db-Graphics

Transcription: Marketing!

2011-04-06T22:22:00.000+01:00

DVD Cover

DVD Disk

Transcription: Nearing the End...

2011-04-06T22:01:00.000+01:00

New Logo

Business Card

Making Of Book Cover

Whoa - Just what I needed..

2011-04-06T10:14:00.000+01:00

I left my computer rendering overnight; at 1.30am it was rendering fine. Woke up this morning to check the computer - it had turned itself off. At first I thought "Ah that's weird.." So I turned it on and saw this screen...

My heart stopped for a split second, a tear drop rolled down my face. Nah just kidding I'm a 'ard man. Anyway.. I restarted my computer and it came on properly.. I checked how far the render had got 214/325 - it took around 10 hours to render 200 frames :/ Something isn't right... Anyway.. 100 More frames to render, started again at 9.45 am this morning so it should be rendered by around 3 / 4 PM - meaning I'll have to rush the finishing up.

I'm just glad the computer wasn't screwed.

Transcription: Sneak Peak into Prop Placement

2011-03-24T13:14:00.000Z

I've started putting props in place - and adding ones where necessary - so far the corner of the kitchen.
It's a Sneak Peak, not much but merely teaser for all you CG fans.

Transcription: Mental Ray Problem?

2011-03-21T14:17:00.000Z

Hey everyone, I've spent most of today trying to figure out why Mental Ray leaves blotches all over my renders?

I've been using my pre-vis block models for the rendering, just to work out how the lighting will play out.
(Image Below)

Maya Tutorials

2011-03-19T22:30:00.004Z

Narrative: Character TurnAround

2011-03-17T00:57:00.002Z

Narrative: It's finished!

2011-03-16T19:12:00.002Z

Narrative: It's coming along nicely.

2011-03-16T11:53:00.002Z

Quick playblast of what the final outcome will be like.

Narrative: Character Progress

2011-03-15T17:26:00.000Z

Right I've rigged and skinned my rocker dude. Now to actually animate / lip synch him to the audio :)

Narrative: Character Progress

2011-03-15T15:09:00.000Z

Getting there, - this render is 60% of the final look. Props and character will be the blue you see above, the floor will be tiled leather blocks, and we will have full shadows and lighting. More to come shortly..

Narrative: Character Progress

2011-03-15T12:50:00.000Z

This time i've added feet and hands, and made slight adjustments to the torso, arms and legs.

Next up, the Head.

Narrative: Charcter Modelling Progress

2011-03-14T13:28:00.000Z

( I Inverted the screenshot in PhotoShop because it gave better presentation. )

More to come.

Dynamics: A Few Buried Beneath

2011-03-10T21:14:00.000Z

Narrative: But what happens if I 'don some make-up?

2011-03-09T12:06:00.000Z

Long story short, KISS are brilliant for their music, their talent and their awesome appearances!
Why not recreate one of those? I'll have a look into this. More to come.

I'm thinking the guy who has the abnormally large tongue, Gene Simmons. (more info on him -HERE-)
(I do realise I have two genre's / types of character, Punk & Rock, but it's all being sorted out ☺)
Yeah so, more to come on this matter.

Narrative: Oh I wish I was a punk rocker.

2011-03-09T11:35:00.000Z

(without flowers in my hair)

More research on Johnny Napalm;

Right, now we've cleared up what Johnny Napalm looks like, we can move on to what I plan on achieving. My audio is below;

From this we can proudly say that the character speaking is a 'rocker' (you probably guessed from the research I've been doing.) I plan on having a skinny-ish character, quite like Johnny, but he will be much more cartoonised instead of the realist approch.

More coming shortly

Narrative: Defining My Punk Rocker

2011-03-08T18:00:00.000Z

Well, I've got a week and a bit left to finish up my Narrative project, and so far I've got this.

But only recently, (end of last week) I've decided to take a full spin around and look back at what I really know about 'punk' / 'rock'.. Guitar Hero, a game of which rockers are united.

The image above, is of four main characters in Guitar Hero. As you can see, the approach I had before is extremely similar to the guy in the top left.

The main way to get started with character design is to try and figure out how they might look, for this I have some research on body types;

In the end I shall have a fully refined character with turnarounds like below;

Personal Branding: Losing my Phallice

2011-03-08T17:34:00.000Z

Well.. I've tried long and hard to re-create an awesome logo I had in mind. So enough chit chat, here it is;

There we have it. The smaller logo is as follows;

Thoughts appreciated. Rate, Comment, Hate.

Transcription: The Silence.

2011-03-08T16:59:00.000Z

The silence comes when you forget what you had been doing. Or even when you forget what you're meant to be doing. You lose track of time and the days, it all passes by so quickly.

Then you realise, you've not got much time left. You carry on trying to get your memories and ideas down. Your battery dies on your laptop several times.

I've been doing a lot of work lately, it will be uploaded shortly, piece by piece, along with the research imagery and notes on the items/props.

But in the mean time, a little teaser, I've been looking further into the Alzheimer's society website and found a series of stories created by people who had cared for sufferers of the Alzheimer's Disease.

http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/site/scripts/documents_info.php?documentID=1066&categoryID=200272
This is a link for the stories library.

I've also been working on my Personal Branding even further, to take away from the Phallic like symbolism. More to come in a few posts.

Personal Branding: Blog Makeover - Logo Update

2011-02-22T15:00:00.000Z

As you can probably tell, I've given my blog a lick of paint, and a smashing brand new logo!

Feedback is appreciated.

Blue = #008ECE

Green = #73D731

Transcription: My mum

2011-02-22T11:36:00.002Z

Jackie Livermore

My mum - my poor, poor mum. She was diagnosed as having dementia a few months ago. She has always been the most independent person I have ever known. During her life she had six children and then one day my dad left her, never wanting to be seen again.

She then made it her life to make sure we all grew up knowing she would always be able to cope with anything life threw at her. I am now seeing this strong independent woman slowly deminish as the wicked disease takes a hold of her.

She is now at the point where she thinks her younger sister is my sister yet she knows this can't be so but is convinced it's true. I feel absolutley helpless at the moment on how to get her through this.

Transcription: Shadow Of The Man I Used To Know

2011-02-22T11:31:00.001Z

Madeleine Sara Maddocks

My Father was diagnosed four years ago with Vascular Dementia and (like Terry Pratchett), Posterior Cortical Atrophy; although tragically, it seems, his condition developed many years before without us realising, when something may have been done to prevent it from destroying our lives.

He can no longer read and his brain cannot process what his eyes see. He has been admitted to hospital twice in the past 18 months and this was traumatic and devastating, as he was neglected and ill treated by ignorant and overworked staff. He now resides in a nursing home where his basic needs are met but he sits, for what must seem interminable lengths of time, without much stimulation.

He is only 75 years old. He can no longer walk, dress, toilet or feed himself and most of his speech is incomprehensible wurzel-gummidge-eze "Remee, remeye, remoo" or "123, 23, 23, 123" He has a beautiful singing voice and during Songs of Praise everyone stops to listen to him sing.

As you can imagine, it is heartbreaking, as well as touching that my father still responds to us in his own way. I too, often refer to my father in the past tense because Alzheimer's has stripped him of the man he used to be. You can imagine that hearing the Queen Song that uses the words (I think it goes) 'I'm just the shadow of the man I used to be. And it seems like there's no way out of this for me', brings an ache to my throat and tears to my eyes.

I visit my Dad and I tell him I love him very much and he replies "Thank you, that's nice" in his typical modest way. It's a part of him that is still there. I tell him "Mum will be so jealous when I tell her I've been to visit you today!" and then I add (so he won't become anxious and fretful later) "So she'll probably come and visit you herself!" and he raises one eyebrow and smiles at me in that shared jokey way we've always had.

