Expressions: Animation Test Version 1 -- The Golfer Enthusiast

The First Test Run of some expressions / animation for the Golfer Ethusiast.

A preview of some of the animation in its preliminary stages for the second character I've been working on so far.  The emotions that I was trying to convey mostly were interested, curious, and satisfied.  Still needs a lot work, but just a previs...

 

Expressions: Animation Test Version 1 -- The Suburban Mother

The First Test Run of some expressions / animation for the Suburban Mother:

 

The two emotions that I was trying to convey was confused (overwhelmed) and determined while making her choices in a shopping enivronment. 

 

MEDUSA FROM ALL ANGLES

Here is a BPR render of the Medusa Head (WIP) from a while back using the timeline  in ZBrush.
 

 

Temporary Turntables from For Spring 2013 Reel.

OVERVIEW:   These are more developments of the three characters that are being created for an animated short that I was hired to work on for a few months.  I'm not sure what has become of the piece-- but it is available for viewing on my website under my latest works section.

My main concentration was on the execution of the concept to finalize 3D characters.
These 3 characters are the my first full bodied zbrush sculpts. 

I may retopo them and bring the into Maya at some point to rig... but for now, I'm moving onto other works to showcase in my portfolio.

Each of these include a turntable, the initial sketch, and a composited still at previz stages. 
I hope you like them! 


"THE GOLFING ENTHUSIAST" Character Concept #1  



 

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"THE SUBURBAN MOM" Character Concept #2

 

 

 



 





Here is the second character design for the animated short and her complimenting concept sketches:

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"SIDNEY" Character Concept #3

 

I do not have a turntable for her yet.  But I have spent the most time working out her design and look development.  She still needs some work, but I've incorporated some sketches, etc, until I can get her turntable uploaded.





 





 

And... Another Excerpt.

It had been over a month since traders ventured through to make their deliveries.  The town had grown a soft ambience of concern as families began to get restless with hunger and irked from the hook of poverty.  Mothers and Fathers had no alternative but to linger outside of a near to empty pharmacy that sat boarded in the center of town waiting for the owner to surface from hiding inside.

The situation had never been worse in a beautiful landscape that lined the westward sea of Aristam.  The city of Corin was at the mercy of a lingering war that the King of the land would not relent.  The positioning of the city, surrounded by water and closed off to the mainland by the battlesite, had left trade immobilized. Its people were now dependant on sea imports to survive, which were few and far between under the wild winds of the uncomfortably wicked winter and some, all neighbors of each other, were dying or already long done.

Everything had come to a standstill for just about a month now.

The ocean offered no inbound ships in sight.   All that was seen was the snow beginning to brighten up the black sky and all that was heard was the waves slapping against the rocks lining the weary docks.  The day was longer than usual when it welcomed the night.

So she stood from the rocky coastline to stretch her legs and leave with another day emptied of hope.

It was never the shorelines where she had anticipated many arrivals until just over that month when the deliveries from the land, mostly from Aristam, had ceased.  She was desperate.  They were all desperate.  Every evening she looked in both directions, off into the sea and back again towards the dirt trail leading off to the Barrier Bridge, before she left.

More than food, they needed an herbalist.  The city had survived off of its plentiful donation of seafood washed inland.  Their own export was enough to keep the city flourishing if they had no need to worry about anything outside taking care of their own.  But they did need to worry, as those natural resources that kept the city afloat were becoming scarce, protected, and unaffordable. Most of the resources that famed the city of Corin were now a rare luxury, and the sea seemed to mysteriously empty as citizens rushed to make a share out their own personal trades.  Some blamed it on the working of the King and a strange incantation in the elements.  What was most in need was medicine, now.

Her thoughts and her worries had capsized her for the day.  She had sat all day to wait and watched for a sudden resurrection that came from the energy of something good.  When as she turned to leave the docks, that which she was seeking was shadowing footsteps under a full moon and along that trail he usually trucked with weight slung over his shoulder.  Late as it was, it was a delivery.  Her instinct with herself for a moment, but thankfully it was a delivery.

They met each other quickly.

