Minor Project: Tyler Modelled and Textured

Just an update, at the moment I am skinning the models and then onto rigging. I have been busy with this that it slipped my mind to post an update of where I am up to so far. So below are renders of Tyler two models, with his textures. 

Some of the textures I have noticed need some work but this is something I can come back to after the next process. It been nice watching my character come to life and I cant wait to see him moving around next :D

Minor Project: Update on Tyler

I would say that Tyler's model is done with just a few minor teaks to the spikes of his hair and to the eye. But apart form those, I have gone on to mapping out the UV's ready for texturing and rigging.  

Started the UV's, when finished with hair all I am left with uving is his hair and face. 

Also I have created Tyler's uniform model. This was a lot quicker for  me to model as it will just changing the shoes and shirt, as well as adding pockets to the original model. Just now  it needs some tiding up and its ready for the next step also. 

Minor Project: Modelling Update

So I have model Tyler's head and now have put everything I have modelled together. Now just a few minor tweaks to make, especially the shoes, still losing something from my original design there. So will need to go back and work on them. Apart form that next step is uving and then on to rigging him. 

As you can see I have not quiet finished modelling Tyler hair, but I am still able to go on to rigging. Because when I add his hair on when its modelled, it will not effect Tyler's rig, as it is just part of the head and doesn't need a rig itself. The hair is a big part of his design and I don't want to lose anything from the design by rushing on to the next step.This allows for me to move forward with the next process and still be able to model the hair to the best it can be. 

Minor Project: Modelling Update

Its taken a while but I think that Tyler's model is getting there, still got to make changes to the arms and shoes to do. Also the head is nearly done still got to do the hair and ear but as soon as that is done I will post it up with the whole model. 

Minor Project: Character Modelling Update

Update on how the modelling is going, Still working on the shorts at the moment but next to start modelling the head and then the arms. 

Minor Project: Beginning of Modelling

Its been a while since my last post but now with dissertation draft behind me I have begun modelling Tyler's character. Quiet excited to see him come alive, still along way to go though from this point. So far initial model of shirt and legs, notice a few problems especially his legs, at the moment from the side view he is quiet wide in terms of his shape and to model the collar also. 

More Updates soon :)

Minor Project: Turnaround Improvements

Character turnarounds with a few tweaks,and the uniform turnaround which is just the clothes change slightly.  still need to work on the side view, still something wrong with it. Need to fix this problem before I can move on to modelling my character. 

Next working on expression sheet, this would help with modelling the character. 

Minor Project: Interim Crit Presentation

Interim_Crit.pptx by SashaHart

Minor Project: Orthographic turnarounds

With Tyler's design resolved next step is orthographic turnarounds,which also gave me the chance to think about the hands of my character but also put the final touches to the design. 

Minor Project: Character Design Uniform

Now I have a final character design for Tyler,  he also needs a design for his uniform. Which he is in at the beginning of the animation when he is in class, then he changes into his west ham kit when he is dream world.. Most primary school uniform are pretty basic and it is only the colour that changes with different uniforms.  For me its between number 4 and 6. Number 4 more because the colours kind of reminds me a little of the west ham also. 

Minor Project: First piece of Concept Art

When thinking about how I was going to make my animation, I decided that it will be a mix of 3D and 2D. Tyler's character would be 3D  and coloured and the classroom and props in the animation would be 2D and black and white line art. A suggestion was to look at  Paddington bear as an influence, and the idea of having the set and props are made out of cardboard. 

So I gave it a quick go and made a concept influence by the style. I think that this style would work because it adds to a child's imagination. 

Minor Project: Character Design

Here is Tyler's design altogether, still got a few minor refinements and tweaks to do to it  and to clean up the design in terms of the line art. But apart form that I think he is there and hopefully has a cute factor about him. 

Next to think about a turn around for tyler. 

Minor Project: Character Development

Now I have the shape and structure of my character, I have been looking at possible clothing for my Tyler. Most of the animation he is in a West ham kit and at the beginning in his school uniform. But first I looked at design his football kit, I used colour to help tell them apart. I kind of like number 5 but also like the lines and shapes of number 2. 

Also thought about the head of my character, using the previous design and developing them further. I kind of like number one but I think it not simply enough. But I am still drawn back to the original design the bottom row  with little tweaks to it. 

Next think about the facial features of my character and putting it all together. 

Minor Project: Figuring out Animatic

To help me with my animatic, I have gone ahead and spilt up the rerecording into sections to help me figure out how I will go about animating my character for each scenario. Getting everything I have in in my head written down really rough, might help me figure it all out and find what will work best in my animatic. Spent a couple of hours talking to younger brother and we come up with some ideas, some are a little crazy but maybe that's what I need, it is a child imagination and anything is possible after all. So this is what I have got, feeling more happy now and ready to go back to my animatic and not overwhelmed with all my ideas i had in my head. 