When I was feeding him a few months ago, he looked ready to fall asleep mid-meal and I said to him "You're not falling asleep on me now are you?" Then he nodded his head in an exaggerated parody of nodding off and smiled mischievously. It always horrifies me when people say that their loved one isn't there any more because my Dad is still there inside and he needs all the love and attention we can give him in those interminable days that stretch out in front of him.

Transcription: He still remembers

2011-02-22T11:30:00.001Z

Michael Nganyuo

For the past four years, I spent my time in the States looking after people with mental disability. But the one person who got me was my resident with Alzheimer's. He came to stay at our home after some months in hospital.

The first weeks were a bit difficult as I worked with him to get help him know me. Then one day I heard him calling for Stewart; I thought he was looking for someone in particular, no he was looking for me: Michael. So, I went to see him and said, "oh Stewart can you get me some fruit" and he tried to say something else but could not continue. I said sure and got him some fruit and custard as I had been instructed to let him have with his fruit.

Months passed but one day he came from a day's drive with my boss and he was very delighted to see me but still called me Stewart. I said hi there Sir and how was your day out? He said, "oh so so". That's how he always talked. During this time working with my resident he could dress himself, shower and feed himself. I was always impressed by the way he worked towards his recovery. He took his medication and one day I had delayed administering his night medication, and he reminded me.That day i could not believe it but he was right. I usually gave his medicine at 7pm or 8pm but he did not see me do that night and he said Mike my meds. That was how he started reassuring me of his recovery and remembering few other things.

Family members were often impressed with the progress he was making and on my last day before leaving for home to the UK there was a small send off for me and he gave a speech. After the time I took care of him, he could tell other residents how happy and satisfied he was with me and that he will always miss me. His efforts to give me those parting words of appreciation brought tears to my eyes and I cried like baby.

Yes Clarence remembered and all through those years looking after him, he became my father and my family. When we care for those who are sick, we do so from the bottom of our hearts. We should always see our patients as our family and support them 100%. Thank you.

Transcription: Memories of my mother

2011-02-22T11:29:00.001Z

Marian Rose Boston

A beaming smile, eyes bright and pleading, arms outstretched with fingers long and wriggling with anticipation. Then, when leaning over, a hug so strong that you felt your neck would break and, inside, you knew your heart was breaking.

This is not the description of my small son first thing in the morning, pleased to see his Mummy. This is the wonderful greeting given to me by my Mum, suffering from Dementia.

She became a different mum after diagnosis, a new mum and we left the old one behind to love in a different way the person she had become.

All the things she had taught us came into play and it allowed us the privilege of caring for her and returning all the good things she had given us. Her views, her beliefs, her patience. All given freely and returned ten times over.

She was the youngest of 14 children, born in 1924 and yet she was the youngest to die. She had a happy childhood, and the most wonderful of marriages, with two adoring daughters and, of course, grandchildren. She imparted her views of fairness and acceptance, not to judge and to give freely of oneself and one's possessions. She worked in the home and felt we had shot ourselves in the feet by being wives, mothers and following a career.

She died a few days after Mother's Day. She had recently begun to enjoy her mobile phone and had said "If anything happens to me, remember my life has been roses - all the way".

Transcription: Public Research.

2011-02-22T11:27:00.000Z

I've signed up on the official Alzheimer's Society Forum and created a thread asking for any information anyone is willing to let me use. Link

Hello there, I am a University Student, studying CG Arts & Animation in Kent, England.

I have been given the task of creating a 'commissioned' piece, and for this I have chosen to create an advertisement for the Alzheimer's Society.

My goal is to have memories, testimonials, text from people who have had, or looked after anyone with Dementia/Alzheimer's.

The animation will start in a kitchen, the heart of a home, everything will have a bright white texture (example below) but on the white will be the memories, testimonials and text I am asking for.

The camera will pan around into a Dining area; the writing on the walls will fade away, as if you've forgotten. The camera slowly zooms over to a Diary laying on the table with a sticky note on top; "Keep Your Memories Safe". After which, the Alzheimer's Society logo will come up with a link to the website.

Any information that could help me is highly appreciated. I am doing this for free, to spread the word of the Alzheimer's Society. I would appreciate any form of input you have.

Thank-You in advance.
Dan.

This is a direct copy of the thread I created.

Transcription: StoryBoard & More Research.

2011-02-22T09:58:00.000Z

StoryBoard will be added into this post later today.

This is roughly the effect I'm after.

Transcription: "THE" BluePrints

2011-02-14T17:54:00.000Z

I've created a simple floor plan that I will use as a base for the main environment.

Transcription: Another Render Test.

2011-02-14T12:41:00.000Z

I've been messing with a few settings, trying not to drown out the colours etc..

Composited Image

Beauty Pass

Ambient Occlusion

I rendered with Mental Ray Lighting, in HD 1080p Resolution, on Production Quality.

Transcription: The BluePrints?

2011-02-13T11:13:00.000Z

I've looked further into the design/layout for my environment and I've found a set of images;

The design of the cabinetry favours coordination and refinement over elaborate detail. It features simple, repetitive details: flat veneered doors with clean, taped edges, slim reveals, simple aluminum angles as handles and square counter edges. The millwork is laid out with an eye to continuous lines and repeating dimensions, the rhythm of appliances and varying lines of the handles providing relief within the disciplined order of the cabinets. The materials are simple but rich: maple cabinet faces, aluminum pulls, stainless steel appliances, black granite countertops, and a glass tile backsplash. At the rear wall the countertop drops and changes to a maple desk top, then drops again to become a window seat in the same finish. This kitchen dining living room design is part of house that renovated by John Donkin Architect.

All above is from a fellow Blogger who focuses on home designing.

Transcription: The Plan

2011-02-13T09:57:00.000Z

Right, After a short week, I've finalised my idea.

We'll start off in pure darkness, the outline of a door will glow, and the door will open.

Inside we will see an open plan kitchen and dining / living room.

For this I google'd Open Plan Kitchen;

From this I am able to work on a layout / design for the dining/living room area. For furniture inspiration, again I google'd it. "Dining Room"

From these two images, I prefer the 'look' and design of the left image, but the color and type of wood from the second image. I could use light text on dark background for the dark wood etc..

Another thing I'll be looking for incorporating, is a fireplace. I believe a fireplace and photographs are a number one in any living room / dining room / family room. Lighting is also another thing to look at.

Maya: Dynamic Tutorials

2011-02-12T15:28:00.000Z

More Dynamics: FireWorks.

I changed the colour around and tweaked a few of the settings for the emitter just to get to know them a bit more. Results below.

11SecondClub: School of Rocks.

2011-02-10T16:51:00.000Z

Ned: "Well, I'd like to see you try. You wouldn't last one day."
Dewey: "Dude, I service society by rocking. Okay? I m out there, on the front lines, liberating people with my music. Rocking ain't no walk in the park, lady."

As soon as I heard this audio, I knew it was the right piece for me.

1. Jack Black is in it.

2. It's 'School of Rock'

3. My first thought was to animate a 'Rock' speaking.

I then took a butchers through the existing entries and noticed NONE included a Rock of any sort.

As funny as it would be, a rock talking about 'Rocking Out'

Research: Type, Typography & Letter Forms

2011-02-09T17:01:00.000Z

Edward Fella: Letters on America.

They are the original 24/7 communication, interactive in ways the web can’t even dream of.