"Are you okay?"  He asked disassembling a long and obvious day.  The cold air that puffed her way was refreshing only by a voice in an otherwise silent day.  The burlap sack dropped to the floor.  His name was Keelah.  She was familiar with him.

"No."  She tried to untie the sack, but she was impatient and her fingers were frozen.  "How far out is the battle that it has taken so long to get here?"

He stopped her by cupping her hands.  "It's not more than you would want."

She looked at him directly before taking the bag from him.  "People are dying here."  She heaved it over onto her back heavy as it was and with as much ease as her ego would allow.  "Is there medicine in here?  We have nothing much to give in return, if you cannot accept our food."

            "I know."  He took the bag back from her to relieve her.

There was a long moment between them.  Both stood in reflection as there was no immediate solution.  Both Aristam and Corin had a plentiful supply of food.  Artistam had no need to trade.  They both knew that and they were both thinking the same thought simultaneously.

            She smiled.  Small. Enough to show some life and appreciation.  "Then why come?"

            "We were worried about the people." 

            She began to walk away, but not before she was looking back at him as he stood fixed in place.

            "Quille, we need the trade,”  He admitted.

            She turned, smiling a bit deeper, and trying to level with him even though was almost a foot shorter than him.  "We will make a fair trade for you all.  My brother will arrange something, I’m sure.  But he will only do it if there's medicine.  Come get warm."

            With a slight hesitant nod, he followed after her.  "There is."

Together they left the docks and headed down the streets of broken slates worn from horse carts heavy from supplies.  There had been only one cart since the turn of the war last month and there followed a rumor that that cart had never made it back to its original destination after it had left Corin.

The main strip in the center of town was narrow and occupied mostly by necessary businesses and few specialty shops.  But overall the center point of town was bare of life.  A few people huddled closely outside the pharmacy nodded at Quille and lay their expectant eyes at the new stranger and the bag be held. 

Keelah strengthened his grip and maintained his focus ahead.  “They have impatient eyes.  Has there been a lot of inbound crime?”

Sidney.

"SIDNEY"

(A Work In Progress)

 

Character Development from a hand sketch to a digital painting, and currently being digitally sculpted for a potential spotlight avatar at my current job!  I will post all of these renderings together in one blog once I complete her. 

 

Happy Saint Patrick's Day, everyone!

The 30 Day Drawing Challenge (In 1 Year or Less)

I am a little late to enter this, but am still attempting the challenge as a way to work / think fast when it comes to creating real-life subjects that are not based off of stream of consciousness.

 

 

DAY 1: YOURSELF

 

 

 

 

This is supposed to be a self portrait.  Never been that great a portraits.  The original picture, however, I've been told doesn't resemble me much either!  The last time I drew a self portrait of myself, I drew myself frighteningly scary looking because I was focusing on capturing all the details in my face..... like the bags under my eyes, smile lines etc. 

 

This time I tried to capture the essence of the photo. 

 

What I learned from doing this exercise (and as I do more portraits I attempt) is that the key to what I consider a successful outcome -- when not rendering light/shadows -- is to focus on being as subtle as possible.

 

The work space and time wasn't much either.  It took about an hour working off of a crappy image on my phone which wasn't even the actual photo!  The drawing is where most of my hand drawing reside, in a small fat sketchbook that is the size of a hand.  Tiny, tiny, tiny workspace.  But for some reason, I work best that way.

 

I figure the more white space, the more intimidating!

 

If I did it over again, I take the modern day route.  Scan the image and sketch over it with photoshop .  OR, what traditional artists tend to do...  Scan an image in and draw over it with a handy lightbox.

 

When I took portraits class way back, we did things by hand with developed photos and the good old grid approach.  Always a good technique, too. 

 

Here is a link to the technique, if you never heard of it before and wanted to check it out:

http://drawsketch.about.com/od/drawinglessonsandtips/ss/griddrawing.htm   

It's quite fun, and you can get a mix of looks by scaling or rearranging the squares around.

 

 

 

DAY 2:  FAVORITE ANIMAL

 

The cheetah.  And my first attempt at digital painting with my wacom.  I've been in complete fear of sketching digitally but I know that I needed to get past the fear in order to excel as a computer artist.  This one was between moments during work, so I could really only dedicate a quick twenty minutes or so.  To be honest, most of the work put in was brainstorming the delivery rather than executing a style.  I haven't really found my digital painting style yet.