Recording break down.docx

One thing I have settled on is that my animation is not going to be jumping from reality into Tyler dream world but instead starts of in reality but when asked what do you want to be when you grow up we enter Tyler's imagination, him acting it all out, then after the last question is asked we return to reality.

Any feedback or any other ideas are gratefully welcomed ...

Minor Project: Choosing a Font

A quick look at different fonts for my animation and branding. Going for a child's writing style,  here are the best ones I found and out of them all I kind of like number 7 and 5. 

Also I had an idea of actually having kids write my tittle out and using that. So I asked the class where I collect my recordings from in the beginning when they have the time will they be able to to have each child write out the title.  At the moment I only have three because they are on half term but will be getting some more when they go back.  I like this idea better,  of having an original font, at the moment I kind of like number 3 and I think its the font I am going to use in my animatic. 

Minor Project: Character Design Progress

In terms of structure for my character I kind of think it is nearly there. After my tutorial yesterday, and some pointers of what works and what doesn't with my previous designs. This design is a combination of several of my previous designs. The body of number 1 and the top part of the body of number 2. And the head of number 3 for the moment as it still needs work but  the reason why I choose this out of all the other designs  is because it shows the type of design I  am going for with the hair, really ruff and messed up to add to the personality of the character. 

With the structure I have at the moment I have been looking at types of clothing for my character. I know my character is going to be designed twice because he needs two sets of clothing, one is his uniform which is what he starts and ends up in and then the football kit which he wears when he is own little dream world. I know from the recording that he is going to be in a football kit more specifically west ham kit .The image below is a couple of experiments  of the different style of kits. 

At the moment I not to sure to stick with the black or white or to have some colour in my animation, so I think when refining my character to looking at experiment and seeing if adding flat colour to the designs works. Also maybe adding colour will make it a little easier for the audiences to recognise what team he want to play for straight away. Also Alan suggested maybe experiment with adding texture to the design  making it feeling like actual children drawings. So some stuff to experiment with my refining my design. 

Minor Project: Animatic Development

This week has been about dissertation and character but here is a little development to my animatic, still needs a lot of work done to it. But one thing I have figured out is that I am gonna stick with my animation just being about Tyler and his answer. 



Here are a few initial head design also, looking for the cute factor, I think number 3 is but still gonna develop these ideas further. 

Minor Project: First Draft of Animatic

The next step for me is to go ahead and start the animatic. At the moment I am still undecided with whether to stick with my animation just being about Tyler's recording or to have my animation be about several recordings. I know there are many different ways that I could go with Tyler's recording and there is alot to work with but I also like the idea of having variety of answers to see the differences in them.  So I am going to make very ruff and quick animatic for both, to see how the animation would play out for either one. Then I will decided which way my animation will go, taking the animatic to develop further to improve. 

So here is the first 40 seconds of the animatic for just Tyler's recording, 

Also I did a quick sketch of Tyler character so that I have something to base my character on for the animatic. In terms of my character, I am going to work on designing him bit by bit, the face, structure, clothing etc. I defiantly know that I am going to stick with simple shapes and basic line, like my previous design experiment, for my overall visual. 

Minor Project: Experimenting With the Other Recordings

After Choosing my first character Tyler and his recording, I have experimented with seeing how Tyler's answer would sound with other recordings I collected. I decided to just concentrate on the recordings of the girl for the time being, so that I will have at least one of each gender. Kind of a comparison of what boys and girls at that age want to be. The one that I think works really well with Tyler's recording is the popstar recording (Isabell), but I also kind of like the Hairdresser one also. 

I know at the moment each video is about 3 minutes roughly but I still want to experiment with seeing how adding a third character would add to the animation. Its a matter of just experimenting with the recordings until I get the right fit. 

Minor Project: First Character Chosen

For my first character, I am defiantly going with is Tyler  and his answers for my animation. His answers give me alot to work with, with how I could animate him and he was the best recording I collected. Below is an edited version of his answer with my voice edited out. The only problem with Tyler's  answers is that his interview goes on for about 2 and half minutes so I will have to find a way that I can cut it down without losing any of the best bits.  Which means alot of playing around with the recording till I find the best result.

Also in the video there are spaces were the other two characters would be answers the question. At the the moment, I am editing the other recordings I have, then I will experiment with them, seeing which ones works best with Tyler's answers, to give me a variety of characters for my animation. 

In terms of Tyler's answers, the next step is to start designing  a character for the voice, which I am looking forward too..