The characters can be found on any surface, as distractions or directions, decoration or marker. They are in wood, metal, paint, sticky-back plastic, etched, behind glass, behind bars, torn and layered. They come alone or clustered together, isolated or juxtaposed, fresh or faded, direct or distorted; from in-your-face dayglo to subtle tones that are obscured. Reflected, as shadow, as drop shadow with shadow, or even as a sunburnt memory of a lost message.

Those are the letters on America.

I've just had a read through the Essays' in Letters on America, kindly lent to me by Jackie (Thanks for that Jackie), it's really opened up another level to me. I love type in general, but the book made me think beyond that, the fact that someone has had to sit there and create what i'm looking at.

Image's taken from 'Art Loves Tech' Blog.

I'll be looking into different letter forms later this evening, also I'll be looking at how I can create the Look I am after for the final rendering stages.

More to come.

Research: Dementia - Alzheimer's

2011-02-07T12:45:00.000Z

Not one single person can know how much they remember. Simply close your eyes, look back at all the fun times, the bad times, the places and people you’ve seen.

Simply endless.

Our brain stores a visual memory centre with millions upon millions of images, sounds and memories are all filed away, categorically. Not one single person on the planet can explain how and why this takes place, but what we do know, is that it takes place in a very logical manner. Since our memories are arranged so neatly inside our heads, it is possible that one section could be injured or destroyed without harming other sections. E.G. Someone might have an accident and get a brain injury and have certain memories cleared out.

This can also happen in a similar manner, but from a form of Dementia. Symptoms of Dementia include;

Loss of memory – Forgetting the way home from shops, or being unable to remember names of people and places, or even what happened earlier the same day.
Mood Changes – Parts of the brain that control emotion are affected by the disease.
Communication Problems – A Decrease in the ability to Talk, Read, and Write.

What would happen if you was to walk into your house, the place you know and love; and all of a sudden the walls started going blank? All of your memories faded and peeled away.

More Ideas coming.

Test: Testing out Render Ideas.

2011-02-06T11:40:00.001Z

I've been testing different ways to render over this weekend, by far the best two are Ambient Occlusion / Mental Ray (Sun + Shadows)

Here, I've merged the two renders together, I do realise the Sunlight is *Bleaching* over the image with white but this is trial and error, I'll tone that down in the future.

Maya: Dynamic Tutorials Pt.3.

2011-02-03T20:28:00.000Z

Finished up the Fuse FX Tutorial.

Stills;

Not much to see there, 140 frames of fuse sparks spiralling down the fuse.

Maya: Dynamic Tutorials Pt.2.

2011-02-03T17:39:00.001Z

Next up was an Explosion;

I haven't turned it into a full animation yet, but I do have 135 Frames rendered in both .IFF, and .TIF

Maya: Dynamic Tutorials.

2011-02-03T16:52:00.000Z

First Up, it was quite simple to do,

Clouds.

Pre-Production: Visualising a World.

2011-02-02T11:28:00.000Z

How can you visualise something that physically isn't real? That's a question that gets asked millions of times per day. When you dream, you are creating a new world, when you think about things that aren't real, (Like Flying Pigs) you create a small scene in your mind, this is how you can visualise a new world.

We can use the extreme potential of the human mind to create places we can't ever go to, but places that have meaning, and emotion. To capture this I will be basing the animation inside of a 'House' the most safe and secure place anyone can ever be. Another reason behind this is 'Family Memories' most memories are created and shared within this safe haven. It would be so upsetting to see everything that you've ever thought about, everything that you've ever done, just disappear in front of you.

This will create such atmosphere and tension from the 'Audience' which is mainly what I'm after.

How can that create atmosphere? Don't you need sound / Music for that?

Yes, I'll be accompanying the video with calm, piano based music, which will account for 50% of the overall experience.

Yes, I'm still aiming for it being an 'Experience'

I'll be exploring ThumbNail StoryBoards today.

Progress will be uploaded later.

Finding my True(Type) Calling.

2011-02-02T10:26:00.000Z

...It is indeed.

Has anyone ever noticed the vast amount of TypeFaces around in everyday life? No? Well you should. To me, Font, Text, and Type are all very influential. I love working with type, I love finding new fonts.

Why not mix my love for type and this project? Confused? Read on.

What do people keep note of from everyday life? A Diary? An Experience? A Memory?

Memories are what everyone fears losing. You never want to forget that day you first found a talent. Or the day you first tried SubWay? What? You've never tried SubWay?? Get over there now! Anyway..

My point is, I want to use Type with some sort of animation for Memories. You may all be thinking, "What are you getting at, Dan?!" Keep reading.. I'm about to tell you. What if I was given the task to "Transcribe the losing of Memory"? This would open up the possibilities to link in Alzheimer's.

Using Memories written in type, as a texture on a surface. With first hand conversations with Alzheimer's patients? Dementia slots in there as well.

I don't intend just to create an animation, I wish to create an 'Experience'

You're all excited now aren't you.

Feedback is appreciated, Comments too :)

Maya: Mustang Sally

2011-01-24T08:35:00.000Z

Just realised I've used the Black Hole technique for the texture inside. I'll fix that later :)

Maya: Character Tutorials.

2011-01-24T07:18:00.000Z

After watching and deciphering Alans' lessons and video tutorials. Here is the finished character.

KLED: Radio Scene - Texturing Progress

2011-01-12T10:45:00.000Z

I've been working on the radio scene today and here's how far I've got. (Model credits to Elly)

Below are the UV laid out texture maps for the radio, Left = Bump - Right = Colour.

Character Development: Villain WorkOut

2010-12-20T09:05:00.000Z

I've drawn out a few designs/ideas for my Villain.

I've also decided upon 99% of props and colours for my character;

Hat - Dark Brown / Black / Grey
Shirt - White
Tie - Red
WaistCoat - Dark Red
Coat/Jacket - Dark Grey
Trousers - Black
Shoes - Black
Badge - Gold
Guns / Holster - Silver Gun - Brown/Leather Holster

I've painted a quick mock up of the colours over the last drawing, in PhotoShop;

This character is still needing some final body adjustments, and might also undergo a makeover too.

More to come.

Character Development: Defining the Unforgiven

2010-12-15T09:34:00.000Z

Unforgiven is a film about redemption, a girl is beaten and dis-figured, whose friends set a bounty on the mans' head who delivered this evil. $500. The citizens of the town grew menacing towards the Sheriff, who didn't do anything about the man who beat up the woman. This brought English Bob and Little Bill Daggett to meet.

English Bob

English Bob meets Little Bill Daggett in this scene, after a few years. And ends up getting in a good 'ole scuffle. And Little Bill Daggett is victorious. I believe the outfit of English Bob, is very smart and makes him look tough but I would also need some of the details from Little Bill Daggett to make him look more "Sheriff" like.

Little Bill Daggett

More to come. Stay Tuned.

One-A-Day: Logo Competition.

2010-12-12T21:10:00.003Z

In response to this. I have started to design/create a logo. I'm not sure if anyone else is, but It will be complete by the end of tonight ;)

My result will be posted here, and on the UCA CG Arts Group Blog.

COMPLETE!
I spent the last 2 hours on this, on and off. Below is a kind of 'step-by-step' of the progress. Thanks.

Final Piece

Character Development: Villainous Research

2010-12-09T21:03:00.000Z

I watched a western the other day, Unforgiven (1992) with Clint Eastwood, Gene Hackman, and Morgan Freeman.

Retired Old West gunslinger William Munny reluctantly takes on one last job, with the help of his old partner and a young man.

This was very, very influential in my decision for my Villain. I shall be using the Sheriff type but with 'friendly' characteristics. I feel the character English Bob would be suitable for this role, with a slight modification to his character.