But I aware of what designers/illustrators, both traditional and digital, that I admire and study.

I mentioned others in older posts, but the is also a handful of artists that I have stuck with my since adolesence, too.  Some of them include:  Gary Larson, Shel Silverstein, and Don Bluth.  All artists who style is highly recognizable, simple, and unique.

Back to the Challenge, I spent a good part of the night before researching "how" I wanted to set the shot up and "why" I loved the cheetah so much.  I came across an old African tale of how the cheetah got her tears that inspired me into creating a small spinoff....

There are many tales, but this one stuck out the most:  http://www.safariwest.com/cheetahtearstory/

I considered my drawing to be a redux to getting her cubs back after having them stolen from her.  In this drawing, she's training them to run so that they can fend for their selves if the the same situation occurs again.  A introduction to how the cheetah then gained its speed!

I went a little over the top with my design and took a lot of criticism for it-- and have since fixed it.  But as it is the currently, the final piece is still very rough and unfinished. 

Some small food for thought, I was taught to go as far as you can as an artist (both performing arts and the latter).  Go as far as you can go, because you can always bring it back down a few notches.  But if you DON'T stretch it as far as you can, you will not meet a level of quality sufficient enough to deliver a ny type of reaction at all....

I will definitely come back to this piece in the future.  I'm not staisfied with it now, but I think it was definitely headed in a direction that I was enjoying.

DAY 3: MY FAVORITE FOOD

 

 

 

 

This drawing surfacing quickly afterwards in my sketchbook, but took much longer than my last challenge when I brought it in for digital paiting. Purposefully.  I didn't want to plow through it.

 

I focused on working with colors for this one-- since what appeals to most people when it comes to food in actual existence is mostly presentation, colors, and arrangement.  I also tried to focus on indicating some form of light and ambience. 

 

I tried not to concentrate so much on the perpective,  as I wanted to to be a pop-art, in-your-face sort of drawing.  And I left the originalsketch in there too, to keep the drawing gritty and "inked" looking.  I probably could have pushed it a lot farther, but I didn't want to convolute the style and was trying to keep it as minimal as possible-- since it was already loud.

 

My biggest  indecision was whether or not to bring out the foam on the beer.  But I left it as it was to oversell its freshness.  Again, I may have went a bit too far....... but I'd still drink it after the foam finally settled down a bit, would you?!  ;-)

 

Here is a snapshot of the actual challenge incase any one else wanted to give it a try on their own.  It's sort of viral if you web-search, but I found out about it through some of my art buddies:

 

So, Day 4, the next challenge, has been in the works painting itself up in all shapes, ways, and forms in my head.  Keep an eye out!

 

I'm sort of on my own clock with this challenge unfortunanely because I still in the rings fighting strong up against with zbrush and my clay sculpting.  I'm grateful the challenge came up though, as it gives me some focused tasks as well as allows me experiment with a range of different styles to help me become a better designer.  It also breaks up my time a bit from all things 3D -- which is nice every now and again...

So here it starts for me:  The 30 day drawing Challenge.  Hoping to get through it in 1 Year or Less. 

Why Cowboys Are Lonesome...

Also, still a work in progress.  I think I will attempt painting this one in photoshop.  Since the color palette is minimal it will restrict me to centering my attention on the values.  I started working with the drawing in Autodesk's Sketchbook Pro on my Phone while waiting on lines and other small gaps of free time here and there, but nothing worth showing yet.  I'm just using this approach, just to block out my values for when I bring it 100% Photoshop.

The only problem is that my phone is not pressure sensitive-- so the task has been arduous.  But I've discovered a technique that is working well so far.  I'll right more on Sketchpro Pro as I play around with it some more, but......

This app is a few steps short of working in photoshop and GREAT if you are an artist that is often on the run ....

Exploring Polypainting (Work In Progress)

Thank you to Eric Keller and his book "Introducing Zbrush", I had completed the perfect character to test out what I've been learning from the Visualarium Course with Ryan Kingslien I took in the fall.  I'm finally catching up on everything after clearing a few things out of an overly crazy schedule.  My focus has been on continuing to learn Zbrush inside and out, with getting better at Maya, on digital painting--specifically in regards working with color and values.  Also, I've been fighting to make time to complete my traditional sculpt ready as well.

