Fishtank

The job search is taking a it longer then I want, mostly because there is a lack of studios in my area to apply to. So I decided I need to revamp my portfolio and web page and fast. I want to make a generalist 3D reel and add a graphic design page to my site. Actually I want to redesign my site entirely to something a bit more simplistic.

I also started working on an idea for a small flash project I want to do. Its just an image with a small looping animation. Hopefully I can get it done before this weekend. The 3D clock pendulum scene has run into a few problems with the volume fog and the chain rigging. I am going to have to play with that a bit more before I get it right.

Anywho, here are some concepts I did for the flash picture, I hope it comes out as cute as I see it in my head.

Chains

I finally graduated and got home. Unfortunately it has been a bit hectic with moving back and getting a new car. Not to mention all the family get together for the 4th of July. Hopefully it is now all over so I can get back to getting some work done.

I got this idea for a simple piece that could show off some good lighting skills. Its just a pendulum from a clock chained to the ground, sort of a 'stopped time' concept. One of the first things besides sketching out the concepts that I needed to do was find a good tutorial for making chains. I did manage to find one and as I figured there is a very easy way of making them. The tutorial even shows how to rig them for easy posing. I am going to have to play around with the chains a bit to see what is the easiest way to pose them and wrap them around objects, but all and all it seems my scene is going to be simple to model. Its just the lighting that is going to really be difficult.

The tutorial is by Mike Nuts and can be found at 3dvalley.com.

Demo Reel

So here it is, the most final of my demo reel to be displayed at portfolio review. I can't say that I like it, actually I have watched it so many times that I hate it. Even so I am still a little proud if it.

Of course I want to redo it...but that's for later, to many other things that need to be finished first.

Graduation Blues

Been a bit busy getting things together for portfolio review so I haven't had much time to work on projects. What free time I do have has been going to watching the first season of Batman Beyond that I had bought a few days ago(I love that show).

I ran into a few bumps on the Lighthouse piece, mainly with procedural textures on the dock. I will have to look up some tutorials on wood textures or something because I really don't want to have to go and texture every plank on that dock separately. I had never planned on texturing the dock to begin with so it has lots and lots of pieces and that would just be annoying to have a photoshop file for each. I could save some time by only making a few files and just rotating them around and such, but it would still be a lot of work, and I should really learn procedural textures.

This is an older piece I am going back and revisiting. I want to try and texture him, though he wasn't modeled that well so I am wondering if I should just start from scratch on him.

Lighthouse

I made a light house a long time ago. I decided to finally try and texture it. Its coming out OK...though I have a lot to learn about unwrapping.

Slashed

So I decided to cut out one of the lip syncs from my demo reel. It was a hard decision, but I think that the audio I chose turned out to be a whole lot more animated then the character was. I might go back and try to redo it with a different rig, one that stretches more and doesn't look as stiff as the LoMax character comes across. It always looked like a wooden doll to me, I think that is why I have such a hard time making it look lifelike.

Pictures in Stone

A friend and I wandered around the city taking pictures of some of the cool looking architecture. I think I might take my old SLR camera and go back and retake some of these with black and white film. There is just something about real black and white photos that really capture the texture of a picture.