English Bob, is the patriotic English assasin, who was hired by the prostitutes to kill two Cowboys, because they "Cut Up" the face of one of the girls. The reward was $500, but English Bob does not succed. Little Bill, the sheriff of Big Whiskey takes his firearms and beats him up, and then sends him on the next train home!
Played superbly by the late Richard Harris RIP.

English Bob, is the gentleman on the right of this image. I'm in the process of ordering a copy of the film, from which I will then look into further, sketching out ideas for my character, and creating more screenshots of English Bob, for everyone to see.

Internet Movie Database: Link
YouTube Trailer: Link

Character Development: Verifying the Villain

2010-12-09T19:25:00.000Z

For when the Good guy isn't enough.

Today I've been looking into a general area of Stereo-Typical Western Sheriff for my villain. I've created a back story for him, allowing me to give a better vision of what he could look like.

He is a Bastard. He lost his father and has become mean and evil because he cannot have what he desires. He lashes out at people when he can't get his own way. He feels entitled to have anything and everything.

He is mis-understood. He just wants to have a relationship with a father like figure, but he can't because he is too up front and confrontational to everyone. He want's the Emperors Sword because it is a stunning item, a cherish-able item.

Below are some examples of Western Sheriffs' (Correct apostrophe?)

I have been trying to think of how to make him more meaner, but very subtle, and I believe the image below shows that quite well. He has all the features I'm after, including his gun.

I will carry this idea through and I shall keep you updated.

Thanks for reading.

Dan.

Character Development: Finding a Hero

2010-12-08T11:55:00.000Z

Finding a Hero That Suits The Job.

In choosing a hero you need to consider lots of things. Who are they? What are they? Why do they do what they do? What is their background?

I have established that I would like the Hero to be a Young Female, this would make for better emotions - Sad - Happy - Mischief.

In writing I have noted that the young female would be Sweet and Friendly, and she would never let anyone down on purpose. She is Kind, Responsible, and also doesn't like to be confronted.

Her Parents are in possession of an Emperors Sword. They were murdered in an attempt to steal it. She is now looking for the killer in a bid for revenge.

She is usually very shy, and doesn't like meeting new people.

I have yet to decide upon a Flaw/Phobia and a Bad Side, this will give our Hero a fully resolved Personality and Background.

Next up, Villain Development.

Character Development: A New Beginning

2010-12-08T11:17:00.000Z

A New Beginning to prove to myself.

The project starts with my random words - Western - Ninjas - For this I will look into different media, films, and books to try and get a better understanding of both of the subjects. From that I will then work on choosing and developing characters - Hero - Villain - SideKick.

Once I have developed the characters to a workable standard, I will then work on one of the three characters and fully develop it.

The OutCome will be a fully resolved character with colour swatches, full turn-arounds, and maybe a few location concepts.

Personal Project: Pripyat / Chernobyl

2010-12-02T01:19:00.000Z

Well, I started a personal project earlier this evening. So far my progress.

Image 1 - Starting Block Test | Image 2 - Mirroring Test

Image 3 - Work On Column | Image 4 - Work on Left Wall + Column

Image 5 - Placing Chair | Image 6 - Quick Chair Block Test.

Comments are appreciated, Rants are too ;)

Transcription: The Starfish Story

2010-12-01T23:40:00.000Z

Whilst I was at work (Greggs) the other day, I sat there in boredom (on my break) and started reading a leaflet. On the back was a short story/poem entitled 'The Starfish Story'. Greggs use this story/poem to help better understand what it is the staff should be doing. Read the story/poem to understand better. Thoughts below it.

A man was walking along a beach at sunset when he noticed another man in the distance leaning down and picking something up, and hurling it into the sea.

As the first man approached, he noticed that the second man was picking up starfish that had been washed up onto the beach. The man was picking them up one at a time and throwing them back into the water.

The first man was amazed by this and asked the second man what he was doing. The second man replied that the starfish had been washed up onto the shore because of the low tide and that they would die if they didnt get back into the water.

The first man said "but there are thousands of starfish you cant possibly make a difference"
The second man smiled, bent down picked up yet another starfish and as he threw it back into the water he repled "I made a difference to that one"

Basically, I can see an animation coming of this. Modelling, rigging and skinning two characters, (maybe 3 due to Starfish) then animating the water. Sounds quite simple as of today.

Let me know your thoughts and any suggestions. Thanks.

Character Sessions with Justin

2010-11-24T13:38:00.000Z

I Can't remember which weeks were when, so I'll upload all images in one post. Keep it all nice and tidy ;)

Character: Villain Development

2010-11-24T13:33:00.000Z

Character: Hero Development

2010-11-24T13:31:00.001Z

Jade Development.

Main Influence of Clothing.

Character: SideKick Development

2010-11-24T13:31:00.000Z

Sniff Development

Character: Bible Layout

2010-11-23T23:58:00.002Z

PostModernism: Dead Set or Truman Show...

2010-11-10T09:07:00.000Z

I am torn between two..

Dead Set - A TV Series of filming big brother when it turns nasty.

Truman Show - A Film about Truman Burbanks' Life being watched by millions.

Character: Backgrounds

2010-10-26T08:36:00.001+01:00

Here is a quick background on the three main characters of my narrative story.

Jade - Hero
During the beginning of the series, we learn that Jade, a cute young girl who was accepted, lost her parents due to them being denied, they were helplessly killed infront of her. The horrible image sticks in her mind. Jade vows for revenge.

Each night Jade stays up and practises the art of 'Ninja'.

Sniffer Dog - SideKick

Sniffer Dog is the pet of Jades' family, after Jades' parents get killed, Jade inherits the dog, who becomes a faithful companion. His talents are tracking the bad guys, and chasing them down.

Town Sherrif - Villain
The Town Sherrif killed Jades' parents in cold blood, he is a bitter, twisted old man, his main aspects in life are to rule all of Spinner City, take over the world, and go to Hawaii for his yearly holiday.

Story Idea; Character Development

2010-10-12T08:54:00.000+01:00

After a long weekend, I have finally devised a plan for my story and characters. Read the below and leave a comment, I'll adapt where I need to, and I'll sort out bits if they are wrong. Let me know. Thanks. ;)

"A group of Japanese children moved to America to escape the bright lights and busy streets. They set up camp alongside, 'Spinner City'. Over time some got accepted, some didn't. Those who were accepted got trained in the Cowboy ways; GunSlinging, Horse Riding, and Ranch Work. The ones who weren't accepted were either killed or sent back to Japan.

During the beginning of the series, we learn that Jade, a young girl who was accepted, lost her parents due to them being denied, they were helplessly killed infront of her. The horrible image sticks in her mind. Jade vows for revenge.

Each night Jade stays up and practises the art of 'Ninja'.

Characters / Locations will be drawn/painted in the 'Chibi' style of anime. *Innocent/Cute* Characters will bear Huge eyes making them look cuter, bigger heads than normal, *Evil/Dangerous* characters will have smaller sharper eyes and a taller fatter body, making them look evil and dangerous."

Character: The Birth Parents

2010-09-28T10:24:00.000+01:00

For the Character project I was given;

Story Idea; KLED Studios

2010-09-26T18:39:00.002+01:00

Story Idea;

Baby was released from the center of the earth through a *Volcano*, exploding over a small town, the lava/ash doesn't kill anyone.

*The Baby is inside a rock which got fired up with the explosion, and blasted back down to earth, smashed into the ground, like a meteor.