I will post pictures of that soon!

Anyways, I'll make this a short one today.  Hope you enjoy the work in progress.

 

 

I was going to post the render without the pupils, but I figured that the pupils would demonstrate some of what I recently learned.... I guess it's time to research how to break through the uncanny valley soon....

And thank you to all the great instructors out there that have both helped me and inspired me!

My First Speedsculpts.

It's somewhat sentimental, I guess.  I figured I'd use this post to recap my experience at a zbrush meeting in New York and catch up on where I'm currently at in my development to become a better artist.

 

A rundown of the meeting: It was hosted by a friend of mine Kathy Wang in the computer art department of NYU with the main presenter being a Jean Gorospe, who demoed a speedsculpt of his own and introduced some tips, his interface arrangement, and some tools he uses.

 

There was some valubale information floating around thanks to him, expescially when it came to managing dynamesh density.  I value his teaching because as a gaming modeler, he is well aware of keeping his polycount low-- something that can easily get out of hand when working with dynamesh.  The number he was throw out there to retain topology and keep a mamagable tool?  Good stuff.

 

He also gave a guideline to laptop stats and zbrush modeling.

As I currently stand, I am without one and in dire need.

 

The real nerveracking part of the evening was the speedsculpt, of course.  My First.

 

The concept was to create an alien head.  Hurrrmmmmm...... 

The was the sound my brain made. 

 

I'm not sure what it is about aliens.  It may be that I have no proper "thing" to reference, and when I don't have reference I get completely creatively paralyzed.  One would think it would be the opposite.  But having reference around to me is like a map in the middle of a system of foreign roads.  Nothing seemed to set off lightbulb that night.

 

And then I said screw it and just go with the techniques I learned and do the bascis: Eyes, Ears, Nose, Mouth.  I couldn't see the bigger picture because aliens are just so otherworldly but the hopefully still have the same functions as we do.  If not, creepy to imagine how they must communicate and interact with their surroundings.

 

Anyways..... way off subject. 

(This is where the brain goes with me) 

 

So here was my final product.  It took under a half hour so we were told, but in my bubble I felt like I was taking forever.  It felt like hours to be honest.  I was sort of relieved when he said it was only a half an hour.  And then, I tried to focus on what I learned.

 

One thing, however, that nearly stagnated the whole process for me?  'View Mask' was off!  I learned about that thankfully  ;-)

 

Don't judge me too hard, folks.  The only thought I keep on hanging on to that Jean had said-- was that speedsculpting was mainly for concepting an idea to a director.  Which, of course, is important.  But if one is not a concept artist, and instead is an illustor or digital painter or a modeler after the inital concept maybe the time wouldn't be as harping.  That made be feel a bit better.

 

 

I thought I had done better with the last ten minutes of my lunch break at work to be honest. Danny's William's awesome creation has calling to me--  once I get a bit better and a bit more confident!  If you're feeling those things, definitely join it.  It's a free group:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/lunchcrunch

Here was my dude from lunch.  No specific character of mine.  Just randomly created him while applying some of the techniques I learned so far.

 

So, I went home that night and after seeing all the amazing zbrush work and meeting some amazingly talented people, I felt both inspired and challenged.  I want to be that good, that fast, I kept thinking.  The only way to get there is to keep learning and to keep practicing and to keep surrounding myself with supercool and supertalent as much as possible so I can keep inspired.

I decided that I was going to attempt one speedculpt a day.  I'd like to try to stick to that, but it's been difficult while I'm trying to teach myself other areas of zbrush.  I am still going to try though.  Maybe give myself one hour out of the day to just tear through a model fast.  This one below took me about a half hour.  Again, it my first speed sculpt with zspheres, so please don't judge to harshly:

RUNNING TIME:  10:56 Minutes
SOFTWARE:  Zbrush

OVERVIEW:  I didn't want to showcase the design on MacBruley yet, because I'm still fleshing out color/texture on Insanity and next is up for modeling is Clementine.  I just wanted to use Mac as a test run.  So, if you'd like to see a small preview of what he actually does look like check him out under my charcters section:  (3rd Row, 3rd Over)

I'm not sure how well this went, but it didn't take that much time (to me).  Under a 1/2, which is great.  I'm excited to lay out the muscles and planes at some point, but I will probably do a few most of these first which other characters.  And then I'll try out the dynamesh and shadowbox approaches.  I find working with zpsheres nice, though-- escpecially for a creating the underlying skeletal system to flesh the muscle groups onto.  It helps give more of a accurate visualization to work out in my head. 

