading. I played around a bit with different shaders and created a low poly environment because I thought it would fit the look of the truck a bit. (it reminds me of those 90's computer games. copy paste a tree and alter it a bit.)

The other half of the assignment was to model an object you have close, so I modelled my tea mug. I chose this mug because this way I can play around again with UVmapping, trying out the different options of mapping again. (and trying to replicate a pattern in photoshop is always fun. Even though I failed miserably) 

I'm still not a 100% sure about the choice of shading. I tried to look for some help on the internet on shading ceramic objects but it didn't exactly come out the way I wanted it to. Maybe look a bit better for tutorials on that the next week.

Acting up: Lyrics.

I haven't chosen my definite lyrics yet, but I'll post the ones I have right now down here. Better start sketching some ideas this week. This way I can also do research on tone of voice and style of performance, which I should be doing if I want to stay on schedule. Another thing I can try and research on is the character design when I know for sure what lyrics I'm using. Since I want to push myself a bit further this semester and I really want to model and rig again, I better be more on time this time round.

Also. Make a planning Danique, gosh.

Bike - Pink Floyd 

I've got a bike, you can ride it if you like

It's got a basket, a bell that rings and

things that make it look good.

I'd give it to you if I could, but I borrowed it 

(chose this one as one of the first because it makes me laugh a lot and it makes not much sense)

Holland Road - Mumford and Sons

So I was lost, go count the cost

Before you go to the Holland Road

With your heart like a stone, you spared no time in lashing out

And I know your pain and the effect of my shame

but you cut me down you cut me down.

(Maybe a performance type of animation with change of tone and emotion: calm-loud)

The Son Never Shines On Closed Doors - Flogging Molly

She said she never shines on closed doors,

I open to find only hurricane blow.

Take me away to the fields of may

Because the Son never shines on closed doors

(I only felt something on the second and third line, but after a while I feel a bit "meh" about this one)

What's Left Of The Flag - Flogging Molly

Then the rosary beads count then 1, 2, 3, fell apart as they hit the floor

In a garb of black we must pay respect to the color we were born to mourn

Walk away me boys, and by morning we'll be free

Wipe that golden tear from your mother dear, and 

raise what's left of the flag for me.

(Since it's always sung in a upsweeping manner, I felt excited about this one, I was thinking about how the objects used in the lyrics can be possibly used to play with camera angles in an animation.)

Jugband Blues - Pink Floyd

It's awfully considerate of you to think of me here

And I'm much obliged to you for making it clear

that I'm not here

And I never knew the moon could be so big

And I never knew the moon could be so blue

And I'm grateful that you threw away my old shoes

And brought me here instead dressed in red

(I got a bit of serenade-y feel from listening to this so might be something like that?)

Fat Old Sun - Pink Floyd

When the fat old sun in the sky is falling

Summers evening birds are calling

Summer's thunder time of the year,

The sound of music in my ears

Distant Bells

New mown grass smells so sweet

By the river holding hands

Roll me up and lay me down

And if you sit, don't make a sound

(again a bit serenade-y, recalling memory kind of feeling. Performance like.)

The Sick Note - The Dubliners

Dear sir I write this note to you to tell me of my plight

And at the time of writing I am not a pretty sight

Me body is all black and blue, me face a deathly grey

And I write this note to say, why Paddy's not at work today

While working on the fourteenth floor, some bricks I had to clear

Now to throw them from such a height, was not a good idea

The foreman wasn't very pleased, he being an awkward sod

He said I'd have to carry them down the ladders in me hod

Now, clearing all the bricks by hand, it was s very slow

So I hoisted up a barrel, and secured the rope below

But in me haste to do the job, I was too blind to see

That a barrel full of building bricks was heavier than me

(The story is very funny, something like slapstick came to mind. Maybe skip the first verse since it'll be too long otherwise.)