The baby is similar to Kins' sketch, the lava/rock monster. But scaled down. *Link Below*
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_mQ56Uw8rpRo/TJfqN9bGt5I/AAAAAAAAArE/NXsWA0GOhw8/s1600/bigbaby.jpg

The baby clamers out of the rock, which was cracked and battered as it smashed into the ground. The first thing the Baby notices, is that he is in a garden of a american type suburban neighbourhood.

To Be Continued.

Maya: LipSync'ing Test

2010-09-23T12:59:00.001+01:00

Leo's designs - Re-Worked

2010-09-23T09:59:00.000+01:00

As soon as I saw the post on the group blog I then decided I could take them a slight bit further on.

http://kled-studios.blogspot.com/2010/09/namelogo-developlment.html
^ Original Post by Leo.

Group Logo Idea; Kins logo Explored..

2010-09-22T10:38:00.000+01:00

I have expanded on kins idea for the logo;
Kins' Post 'HERE'

I have worked on a new document, set at 325px by 325px.

Single logo's for each group member?

I then tried to mix all four of the previous together, making the rainbow effect, but it doesn't look as meaningful or professional.

I then went onto the single, blue gradient, for example, to create a rough Web layout.

What does everyone think about this?

Unit 1 - Narrative

2010-09-21T15:51:00.000+01:00

The first unit of year two and it has started off on a Steamer!

I've been placed in a group of four people;
Dan Bright
Leo Tsang
Elly Mcgregor
Kin Chan

The title for this first unit is; Narrative. It is a group project in which we 'Collaborate' to create a 2 Minute trailer for a B(udget) Movie. We chose at random four parts of a title, ours was;

The way you see it, is how we chose the parts.

Our Group blog is;
LEDK-Collaborations

LEDKollaborations Logo Idea 01

2010-09-20T17:46:00.000+01:00

I've taken about 5 mins to make this logo design. I'd like some input please ;D

Thanks

Horoscopes Anyone?

2010-09-20T09:49:00.000+01:00

Well.. I just logged in to my iGoogle page, and I saw a horoscope box. All it asked for was my D.O.B. I don't usually believe or even read the Horoscopes but I thought what the heck I'll have a look..

You may be more confident today as you restart a project that was recently set aside. Perhaps a dreamy moment has you thinking about making your life more pleasant. But if you take a deep breath and pay careful attention to what you're feeling in your gut, you might catch a glimpse of where your life is heading. However, caution is advised, for you could push hard only to find that you're reaching for the wrong goal.

Strange or what.. Restarting a project that was recently set aside, could this be 1 Becomes 2? Or could it even be referencing starting Uni work again. Pay careful attention to what you're feeling in your gut, meaning actually get my work done without wasting time etc.. Reaching for the wrong goal, I'm definately not going to look further into this one.. I enjoy CG Arts, but could this even be referring to the project which we are starting today..

Well... The strangeness over.. Welcome everyone to returning to UCA. I read on the group blog that we are starting @ 11.30 in Lecture Theatre 1. I hope that's correct. But I'll be there so I will see you all soon.

Until Then....

WebDesign

2010-09-09T22:12:00.000+01:00

Hi All,

Just a quick post I thought I should mention;

Over the past few months I've taken a liking to webdesign, mainly the layouts in Photoshop etc.. Then transferring them and coding them into working html pages and the like.

I stumbled upon the following diagram when trying to find out what my sites are 'Missing'

This might help all 'www' enthusiasts in the group. I then sumbled upon the name 'Lance Thackeray'

He is an expert (in many peoples' eyes) at Photoshop Interface design. Heres a few pieces of his work;

In due course I'll be changing my blog around, once again.. trying to create the best look and feel I can. I was thinking about setting up a WordPress blog on my domain - db-graphics.info - but then no-one would be able to follow it. WordPress is a smarter tool to work with and easily customizable. But saying that, Blogger themes are just .xml files I believe. That shouldn't be hard to modify to my liking.. Anyway, enough blabber...

Lance Thackeray has a DeviantArt page for all those Deviants out there;
http://pureav.deviantart.com/
(http://pureav.deviantart.com/gallery/) < Gallery of his work..

In time, I will be busting with graphics like these.

Thanks for reading.
-Dan

Re-Enrolled for Year 2!

2010-09-06T10:11:00.000+01:00

Hello everyone!

Just a heads up, I enrolled again and I have received a list of Units for this year;

Narrative
Character
Transcription
Models & Metaphors
PostModernism
Research (Framing Practice)

I'm looking forward to the Narrative and Character Units.

I also look forward to seeing you all again.

Requiem: Research

2010-07-26T00:53:00.000+01:00

The book opens with an introduction by the photographer and is closed with an insightful afterword by Dr. Jeni Williams I.C.Rapoprt's sensitive photographs are beautifully judged, high quality images, they do not shock but seek to suggest lives beyond their representations. The figures they commemorate are allowed the dignity of being people rather than victims. As social history, they construct a narrative of development that is ultimately positive even though some of the individual images are so delicately, tragically moving. These pictures show, not only the community in its devastation - again not as victims- but in its social and historical particularity. The interiors, the clothes, the miners going underground, the woman holding a baby in a shawl: all these are part of something lost also.

I decided, I was getting no-where with searching google and emailing around for images etc.. so I hit the 'BUY' button on a book..

Aberfan: The Days After: A Journey in Pictures - I.C. Rapoport

So... It should be here Tuesday.. Wednesday at the latest.. I'll let you know how it goes.

Requiem: Aberfan

2010-07-21T00:27:00.000+01:00

More images regarding Aberfan / Pontglas School

Requiem: Emailing

2010-07-20T18:04:00.000+01:00

Right, in a previous post, I mentioned about me emailing a man named Alan George, he responded within an hour and said sadly he cannot help but then reffered me to a lady in a welsh national library, so I then went on to email her, and she responded with a similar thing, but also added about images being copyrighted etc.. So I thought maybe the BBC or The Sun could help me! BBC have yet to get back to me, but the sun emailed back within half an hour to say, they don't send any resources or anything via email and they only supply newspaper articles not any images and such. But I would need to write a letter to them and put inside a addressed and stamped envelope so they can return anything.

(sorry about spelling, grammar, and sentence structure, but I had to write this up on my iPhone.)

Thanks
Dan

Requiem: Memorial Progress

2010-07-20T13:50:00.000+01:00

I've been modelling the Memorial piece..

Maya Screenshot

Basic Maya Render - No Lighting

Maya Render - Simple Lighting

Maya Render - area light - bright white texture

Requiem: Youtube References

2010-07-20T11:54:00.000+01:00

Below are only IMAGES not the actual video's.

I'm going to have a go at modelling the simple yet effective Memorial;

I'll post my results of how the lighting/texturing etc.. are coming along.

Links;

Requiem: Aberfan Memorial

2010-07-20T10:34:00.000+01:00

Maybe I could end the animation by flying past this memorial and then fade out?

On a side note;

I've been looking into textures this morning, of course I'll try to make my own where possible, such as the newspaper print one. But here are a few I found.

I've just emailed Alan George, owner of a website with a few images of the Aberfan Disaster;
http://www.alangeorge.co.uk/
I am hoping to hear from him today sometime and I'll let you know in the next post what the response is.

Thanks for reading again.

Requiem: Aberfan

2010-07-20T00:26:00.000+01:00

[19-7-10]
1966 - Aberfan Disaster;
I've been looking into the Aberfan Disaster a bit more in the last few hours, and found out that the landslide smashed into the side of a school; Pantglas Junior School.

Some children were able to escape, but 116 were killed. Another 28 adults also died. The local community was devastated by the tragedy and the whole country was shocked and saddened when the news hit the headlines. Read More..

