Oh cheese and crackers!

I haven't touched this thing in a while, have I? Well today is the day to change that. Let's drop some crazy amount of render updates on the golem from earliest to latest.

Then, lets show how crazy this rig can be:

Having to create a write up for this beast, it totals to about 21 pages, covering all of the controls it has throughout the rig. The file alone sits at near 300mb from all of the ivy, and when I sent it in for testing, a lot of feedback mentioned how overwhelming this rig looked to them. I shouldn't smile so big about that, but at the same time, its just a sign of the level of control I've given them, should they take on the task of animating it.

Small update like stuff

I figured I'd give some updates over here regarding a few of the projects I'm working on. The main one last session was Curpigeon, which for my part, was wrapped up as of Friday last week. I've learned a bit about rigging birds as a result of it, so I get to come away with that. I'm not sure when I'll be allowed to show the setup, so that'll stay in hiding for the time being. If you want to keep up on the progress, go to curpigeon.com and peruse that place few news and such.

Meanwhile, I've done some work regarding the Golem project. I've gotten the body built up to a good place and I'm just about ready to start binding and rigging the beast. Here are some production bits:

Skull piece after being finalized

 

 Rough Body placement

More construction and a test pose, plus some color coordinating

Current standing

 This thing has been crazy to work on, and is only getting crazier as I work out how to do certain things, such as my proposed loose fit stones and the vine growth setup, plus the body construction setup I want to implement, as well as an anchor point for the rig. This doesn't include potential texture work, lighting, animation, and rendering. Still so much to do, but it will be one heck of a piece if I can do this right.

Thesis project log

Beginning log for my thesis project at The Academy of Art University

 Early concept for the golem

 Rough sketches depicting some forms and potential ideas on its anatomy

 more early work regarding the golem's anatomy

Gem stone mounting concepts and marking design based on Arabic symbol for "God"

 Fleshing out how particular limbs may look

 A more in-depth look at how its posture may be, as well as its back structure

 Idea on how the golem's left shoulder and left leg would function, where the vince would attache from below the boulder on the shoulder (top left image), and how the leg would connect to the tree stump to control the roots (bottom right)

 Basic sketch ideas of the previous idea

How the right arm would be structured

concept on how the golem's "eyes" may work

 A more definitive form to the golem, this time defining the body further

 A more spindly variant of the golem, meant to emphasize a deteriorated body

 A bulkier body form, as well as a color palette test

 Closer to the final form. Limbs look disheveled, but the design is still lacking

 Finalized concept for the golem. Colors work and the body is more balance while being asymetrical