The Boxer - Simon and Garfunkel

In the clearing stands a boxer

And a fighter by his trade

and he carries the reminders 

of ev'ry glove that laid him down

And I cut him till he cried out

in his anger and his shame

"I am leaving, I am leaving"

But the fighter still remains

(Not really sure what I thought when writing this down. A scene came to mind but on second thought it might not be as much "lip-sync worthy")

Wing$ - Macklemore

I was seven years l got my first pair

And I stepped outside

I was like, "Mamma, this air bubble right here, it's gonna make me fly"

I hit back-court and when I jumped,

UI jumped, I swear I got so high

I touched the net, "Mom, I touched the net"

This is the best day of my life

(always liked the song of its emotion and message. After watching the videoclip I realised my idea for this was practically the same as the music video so I might scratch this.)

Sin - Kontrust

One forbidden touch, and one drink too much

Different skin felt, my possessions melt

oh I don't regret this kiss, such a short time bliss

Man I need so much more, nothing will be like before

Will I stand right here forever?

In the middle of nowhere.

Talk to me

Should I stay or will you leave?

Talk to me

I think of her but you don't think of me

Talk to me

(Personal environment, speaking out own thoughts, frustration taking over?)

Let's Talk About Me - Alan Parson's Project

Let's talk about me for a minute, 

Well how do you think I feel about what's been going on

Let's talk about me for a minute

Well how do you think I feel about what's gone wrong

Let's talk about dreams, I never learned to read the signs

Let's talk about what it all means, I never seem to have the time

Let's talk about you and your problems

All that I seem to do is spend the night

Just talking about you and your problems

No matter what I say I can't get it right.

(A person screaming out their frustrations comes to mind...)

Movements - The Solutions (솔루션스)

You are like a shining star upon the sky

Like a feeling of a little smile

Hard to be unseen everyday to all

But get attention everywhere you are

You're on a planet spinning out of control

But never falling down on way you go

I'm gonna keep you close in way you are

I'm going everywhere you are

(It seems like I have a thing for serenade-y kind of songlyrics, don't I? But yeah, that kind of setting comes to mind. Also, movements might be really big, animated, fun)

Little Italy - Little Comets

Left wing, savoir faire

Ageing flicks of my thin brown hair

Like an elegy, soaking me

Drenched in the language of social mobility

But I don't seem to mind,

the gruesome link between

people and time

It's an enemy telling me

The wheels of profit

are circling in the opposite

Life don't animate

just creeps up on you slowly

Surely holy water

flows just as normal water does?

In Little Italy I re-adhere

(I really like the lyrics but on second thought I don't think I can do something with this visually)

Practicing in Maya the past week

Started again with the Mery rig. Tried another attempt at animating a walk cycle. This time with a pose to pose technique. (and I forgot to screen cap it, dammit, pay attention!) 

I kept receiving warnings like these one below, at first I thought things weren't working the way I wanted them to (create cycles of the graphs in the graph editor.) Turned out, there was actually nothing wrong.

Thanks to the tips I got from Mat the 10th I got better use out of the tools in this rig and the pose to pose animation went a lot smoother this time. If I put a bit more work into the second walk cycle I think it could've been even more better than the first time. I lost interest after a while because of the many warnings and rushed to finish it. Maybe I should grab another rig next time and create something more cartoony to step out of my comfort zone.

I also finished my attempt at the model of a realistic head. I stumbled upon some minor problems because the photos weren't perfectly aligned, but I think I made quite an okay job. The tutorial I followed was very helpful. The guy explained everything he did, not too fast and kept explaining why he did certain things. Problem was dat he never uploaded his tutorial on modelling the neck of a head, so when I was nearly there, I didn't know what to do. 

Lucky for me I found another tutorial that perfectly went on where the other guy had left off. 

After giving it a few days rest I tried to make a decent UV map (Not that I'm necessarily going to texture this head, but more for the sake of practicing unwrapping UVs.) Watching a few tutorials I found out that a lot of people have certain ways to unwrap it. I followed the tutorial I found had an easy way to do it mostly manually (because never trust technology to do it himself) so that I can use this technique in many different ways and not only the head.

Looking back at the mapping, I think I could've manually tweaked certain UV points, but it's fair to say it doesn't look too bad. I certainly know now how to properly unwrap them now for future reference.