116 victims were children, most between the ages of seven and ten.

I've been looking on a few websites for information regarding Aberfan Disaster;

I've just found a pretty useful quote from the BBC News Page;

Some children were still in the playground, others were filing in to classrooms ready for register.

Still in the playground! This could be the intro for my animation. I think I'll stick to this Aberfan Disaster idea. I also know a Welsh lady, (The fiance's mum), she lived about 45 minutes away from Aberfan, in Pontypool. (If thats how it's spelt). I'm sure I can have a chat with her to get *first hand* information on what she felt when it happened etc.. and even write the 'notes' up here.

Right, Story idea;

Requiem Begins; Camera starts inside the playground of, 'Pantglas Junior School,' we see playground equipment moving, see saws moving, without the children on them. then we move inside a slowly decaying school. When we are inside we see smashed walls, children laying motionless, classrooms ruined. Smoke and small fires are dotted around. We will get a sense of sadness as if this Disaster has just happened.

Pantglas School in the early 1900s

In early October 1966, a ten-year-old Welsh schoolgirl named Eryl Mai Jones had something important to tell her mother.

"Mummy," she said, "I'm not afraid to die."
"You're too young to be talking about dying," her mother said. "Do you want a lollipop?"
On October 20, Eryl Mai woke up after having a memorable dream.
"Mummy, let me tell you about my dream last night," she said.
"Darling, I've no time now. Tell me again later."
"No, Mummy, you must listen," she said. "I dreamt I went to school and there was no school there. Something black had come down all over it".

Requiem: Research 2

2010-07-19T19:14:00.000+01:00

[19-7-10]
Images of Typical American style schools / objects / equipment.

I would love to try and get a typical american school bus within Requiem obviously it would have to be either a main focus, could the camera fly through it? I keep adding cool ideas to this project every hour or two.

I am thinking,

Requiem starts; in a playground, kids playing, but as if they are ghosts, a crashed school bus is the sign of danger and destruction, the camera would then fly through the school bus and in the school. From there on we would fly through the school, seeing what the carnage and war has done. We would possibly see fires still burning, bullet casings on the floor, and charred and demolished walls.

Keep frosty guys.

On a side note;
I've just purchased Left 4 Dead 1 & 2, on Steam, If anyone else has it, leave me a comment below and we shall play sometime. (When I'm not busy that is)

Requiem: Research

2010-07-19T18:55:00.000+01:00

[19-7-10]
Carrying on from the previous post.

Requiem: A song or hymn of mourning composed or performed as a memorial to a dead person or persons.

A *very* strong word in my opinion. We are mourning deceased people, children in the case of the music. Where would children be playing?

Funfair, Carnival?
Field, Playground?
School?
Garden?
Pre-School?
Zoo?
Activity Centers?
etc..

I've thought a while about this and decided how can I use one of the above to create sadness for children dieing? A School seems to be the most logical choice for this project. I'll look further into it.

Do I use a Natural Disaster and base it on real life? The Aberfan Disaster;

At 9.15 am on Friday, October 21, 1966 a waste tip slid down a mountainside into the mining village of Aberfan, near Merthyr Tydfil in South Wales. It first destroyed a farm cottage in its path, killing all the occupants. At Pantglas Junior School, just below, the children had just returned to their classes after singing All Things Bright and Beautiful at their assembly. It was sunny on the mountain but foggy in the village, with visibility about 50 yards. The tipping gang up the mountain had seen the slide start, but could not raise the alarm because their telephone cable had been repeatedly stolen. (The Tribunal of Inquiry later established that the disaster happened so quickly that a telephone warning would not have saved lives.) Down in the village, nobody saw anything, but everybody heard the noise. Read More..

Or do I use a horrific war scene to base upon?

I think the idea of having a *War Torn* school, would give everyone a more effective emotive experience; Heighten the sadness level. I'll now look further into how a school might have looked before / after it has been war torn.

Project Start

2010-07-18T10:58:00.000+01:00

[18-7-10]
I have chosen SoundScape 15;

This is the *only* piece that made me think deep inside about what is/was happening. It sparked ~~hundreds~~ THOUSANDS of ideas to run through my mind.

This piece starts with what sounds like, four footsteps? At four seconds we then hear children playing, a school playground? They sound like primary school children, *having fun!*

After that, at sixteen seconds, a female starts singing, choir like. This adds a new emotion to the scene, sadness. The children continue to play and shout to each other, but at forty seconds, we hear a female child scream. All the children go silent, the choir like singing continues. At one minute-eight seconds I can just make out the singer saying *Requiem* a very powerful word in my opinion.

My project is now being named

Title for project; W.I.P.

More to come.
Stay Tuned.

1 Becomes 2 Brief

2010-07-15T11:50:00.000+01:00

This is the Brief for my Summer Project

You are to respond imaginatively to the ‘soundscape’ allocated you at time of briefing. It may inspire an environment, character(s), story or gaming concept. The musical extract might be included in the final submission as a soundtrack or might serve only as a starting point for further development. Your response might be entirely abstract and synesthetic in line with Fantasia’s Toccata and fugue in d minor or the work of Norman Mclaren.

Whatever your approach, you must demonstrate how the ‘soundscape’ has driven your creative response. Your workflow should follow the pipeline of tasks established by your year one curriculum -– pre-production, production, postproduction - with each stage clearly ‘unpacked’, archived and reflected upon via your creative development blog.

Your creative development is to be edited and readied for publication in the form of a professionally printed ‘The Art of…’ book. There are numerous online companies that provide this service, a selection of which are listed below.

www.blurb.com
www.bobbooks.co.uk
www.photobox.co.uk

You should be ambitious, investigative, and self-directed. Where necessary, you should expect to supplement your existing technical skills via online tutorials. You should also use this opportunity to revisit your Stage 1 technical tutorials.

Competition entries will be judged by a panel – not by your tutors!

1st Prize – Wacom Intuos4 Graphics Tablet
2nd Prize - £50 Vouchers (TBC)
3rd Prize - £25 Vouchers (TBC)

The winning entries will be screened for the new first years in the early part of the academic year. Inaddition, winning students will be asked to present and discuss their work.

Deadline for ‘1 Becomes 2’ competition entries is Friday 17th September 2010

*Please note - this work is not part of your formally assessed units.

And the last word? Be Amazing!

Making of:

2010-07-04T10:49:00.000+01:00

Making of, Finally uploaded..

Download Link:
http://www.multiupload.com/I7A33DYLYF
Theres 8 Different places it was uploaded to, just to make sure you get it ;)

Thanks.

Quick Reminder

2010-05-28T00:07:00.000+01:00

Please can everyone, including tutors :)
Join the CG Arts forum created by myself, for our course.

http://db-graphics.info/community/

I made it as a resource bank, where we can share tips etc.. about different things, and to show off our work. I Set it up about a week ago and only Chaos (Simon Yr1) has registered.

Please join, It will be a great community if everyone chips in. I've done the big step and set it all up, now all you need to do is JOIN!!!

(PS. Tutors will get a special username color so they are recognized :P)

Making an Identity

2010-05-24T14:21:00.001+01:00

My new Identity:

DB-Graphics

(Dan Bright Graphics)

My 'Branded' Logo

My 'Branded' Website:

DB-Graphics.info

My 'Branded' Cd/Dvd (Disk)

Update: Book, Mushroom, Spore "Pod"

2010-05-21T18:45:00.001+01:00

I've been working today on animations of growth of a mushroom, and growth of the 'Basidium'

(Edit: I don't know why it has a white back ground. I'll change that and re-upload)

Must be because I'm exporting as a .png, I don't know why but I prefer using .Png's :p

CG Arts have a forum!

