Things in Brief

Not much to say for this side of things, as everything I've built is still behind NDAs. However, I can at least show a proper update to the creature Parker

This one is a bit old, but he's been fully modeled out, textured, and primed for rigging. I changed the posture of the model. While I was working, a coworker suggested I pose it out like Pixar did with the bears from Brave, since the bears also went from bipedal to quadrupedal. Hopefully, it will prove easier to setup this way. Still need to work out a few things for this guy, like how the front face's mouth will articulate and how to set up the threading thats supposed to go along the jaw.

Simple Smear/Multi Arm Script release

Its been done for a spell, but I'll make note of it here as well. I've completed a first generation release of the script. It can currently be found over on the tea time animation site. The script is based on the demonstration C. J. Crow gave, as seen below.


As it would be inconvenient to animate a group, I had the script create a control instead and allows for it to be placed withing the rig's hierarchy with little fuss.

It can be run multiple times and prevents the usage of the same name, though no numerical values are given to the names, as that is still outside my breadth of skills at this time. I haven't had a chance to utilize it in my own animations, but I was testing it out on one iteration of a 'La Noria' rig I have set aside. Its not a simple rig, so having it work there meant it should be able to work on most rigs.

Arm Smear Script production update

So what I haven't mentioned at this time is that I am currently writing out a small script. It's purpose is to create a sort of smear shape for a character's limbs akin to 2d animation's smear frames.

In its most recent state, the script can be run on its own, running the individual segments and creating the smear. However, in its UI form, there is a problem. Currently, while the UI does still work fine, it cannot be run multiple times without creating some excess components. I'm currently working to remove this issue and allow for multiple smears to be attached without drastically increasing the file size.

Bringing to light some things in the dark

A bit annoyed that I hadn't posted this here, but now is as good a time as any to post this. I was fortunate enough to work on this project, updating the various character rigs and a few props with new deformers and added control systems. It feels like the light at the end of the tunnel is starting to appear and gain in intensity. Soon we'll all get to see the wondrous horrors that this film contains.

La Noria Teaser from Carlos Baena on Vimeo.


La Noria Teaser from Carlos Baena on Vimeo.

While the main campaign is over, you cans still grab some of the rewards, which are pretty cool.

La Noria Indiegogo Page.

Thats all for now.

Cheers!

Parker update

Just some adjustments to the face region. Wanted to define the divot of the faux jaw up front, as well as adding in the ear. Also got the tail in place with a few spans so it can fold and curl. Add to it a slight modification to the back feet, and some slimming of the shoulder width, and that about sums up the work of the week.

Progress 02-05-2015

Got most of the face roughed out and built the hooves/hands. Need to detail the tail fin area and rework the edge flow along the length of the body.

I've started another personal project

Oh man, haven't used this one in a while. Okay so crazy fast recap right out the gate. Last year wasn't so bad, since I was part of the La Noria short film Carlos Baena on Vimeo.

Did a lot of fixes and rebuilds on the various character rigs, and it was quite the experience.

Moved back to SoCal for work, and that went from August to December, but the commute to and from was rough. Either way, another good experience with working in a pipeline and lots of troubleshooting and revisions. Miss the people there, but not the drive.

And thats it, really. Now the project.

So for a while, I've been meaning to work on a character from the artist Magera Gordon. The character, named Parker, has a strange sort of head.

Now, I've just sort of mulled over how the head would work, and the artist did create a lot of reference stuff on how it functions, but for me, it was more of "how would this function as a character rig?" There's a lot of threading across the mouth, so when he opens it, how does it unravel? With everything being as expressive as they are, how does it affect the stitching and overladen material? Moving down the body, this character is both bipedal and quadrupedal, so how would the limbs rotate to accommodate this change of posture. I could go on about the list of things I want to work out, but that'll be for another time. For now, its just getting the model built with a more standardized body shape.

Thats all for the moment,

Cheers.