I am  little behind with my blogging, and have a lot of stuff I'd like to write about, including sketchbook Pro in conjuntcion with Gnomon's "Practical Light And Color-- Theory and Application" with Jeremy Vickery.

Em, awesome. 

In My Sketchbook.

Sometimes I have to give myself a push.  At the end of the day after all is taken care of I sometimes feel a need to draw or make some of artwork.  I haven't really tapped into why yet, but I know it's because I have to tend to it, because it gives me some sense of value resulting in me feeling good.  With that notion, when I open up my small thick sketchbook which I always keep readily available and I see a blank page-- I do feel a sense of pressure.  I know it's natural.  And, yes, of course it's daunting.  Especially if I DON'T feel like drawing that day/night. I start to get the uncomfortable feeling of having to force myself to draw.. And that's what I do.  I force myself to draw.

And thankfully, once I'm started, I'm usually good to go.  Like anything with me, I guess.

That whole initial stage though?  pssh.  Well, I've discovered that there are some easier ways to get warmed up and get going.  This method of assistance is personal preference, but it usually works for me and it's one technique that I use from time to time that is really not as bad as it would seem.

Now, I don't want to post any drawings because I am weary of how this posts will be viewed as an overall subject.  I'm not sure if my approach is ethical or not, but it works for me.

Honestly, it's copydrawing.

When I used to travel a lot, I always carried a copy of ImagineFX and 3D World.  When my creativity was at a roadblock or I was too tired or lazy to think, I'd flip through the pages and find the most inspiring piece of artwork out there and, yes, I'd copy it.  I'd try to replicate it to the best of my abilities.  Sometimes I'd pick out my favorite design or an artist I really like.  A lot of times, I would go into tutorials or anatomy books and I copy those too-- mostly areas of the body that I have the most trouble with.

The result:  I'm compiling all of my best resources into one easily accessible book.

And if  I can't post pictures what I can do is I can give honor to some of who's work easily found their way into my head and heart.  One particular artist is a regular submitter of wonderful and comprehensive tutorials that really help his reader's and fellow artists do exactly what we are supposed to do!  Which is break components of anatomy down into simplified shapes.  Time and time again we hear this, right?  Well, he both demonstrates and explains this recipe flawlessly.  Please, please, please check out his multitude of anatomy workshops.  They are all great.  You can also see some of his talents at work on youtube!

His name is Ron Lemen and his work plus some is here:

 http://ronlemen.blogspot.com/ 

 http://lemenaid.blogspot.com/

I keep a copy of ImagineFX's recent Anatomy release around me all the time and study it regularly-- trying to memorize the muscles and muscles groups.  It's always travel friendly, too, because its a magazine.  So when I go out to draw it accompanies perfectly in my purse.  This issue contains insurmountable amounts of learning resources and majority of the material  I give thanks to Ron Lemen.  It tops as one of my all time favorite ImageFX releases. 

I'd also write out the excerpts that partnered the drawings. I have a lot of writings in my sketchbook, interesting bios of the artist that I can relate to, or inspirational quotations, and tips.

Other copydrawings include:

Those of which I couldn't find direct links to the specific image, I referenced their portfolios or videos)

Gino Whitehall's "Johann and Droggie"

Douglas Carrel's "Broken Bird"

From Jiggery Pokery.

Ilker Serdar Yildiz's "Forward"

Yuehui Tang's "Butterfly"

Genc Buxheli's awesome rendering of the "Soul Jailer"

The Assassin's Creed Dude 

(of which I don't know who the artwork specifically is credited within Ubisoft's hands)

And then some....

in the mix of my own.

