Thumbnail Color Script

So while one of my teammates worked on the storyboard the other was putting it all together in the first rough cut animatic. I was tasked with the color script for the film. So I took the storyboard thumbnails and painted this quick and dirty color script. Pending some tweaking we are in week 4 and will hopefully begin production this weekend. Time to start animating!

Another New Film

Working this quarter on my second film we are currently calling it "Red". It is a biographical film about Robert Goddard. The only requirements for the class are the following.

1. An "abstract" biography
2. It must be mixed media
3. Stay withing 1-2 minutes

So you can check out our production blog over at jimcowjaz.blogspot.com. I will try to post work here as well.

I will be lead character animator on the film! It is my first so wish me luck. Below you can see two of my concepts for the environment and the character design of Goddard at multiple ages.

At first we were going to have the character as a paper cut out but we are slowly moving away from it as we develop the look further.

My first concept was a paper sketch of  a cherry tree then a digital painting on top.

Second concept is using photo textures composited together then some Photoshop painting. Another team mate is exploring watercolor skies that are looking pretty sweet.

Props Update

Been hard at work with the rest of the class on our collaborative film Vita Magus. I've moved over to the props and effects side of the film so below is some of the work I've produced the past few weeks. I have a group working along side myself to model and texture everything but I've also attached the Props I modeled. It's going to be rough, we are 5 weeks in and have 5 left to finish the film with 0% of it animated!<

Props_FoodTruck_Turntable_Ver001_MacDonald from Vita Magus on Vimeo.


Props FoodCart Turntable Ver001 MacDonald from Vita Magus on Vimeo.

Second New Short

Hello followers. I wanted to let everyone know that I am returning to school Tuesday and will be working on a total of 2 films this quarter. FML!

The first film is my own called Jellie and you've maybe check out my posts here. The second film is for my 2D/3D Collaborative Project class. So far it is myself and my two friends Jenna and Davonne. The concept was brought forward by Jenna and I thought it sounded cool so I jumped on board to develop the kernal of an idea into a, hopefully, bad ass little short.

Please jump on over to The Keepers of the Trees and follow our progress over the next 10 weeks as we try to finish our film!

Sketchkablam quickie

Done this afternoon in my sketchbook then thrown into photoshop to add a flat color pass. I need to get on this Sketchkablam thing and up my quality haha. Key words were "Autopsy Society" and I drew this little girl who I guess won the science fair and is now the newest member of the Jr Society.

More sketchbook stuff

Haven't posted up life drawing in a few weeks. I was introduced to love castle by a former classmate  and it is GREAT! Basically you set what you want to draw and how long then have at it. That website has been great supplement for time such as now when I am on school break to too stingy to pay $5 for an open model session.

Enjoy this page of hands and a few figures. All 2min or less. Working on my speed/confidence still. Honestly I still do not do figure/observation drawing enough but I'm trying to add it into my scheduled more. Also broke away from my brush pen and used a black Copic.

Also I was browsing a sketchbook and found some sketches that I did to setting on the character I used in my Blagurgitate film. The assignment had us mix two different styles from art history, I mashed Egon Schiele with African masks. The left page is me re-sketching a self portrait of his to better understand how he does that magic. All sketches are with a 50% grey Copic.

Edgar the Octopus Burglar

So this past summer I participated in an art show where the artists draw during the event then the work is auctioned off at the end of the night. I finished early and was taking request when my friend Jim suggested I draw an octopus burglar...so I did.

Just a quick doodle I never finished but thought it could be a fun winter modeling project. I have his face all modeled with some slight variations to give him more form and one tentacle that I have rigged and will duplicate then pose. I plan on trying to get a nice rendering for my portfolio as a modeling/lighting example. Here's some screen caps.

Stay tuned :) ciao.

The quarter has ended

It was a long quarter with lots learned but now it's over and I get to semi relax over the break.Here's some more work.

Hop animation test using model and rig from CreativeCrash.com
Project 06 Hop Animation from efmuok on Vimeo.

Final pencil test walk cycle...There's a slight pop on the loop that I will fix but I think she came out great.
Project 07 2D Walk Cycle from efmuok on Vimeo.

Also a 3D walk cycle done using a model and rig from CreativeCrash.com.
Project 08 3D Walk Cycle from efmuok on Vimeo.

Lastly the drawing in motion final.
Drawing In Motion Final Project from efmuok on Vimeo.

Over break I hope to work on my demo reel and replace the 3D walk cycle with my Zoe character.

Final Rotoscope Art Directions

Coming up on the final two weeks of the quarter and We have just two weeks to finish our rotoscope project. Luckily it will be done in groups of two and it only has to be about 5 seconds of animation.

The project is for the introduction to an animated documentary my professor is working on for The Green Book. My partner is working out the storyboard/animatic and I provided the two possible art directions. We, along with the class, chose the first concept with bold black line work. We were given postcards from different era's as backdrops. Ours were Niagara Falls 1930's.