Minor Project: Narrowing my choice of answer's

I have narrowed down my choices of about 20 answers to 8, these where the ones that stood out to me. These where the answers that hat made me laugh but also have personal qualities that I could use when designing the character and animating . 

In the answers, I noticed that the boys were the more confident in their answers and would go off track with their answers and start talking about something totally different. Which gives me a bit to work with.  

Out of the 5, the one that stands out the most is Tyler's answer, that is because I can hear he is impatient when he is answers the questions, as if I have asked him before. But I also like the way he is confident to go off track with the answers and start talking about something totally different. 

But the girls are totally different in the way they answers their answers they were shy but knew what they wanted to be, they are totally different to the boys which gives  variety, to my choice. 

Minor Project: Character Design Improvements

After some advice from Alan about my previous character design,  I went back and work a little bit more on the design. The previous design was still not simply enough I will still adding details that were not needed, and the shape was a little off. But after some changes, I can now see the difference and it looks much better. There might be some little tweaks need , but have been staring at it too much for today, to notice them, so will go back tomorrow and see.  

This might not be my final character design, but know I can now see how I am going to design the rest of my characters. I just need to remember that everything needs to be simple when design my characters. Cant wait to start the rest :)

Minor Project: Begining of Character Design

Today I started, looking at designing my characters, I haven't yet chosen the final answers I will use yet. But I the one that stuck out from listen to them all, was the ballerina answer. So I decided to give it ago at designing a character to help me with decided how I was going to go about creating my final characters etc. It really helped, I know can see how simple shapes and lines can work for a character. Its early days but I can see potential 

Also I decided to look at adding colour but in comparison I think the line drawing works much better, and with colour it takes away from the line art. But on thing I did do was look at maybe be having it seem as of a child has coloured the character in them self, which I thought worked much better then block colours.  

Next is to choose my final three /answers/voiceover, so I can start designing the characters.  

Minor Project: All Answers Together

So here are all the the answers I have gathered altogether, I decided to put them into separate videos, as it added up to nearly 20 Minutes altogether. Now its just choosing the best three, which is not as easier as I thought it would going to be...

Minor Project: Gathering Stories Part One

Yesterday afternoon spent the day collecting stories of what children want to be when they grow up. Some of there answer were amusing and a little strange, which is a good thing, makes it easier to choose the best.  A lot of editing is need, because there is a lot of sounds in the back, they I couldn't do nothing about when recording but in some of the recordings it works nicely, sound like I am sitting in a classroom asking the questions. Here a the first few, the rest will follow soon after being edited, then I will put everything all together when all finished. Then it will picking the best three to base character around.     

Minor Project: Project Update

After my second tutorial yesterday, I feel a lot better about my project, and a lot least confused in terms of how my animation was going to play out in terms of story. Because I have these voice over, and a visual style I wanted but no actually story to put them into. So far in terms of how the animation will play out I have:

That it is going to be set in a primary school classroom/library, with three totally different character and three different answers, taking it in turns to answer question on what they want to be when they grow up. It will play out with each character answer the question one after each other, so that the viewer can see the variety in there answers, with even the character acting it out when they are explaining it to the viewer. 

This is really ruff but after Monday when I have all three chosen voice overs,  I will be able to sit down and actually start developing this further. 

One thing I have done is  gone back  and re-write my project proposal.

Minor Project Proposal

One thing I have decided out of the voice recordings so far, I decided to go forward and think about creating a character for the ballerina answers. Out of all of them, I personal think their are a lot of personal qualities to the voice over that I could use when designing my character. From the voice over I think that the character would be, cute, quiet shy, girly, adorable, graceful.   

This might change though depending on what other answers I will get on Monday though. But for now doesn't help to just start getting some design done.

Also I have been watching some of the videos of the Kids say the funniest things on YouTube, and the video below I thought I would share, as it did make me giggle with some of their answers to when you grow up what would you like to be :)

Minor Project: First attempt at gathering answers

This afternoon I spent some time asking several children what is it that want to be when they grow up. I honestly at first didn't think it would be so hard, but after the first couple of chats I realised that I would have to ask some more question about what it was that they want to be, if I want to gather another research to help with my project. So out of ten children I have put the best ones that I thought had potential into a video, after so quick editing (sorry for my voice ) This is what I have got so far..... 