All amazing.  I admire many artists out there, and inspiration brews inspiration.  The best thing I can for myself is to try my hardest to be one of the frontliners.  And how do you get there if you are do not study the best of the best, learn from the best of the best, or just the analyze the artwork that draws you in.  As Ron would say about Anatomy, I would generalize down to studying artwork as well --  find the "Rhythms" in it.  

Copydrawing helps with the basics fundamentals of hand-eye coordination as well-- although drawing from life is always best, of course.  But this mixes it up a bit.  I do have a very thick sketchbook-- about an inch thick and 4 inches tall.

I try not to get too deeply lost in my own work as difficult as that may be, or too vain.  And replicating artwork helps deter my vanity and bring me right back to equilibrium that belong in.   It also gives me a break from time to time.

So, with that shout out I add that some artists may look this tactic, as, well, whatever obscure way artists always look at things.   Ultimately critics will fill in their own quick judgement even after I come to my own defense.

But in my sktechbook, I have a variety of different things.  Not just mimics of unbelievable artwork--  call it fan art or whatever?  I have my sketchbook handy all the time so its a constant resource.  Any kind of quick reference or easy access is always a benefit and cannot fail you when you are in need of inspiration.  You feel good because you "manufactured" it, too, so it's a kind of a win-win.

There are written tips and technique that I memorize each time I decide to flip through my book and read over them.  One tip was a question asked of Melanie Delon in ImagineFX on "How to Draw Proportions of the Face in Profile" -- something I know I always have trouble with.  I had summarized her article, then wrote it down, and drew out thumbnails of her examples.

Others bits are inspirational quotes or innovative terms, like 'Mental Projection' by  Howard Pyle:  "Chief attributes was the ability to envision unseen words through the lens of direct experience." 

Anything and everything goes in my sketchbook.

I put my own drawings in the back, my nieces/nephew/friends/loved ones take charge of doodling in the front, my life drawing, gestures, and still life go upside down, and my copy drawings and notes are scattered throughout.  My characters go consecutively after each in the middle somewhere.

There's some kind of unexplainable method in my madness.  ;-)

My latest piece is another character drawing mixed into an environment.  I'm keeping along with my New Years Resolution from the start of 2012, which was working on creating environments and visual stories around my characters.  I still need a lot of practice, but sort of finding a style as a "background artist".  I think most of my strength is in my characters right now, though.  Anyways, my 2013 resolution?  Working on color, value, and light.

More on how that's resolution goes in future posts.... promise.

I'm hoping to have my current drawing completed by the end of the week.  So, come back soon.

This long-winded post is DONE.  It's great to get another post out there to the world.
Things have been very busy for me lately, so I apologize to anyone that does drop in here.

Happy New Year! 

The Proposal Of The Faceless Man (Unfinished)

.......Naturally.......

Universal Appreciation.

In the midst of craziness that's been going on in the east coast of the United States, particularly where I'm from, I just wanted to thank send out a broadened scope of thanks in a multitude of different directions.  (Typical of me).

First, but not foremorst to those who have been following my blog.  I've been reading your comments and I really appreciate those of you who do take the time to comment as well as compliment...  I have decided to share these comments.  Thank you all again so much for the love and support.

Secondly, under the circumstances that my home state in experiencing right now-- a stamp in history, really, I want to send out my gratitude to all those laboring around the clock to restore the damages.  Today they were filling the parking lot of a park where I run with remnants of fallen trees being discarded, dozens of tree service and landscaping trucks.   Some gas stations are being monitored with added security nearby to make sure civilians are safe as lines of cars trail down miles of highway under stress and fear of the horrible trickle down effect that may occur.  Police sit at lights of major intersections that still remain powerless--  some of them sounding their sirens to warn those that forget.  Some of my friends that have lost houses and valuables and others stay overnight at their jobs to avoid a staying at a cold and dark home as the weather gets colder and the sunset sets earlier....  It really is comeplete choas underway to getting organized--  on its way to organized choas?  I don't know.  But this occurence will take time and patience, and both of those things have never been a popular attribute with most living on the planet unfortunately.  The long hours--  seeing electricians working in the darkness with flashlights up in their buckets fixing tranformers.  Would they do it for free?  I don't know.  But all that matters is that they are doing it.  Those that didn't fluster and break under this type of pressure, it truly is an amazing and dedicated effort that warrants truckloads of beer and warm pizza.  Really.  And I, sided with many others out there, appreciate the time, haste, and efforts.