 

 We shoot reference footage on Sunday...wish us luck!

Life Drawing Update

Here are a couple of pages from the week before last.  

After meeting with my professor to review my first 5 weeks worth of sketches I am now trying to transition into a style that captures the pose of the model rather than drawing what I see.

 

I also reduced my time from 2-5min each poses to  30sec-1min forcing myself to simplify/analyze before I put my pen to the page. I do feel that I am moving forward and gaining confidence

Side Step Assignment WIP

Roughing out the side step animation assignment. I need to fix the overlap in some places, especially the hair, then it’s onto the details and clean up. I am pretty happy with how she is coming along so far though, I think this will be a fun little character exercise for my demo reel. My professor suggest I also use this character for my walk cycle. Stay tuned.
Idna SideStep Rough from efmuok on Vimeo.
I also have some life drawing from the past few weeks I need to post once I have time to scan them in. I am finishing up the video game during the next 2 weeks so times tight. It’ll happen though. :)

Muybridge Form 90%

I’ve completed 90% of my concept. I am still working through the bubbles, the sand that gets kicked up, and the transition. Fortunately none of these things are required in the assignment so I am calling it completed (for now. Enjoy

Muybridge Form Rotoscope from efmuok on Vimeo.

The next step is the expand upon the Muybridge skeletal rotoscope with a full form continuation. Below are my three new art directions along with some effects animation I'm working through for the transition.

Currently the splash in on 2's and if I have time I will add more inbetweens. But for now, the project is graded on the cat run cycle NOT the effects so it can wait :D

Muybridge Continued

Finished the roto of the Muybridge photos last week, check it out. Next we do the same cycle but full body not just the skeleton.

Muybridge Skeletal Rotoscope from efmuok on Vimeo.

Zoo Atlanta/Cafe Sketches

Was really busy last week. For my Drawing In Motion class we visited Zoo Atlanta to draw some animals. I had never sketched animals from life but it was so much fun and they seemed to fly off my brush pen. I feel I struggle with people because I know what I "think" they shouldn't look like in my head. But not animals I just draw what I see. Not sure if that makes sense but it does to me.

I wasn't able to make it to figure drawing this week because I was participating in the Generate 24hr design challenge. Check out my teams project here.

Muybridge Cycles

In my rotoscoping class our first assignment is to roto a selected Muybridge cycle. I chose the cat and for class tomorrow we needed to explore 3 different art directions. Check them out.

1. Based on the fantastic short by Ryan Woodward Thought of You.

2. Influenced by the heavenly digital painting style of Chinese mànhuà artist Benjamin. (Zhang Bin)

3. This one isn’t based on any particular artist, maybe some Nicolas Marlet with his squiggly lines? But the concept is for it to pulse like an EKG machine.

So hopefully this is obvious but we start with the skeletal structure, then we do the same cycle with full body, but that too needs to be a separate style from these 3. So stay tuned for those concepts in a week or so.

Open Model Session 1

Participated in my first open model session yesterday morning and got in 2hrs of sketching. I only did the 1 min gestures but I had the chance to draw both male and female forms. Good fun! Oddly enough they both wore their hair in a bun...

I am going to work on gaining confidence back into my line quality. I feel I still spend to much time going back and fourth between the model and my paper. I will be training myself to draw the poses from memory so I can concentrate more of the image in my head rather than referencing the life model.

We are reading Vilppu Drawing Manual which discusses this technique for anyone interested.

New Coloring Style?

A couple of friends and I went on a small drawing session at Little 5 Points this past weekend. Didn't last long since it was ungodly hot, but here are a couple sketches.

I have also been working on developing a new digital coloring style. I've been seeing LOTS of this textural looking going around and thought I'd have a go. I'm very happy with the way it looks and think I will explore it more. Stay tuned!

Zoe "final"

Finished the Zoe character sheet that is due later today. Had to nearly pull an all nighter since I picked up yet ANOTHER last minute motion graphic video that consumed my weekend. This one is awesome though cause the wife designed it :D plus having GE in my portfolio was too good to pass up.

Anyways enjoy the sheet

Other character sheets and Zoe refined

The class was split 6 and 6 between frank and Zoe. He was my "favorite" but I felt that my Zoe would push me more since she is a more "realistic" character which i don't' do very often....

Frank is a volunteer firefighter. With a jacket on loan patched up with duck tape he acts like a hard-ass in front of the other firefighters. But when he gets into the heat he shows his true teddy bear character. Frank is passionate about helping all living things.

Here's the first pitch for Zoe. My professor wanted me to do some variation on her face since he felt it was very pixar-ish. I did about 5 new faces and landed on the second concept you see below. I am happy with her and looking forward to feedback tomorrow :D
Here are the revisions I made on Zoe. Next we move to color...but before then I am going to do some research on her accessories..some goggle and glove design, the little things y'know.