Here are a few pictures of what some of them wanted to be when they grow up: 

Tarry 6yrs old

Rockstar

Mia 7yrs old

Rockstar

Shreeya 6yrs old 

Hairdresser 

Connie 6yrs old

Fireman 

Koyin 7yrs old

Nurse

Gemma 6yrs old

Hairdresser

Altogether I don't think it was a successful trip but it wasn't unsuccessful trip at the same time cause what I have gathered today is a start and I will be spending the whole day on Monday at my old primary school gathering as many answers and drawings as possible. Maybe I should re-think about how I should go about asking the question to get as many useful  answers as possible, something to think about by then. 

Minor Project: Starting to move forward !!!

After a quick conversation with Phil today, I fill like I am making some kind of progress and not just stuck waiting around. It was suggested that I look at asking adults and not just children, which would allow for me to have a wide variety of answer to choose from at the end. But also make me fill personal like I am not just sitting around not doing nothing.  So hopefully tomorrow I be able to collected the voice recorder and start asking people over the next couple of days and get my primary research started.

Also I just found out I been given permission to be able to go back to my old primary school and speak to pupils and ask them to fill in a type of worksheet asking draw what it is they want to be. Also I have been given permission to record their answers, which is a major plus because I was worried that this would take time. But they are allowing me to go to their after school club Thursday which is a mixed of different ages to start off. But also if I need more primary research I would be able to go in another time, when parents permission is given, and gather more research.

Above is a quick worksheet asking what they want to grow up but more focusing on the drawing, which would really help with style and character. So for now I just got to make sure I have the right question to ask ready for Thursday, using the next couple of days to find out what the best question to ask would be to get the best answers. But for now everything looks like its moving forward nicely :) 

Minor Project: Idea Development

After my tutorial Friday, I know that I want my animation to be aim at primary/ junior school children. I did realise that I will need to collected my answer/stories as soon as possible, as soon as this is done then I be able to start thinking about which direction I will go with my animation and character design. So tomorrow I am aiming to find out when  be able to go, into a school and speak to some children about growing up and what they want to be. With the overall aim of having my stories, answers or even so images collected by the end of the week ready to start developing my project. 

So at the moment I have been doing some initial research, watching video helping me find away I can ask the question but at the same time not promoting their answer, allowing them to do the speaking.  A few example that stuck out for me: 

Initial Style Research 

Also been looking at different styles my animation could be influenced by, at first I though maybe in the children book/Illustration style, with simple shapes and bright colours.

Another influence I could go for could be when I gather my answer I could ask the children to draw what they want to be, and my animation could be in the style as if a child had drawn it. 

Minor Project: Inital Ideas

I know for my minor I would like to create a short animation and after having a quick chat with Alan today about my initial idea of creating an animation based on children's imagination about growing up and what they want to be. Now I can see there are many different ways I could go with this idea. Here are just a few, quiet rough ideas I have so far:

• A charming animation based around a child talking about growing up, their dream, what they want to be when their older, what they think it would be about. Creating a animation around their answers. 

Below is a video of a story book based on answer from  kids, so of their answering where interesting. 

• Another idea would be to create a sentimental animation in a style of an adult reminiscing about what they want to be when there we younger. Maybe even in the style of there inner child speaking to them.  
• This animation below is an example of  another way I could go with my own animation, Instead of designing my character as human I could go with an more creature comfort style in terms of my character, this could be an animal or even just a every day plain object.

• I think going and asking, getting actual stories that I haven't made up, allowing me to create my animation around their stories. Listening to their stories, would also help with creating a story of my own animation.

More to follow !

Minor Proposal: Getting some thoughts down...

With year 3 officially begun, and minor briefing been done, it’s time to start getting down some initial thoughts I been having about my minor project. I know that I want my minor project to emphasis imagination and dreams, more specifically children’s imagination. 

And then the other day it clicked there is something my little cousin said to me the other day, ' when I grow up I want to be .....’ and it’s something every child says.  From wanting to be a doctor, superhero, chef, race car driver, the possibilities are endless and sometimes there answers can be quiet funny. So one idea would be to create and animation with character design answering the question how they would. 

This is just a thought I have had but I think there is potential and there are different ways I could go with this idea. 

Here are a few animations I found enjoyable and quiet charming answering the question when I grow up I want to be.... 

More to come.... 

Letting you know...

Sadly and frustratingly I will be deferring my final year due to illness. Its been a rough couple of months for me but I can honestly say that  I am slowly getting back to my old self. But I have decided that deferring my final year would be best for me, to come back next year fully recovered and ready to take on my minor, dissertation and major project. 

I will be keeping an eye on the blogs and group blog, to see what everyone is up too. But I just wanted to wish me fellow third year class mate the best of luck with their projects (minor and major) and dissertation. Hope to see you all around some day but for now Good luck and be Amazing as I know you all will be. 

Also to the CG arts staff and year 2 & 1  I will see you in September fully ready to take it all on :D