2010-05-18T13:25:00.001+01:00

I have recently purchased a WebHost & Domain and decided I would try to see if the CG Arts (UCA) Community could all come together and make a really comforting place to 'hang-out', show off work, and to get help on anything and everything.

Are you ready for the link? Here it is:

http://db-graphics.info/community/

There's the link! Sign up now and post away.

Thanks.

.Dan.

Response to Phils' Comment

2010-05-12T20:13:00.003+01:00

Hi Phil, Thanks for the comment about my pre-vis.

Peter Klappa did get back to me with some constructive feedback, much like your own. He stated that whilst the idea is quite 'big' it doesn't do much for the actual biological side of things, he wanted to be inside seeing whats happening, but as I said in a reply to him;

Hi Peter,

Thanks for the email. My intention was to have the 'holograms' rotate and grow so we can see 'inside' of that part of the animation. I Realise a few 'stills' couldn't convey the true meaning of the animation but I knew I wanted you to see something of what I have been working on.

A example I have in my sketchbook is when the Basidiospores grow and merge together to form the Haploid Mycelia.

Then at the end of the animation, It isn't really that clear but the 'hologram' spores fly off and land on the desk, and then grow into a real mushroom. I thought this would also bring in an added realism to the animation. Thanks for your email and your time. Sorry again I couldn't be there yesterday.

Dan.

Both yourself and Mr Klappa have said about the music doesn't bode well with my animation either, I realise the Metal Gear Solid theme wasn't a good choice at this moment in time. But I hope that with the progression of the animation we can see that the 'exploding' holograms will make the 'beat' of my animation come more to life.

Thanks again for the comment Phil,

I will be taking these into consideration.

Dan.

PreVis - 01

2010-05-10T15:28:00.001+01:00

Absence of Blogger

2010-05-06T11:56:00.000+01:00

Beginning Message
Hey everyone, I realise I haven't been very active on my blog this week but I am about to please someone.

The idea for my animation.
As you may or may not know, I have chosen to animate the Life of a Mushroom.
I will be telling the 'story' through a series of 'pages from a book' lets begin..

The scene opens with a desk, a large heavy desk, it has upon it a lamp, a book and a pocket watch.
The camera slowly moves towards the table until we see the book, the lamp flicks on and we can read what the books' cover says. 'MicroBiology Analysis: The Mushroom.' near the bottom of the cover it will say Daniel Bright 2010 UCA Rochester. Along the spine of the cover it will say 'Microbiology Analysis: Unit 6'. The book will be 'leather-bound' and will be dark brown with gold 'trims'

The book begins to open, the cover slowly opens and lands on a page, Intro into Mushrooms, it reads, in the middle of the page is a strange cylindrical object, it passes through every page in the book, this cylindrical object is a 'hologram projector' the animation story will be played alongside diagrams shown on each page, the viewer will get a look at the diagram, and then see the animation of what the diagram depicts. My first example is when;
-Mating Type
+Mating Type
Meet, this is called 'Plasmogamy' (See end of post for definition.)

Image is sideways, as it was taken using my phone.

The rest of the animation will follow the steps of the MicroBiology Scenario which is below, starting from number 1, and working around to number 8:

The book will then close, and the light turned off, the screen will turn black and any accompanying music will fade with it.

More Images
Everyone loves a juicy image:

Last Note
If you have anything to say, positive or negative, I WANT to hear it. Rip into me if you have to, I strive on feedback. I will try to make this animation my best one yet. I look forward to hearing from you guys.

Glossary:(Taken from WikiPedia)
Plasmogamy is a stage in the sexual reproduction of fungi. In this stage, the cytoplasm of two parent mycelia fuse together without the fusion of nuclei, as occurs in higher terrestrial fungi. After plasmogamy occurs, the secondary mycelium forms. The secondary mycelium consists of dikaryotic cells, one nucleus from each of the parent mycelia.
Microbiology (from Greek μῑκρος, mīkros, "small"; βίος, bios, "life"; and -λογία, -logia) is the study of microorganisms, which are unicellular or cell-cluster microscopic organisms.^[1] This includes eukaryotes such as fungi and protists, and prokaryotes. Viruses, though not strictly classed as living organisms, are also studied.^[2] In short; microbiology refers to the study of life and organisms that are too small to be seen with the naked eye. Microbiology typically includes the study of the immune system, or Immunology. Generally, immune systems interact withpathogenic microbes; these two disciplines often intersect which is why many colleges offer a paired degree such as "Microbiology and Immunology".

Unit 6 - Commission Intro

2010-04-29T10:10:00.000+01:00

Well after a few days of thinking I've finally decided to use the Mushroom/Fungi cycle.

I have been looking into time lapses of Mushrooms and Fungi'

I really like how the stork just grows taller whilst the head of the mushroom/fungi stays the same.

More to come.

Final Animation & Animatic

2010-04-22T19:46:00.004+01:00

Animatic:

Yeah I do know Its quite bright but there we have it!

Enjoy. Oh all comments are welcome.

Maya update, Monday 19 April

2010-04-19T12:55:00.000+01:00

~ The above are the eyes with fully working 'Blink' ~

~ The Above is the 'Tail/Tentecle' Joint structure ~

Update: Bird Flight

2010-04-05T17:00:00.000+01:00

Norman McLaren Research

2010-03-24T11:52:00.000Z

From IMDB.com

Mini Biography

Norman McClaren is one of the most awarded filmmakers in the history of Canadian cinema, and a pioneer in both animation and filmmaking. Born in Scotland, he entered the Glasgow School of Fine Arts in 1932 to study set design. His early experiments in animation included actually scratching and painting the film stock itself, as he did not have ready access to a camera. In the early 30s he worked as a cameraman in Scotland and England, and in 1936 went to Spain to film the Civil War. He emigrated to the US in 1939, aware that war was imminent, and in 1941, at the invitation of John Grierson, he moved to Canada to work for the National Film Board.

McClaren made several propaganda films for the NFB, but continued develop his experimental work in his spare time. He later founded the animation department at the NFB, where he was at his most prolific. His most famous work, Neighbours (1952), utilized a style of animation known as pixilation, where the camera films moving people and objects a few frames at a time, giving the action a frantic, unearthly look. The short film won McLaren an Oscar. He continued to use a variety of styles and techniques on his animated shorts, including the optical editor to film _Pas de Deux (1968)_, filming through a prism for _Line: Horizontal (1962)_ and also using live action featuring himself in Opening Speech(1960).

In addition to film, McLaren worked with UNESCO in the 50s and 60s on programs to teach film and animation techniques in China and India. His five part "Animated Motion" shorts, produced in the late 70s, are an excellent example of instruction on the basics of film animation.

McLaren died in 1987, leaving behind a lasting legacy to the film and animation world. The Canadian Film Board recognized this in 1989 by naming the CFB head office building the Norman McLaren Building.

IMDb Mini Biography By: Mike Konczewski

Trivia

Is renowned as one of greatest geniuses in animation, best known for his films which he developed new animation techniques such as drawing directly on film stock and pixilation.

He was awarded the O.C. (Officer of the Order of Canada) on June 28, 1968 and the C.C. (Companion of the Order of Canada) on June 19, 1973 for his services to communications in Canada.

Norman McLaren was born in Scotland in 1914. His interest in filmmaking began early in life after he became acquainted with works by the great Russian filmmakers Eisenstein and Pudovkin and the German animator Oskar Fischinger. While a student at the Glasgow School of Fine Arts, McLaren’s fascination with dance led him to make such stylized documentaries as Seven Till Five(1933). He subsequently joined the General Post Office Film Unit (GPOFU) in London, where he worked under John Grierson. It was there that he created Love on the Wing (1937), using the technique of drawing directly on the filmstrip. In 1939, McLaren immigrated to the United States, where he made several abstract films, including Stars and Stripes (1940) and Dots (1940). In 1941, he came to Canada and met up once again with John Grierson, who, at the request of the Canadian government, had founded the NFB. Grierson asked McLaren to put together the NFB’s first animation team.

McLaren animating Le merle (1958) in paper cut-outs. © NFB McLaren while shooting the film A Chairy Tale (1957). © NFB


McLaren animating Le merle (1958) in paper cut-outs. © NFB	McLaren while shooting the film A Chairy Tale (1957). © NFB

McLaren’s personality and philosophy are inseparable from the direction animation took at the NFB. A tireless innovator, he perceived animation filmmakers as artisans who, much like artists in their studios, control every step of the production of their films. Consequently, McLaren set an example for his colleagues, motivating them to develop their own tools and experiment with new techniques. Owing to such masterpieces as Begone Dull Care (co-directed by Evelyn Lambart, 1949) and Blinkity Blank(1955), McLaren’s name has become widely associated with drawing and etching directly on film, yet his impressive filmography shows a variety of techniques: paper cut-outs (Rythmetic, co-directed by E. Lambart, 1956; Le merle, 1958), animating a chalk drawing through a series of modifications (Là-haut sur ces montagnes, 1945), the systematic use of cross fading (C’est l’aviron, 1944), pixillation (Neighbours, 1952;Opening Speech: McLaren, 1961) and superimposing images obtained by an optical printer (Pas de deux, 1967), etc.

Neighbours (1952). © NFB Blinkity Blank (1955). © NFB


Neighbours (1952). © NFB	Blinkity Blank (1955). © NFB

Thematically, McLaren’s work sets itself apart through its humanism (Neighbours; A Chairy Tale, co-directed by Claude Jutra, 1957), its refined sense of humour (Rythmetic; Canon, 1964), and its surrealistic overtones (A Little Phantasy on a 19th Century Painting, 1946; A Phantasy, 1953). While the films where McLaren works with dancers (Pas de deux; Ballet Adagio, 1972; Narcissus, 1983) express a classical concept of beauty based on principles of harmony and balance, his more abstract works (Begone Dull Care; Lines Vertical, co-directed by E. Lambart, 1960) are rooted in a choreographic concept that essentially defines animated film as a kinetic art form unrestricted by theatrical or novelistic influences. Nonetheless, in this last category of films, McLaren does not stray from abstract expressionism. In fact, his work is reminiscent of Jackson Pollock and Barnett Newman.

Begone Dull Care marks a summit in McLaren’s work by the radical freedom of the technique he adopted—painting directly on a frameless filmstrip as if it were a long, thin canvas. The effects achieved by synchronizing images with the piano of jazz artist Oscar Peterson are complex and brilliant: images and music interact through a network of associative connotations that reveal their essence, their rich texture, patterns and energy.

Another highpoint is Blinkity Blank, which unfolds like a fireworks display etched on film. McLaren pushes the explosiveness of etched lines to an extreme—lines that let light burst forth while subtly creating space of astonishing depth. With a few luminous streaks, characters take shape to tell an embryonic albeit satirical tale.

Over his long career, Norman McLaren received an impressive number of awards, including an Oscar for Neighbours and a Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival for Blinkity Blank. He holds an unparalleled place in the history of world cinema. McLaren died in 1987. In 1990, the NFB produced a full-length documentary film on his life and work: Creative Process: Norman McLarenby Don McWilliams.

Maya Unit 5 Week 2

2010-03-23T12:44:00.000Z

Mech Leg Rigging.

Mech Leg Preview + CTRL Channels:

The Outliner of all the objects/items:

Essay Research: Normal McLaren (1914-1987)

2010-03-18T12:00:00.000Z

I'm thinking about doing my 1,500 written assignment on Norman McLaren (1914-1987)
Some Sites I have been looking at..

Only a small bit of info on here:
http://www.screenonline.org.uk/people/id/446775/

*gulps* - No Comment -
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norman_Mclaren

A nice bit of info on here:
http://www.anim8ed.org.uk/resources_index_mclaren.asp

Norman McLaren Videos/Animation:
http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=norman+mclaren&hl=en&safe=off&tbs=vid:1&tbo=u&ei=TRWiS7_8C6H80wT__MT-CQ&sa=X&oi=video_result_group&ct=title&resnum=10&ved=0CC0QqwQwCQ

Norman McLaren Images:
http://images.google.co.uk/images?hl=en&source=hp&q=norman+mclaren&oq=&gs_rfai=&um=1&ie=UTF-8&ei=TRWiS7_8C6H80wT__MT-CQ&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=4&ved=0CB8QsAQwAw

At the moment it's just a list of websites. But watch this space. I WILL be updating it.

Story Idea!

2010-03-17T10:37:00.000Z

Hey everyone I've been thinking all week what my story could be about. and I think I've come to terms with it.

A RAPACIOUS KITE: The story.. The kite is a 'box-kite' like below.

The story begins with, Day 1: a young boy letting his kite out, the kite soars through the air, getting quite high it see's a bird. The kite 'chases' the bird trying to catch it in its so-called mouth. (The front of the kite flaps about as if he is getting hungry.) Doesn't quite catch him, the boy brings the kite back down and goes back indoors.
Day 2: The boy comes out again, sends the kite up again, like before, the kite soars around, and spots the same bird again. He tries harder this time to catch the bird, you can see him trying harder due to 'stretching + distorting' again he doesn't quite make it and decides that's all for this day.
Day 3: the boy comes out for the final day, this time the kite goes up, soars about for a while and spots the same bird! He sets up the chase, he speeds towards the bird, he is now right behind the bird, nearly got him in his 'mouth', when the camera cuts to the kites' string, we see it start to fray and snap

The string snaps and the kite shoots towards the bird, the bird carries on flying normally and the kite shoots right around the bird and plumets to the floor. The camera cuts back to the bird who is 'laughing' at the kite, the bird then hits the wall face first and the scene fades out.

Now.. Does that get too complicated? I would love to have some input please people :) Thanks.

Maya - Character Rigging #1

2010-03-16T11:49:00.001Z

Hi all, heres a quick tutorial which showed me how to create a fully functional 'basic' joint structure. Here it is:

Well. I just realised I have missed out the Pelvis CTRL. I will add it and upload in an edit..

EDIT PELVIS CTRL

Research Timeline Continued.

2010-03-15T10:52:00.001Z

March 9th.

Lotte Reiniger

Cinderella - 1922
Death Feigning Chinaman - 1928
The Golden Goose - 1944
Aladdin & Magic Lamp - (Not sure of date - 1954?)
The Frog Prince - (Not sure of date)

Norman Mclaren

Begone Dull Care - 1949
Lines Horizontal - 1962?
Lines Vertical - 1960?
Hen Hop - 1942

LeMerle - 1958

Pas De Deux - 1968

Disney

Fantasia - 1940

March 11th. - Suzie Kent - Guest Lecturer

Tina Price?
Monika Forsberg

His Passionate Bride - 2004

Tim Schafer

Monkey Island Series - 1990-2009
Grim Fandango - 1998
PsychoNauts - 2005

Black Heart Gang

Tale of How - 2006

Late Uploads Alan Maya:

2010-03-09T11:52:00.003Z

Hi Alan, sorry for the late upload. Heres my Playblast of the Maya Tutorials for Unit 4.

Ok. all maya tutorials done and uploaded.