As far as my own progress, things have beeen difficult to adjust to lately. I'm fighting to get on a schedule, as I haven't really had to in about 12 years. Systematic doesn't work so well with me I'm finding, but I'm making it work somehow or another...

The class I'm taking is at the end of it's second week.   The power outage backed me up a bit with my computer work. I spent the a night under candlelight working on my traditional sculpture.

 

 

Here she is so far:

 

That was about as much light as I had to work with so the results are mediocre. There is a lot of disproportinate comparisons to the inital design, so now I have to make some major adjustments over the next few days and I have a few questions ready for the next crit. I'll still forge forward on it but for now I'm placing my concentration back on zbrush to catch up with the digital portion of the class.

 

Lastly, I wanted to thank my mentors and all of the artists out there that continue to help inspire me.  In these last couple of weeks I've been learning a great deal from both the online Visualarium class with Jordu Schell and Ryan Kingslien, and just today watching Danny Williams, my old teacher from college instruct a free demo of his class at Visualarium on Character Design.  A must do for those interested in clear and precise instruction and a disiplined ciriculum.  The class will focus on building 3 assets for Gaming, Film, and Visual Effects.  His way of explaining and ease of instruction are make the experience of learning very smooth--  I know firsthand because I was lucky enough to have gotten the chance to take a class with him already.  Check out the course.

Also, I viewed another free webinar again today--  from an online school called Phoenix Atelier.  A friend of mine had posted a link to the webinar this morning.  The webinar was demoed by a name very familiar to this blog,  Eric Keller, who took the class through the fundamentals of working in a pipeline strictly to being a generalist in Maya.  He reinforced the importance of coated the surface of all areas in Maya to make oneself more valuable in the industry-- ranging from basic nurbs modeling through a workable rig with simple expressions and touching the surface of a industry standard renders.  He even had his trademark robot bug creatures to example.  This school seemed to surface out of nowhere fast to be honest, but it seems to pack the punch as both Maya and Keller are both unbeatable assemblies in an high staking industry.  If you're at all interested in learning about 3D, check that school out too, definitely.  Here are links to both schools:

http://www.visualarium.com/

http://www.phoenixatelier.com/

 

And another leading online school for 3D that's been alive and kicking strong:

http://www.thegnomonworkshop.com/

 

I spent some of my day rushing back home to watch these webinars escaping from the chaos outside and thankful that there are some nice resources being offered in this world outside of material necessities.  And although I was one of the luckier ones that weren't signifcantly affected by the impact of this storm, I found comfort in these, as I'm sure others find their own sense of comforts out there.  Love, family and friends, whatever, right?

 

Sometimes small gestures make insurrmountable impacts on one's life especiallly when things are in turmoil.  You learn to appreciate things on all levels.

 

So in this post I send out my universal appreciation. 

Thank you.

An October Treat!

The other day I tuned in to watch the new Environment Modeling class with David Lesperance on Thursday, a preview of what is to come with one of Visualarium's new online training courses. The work was nothing less of amazing and this new way of learning on a global scale was innovative.

I knew it would leave me a junkie for higher learning-- it's always about wanting more with me.

The classes that Visualarium is offering are built to suit.  Especially... the class I just signed up for...

 

 

MEET CLEMETINE:

 

The timing of the class is dead-on, as I have just set up my workshop and have been messing around with Zbrush for a couple months now.  If I couldn't get enough aleady, both inspiration and training is soon to be in intravenoused.

Jordu Schell and Ryan Kingslien are hosting a class for sculpting, a combo of both digital sculpting and hands-on traditional claywork. The class is a creature sculplting class -- and without doubt there's obvious excitement to be learning from top caliber industry artists such as these!

I built my armature over the weekend and I am definitely ready to start sculpting!  My main objective on the Zbrush end of things -- to get comfotable working with materials, polypainting, and working with color and textures, in general.

I just signed up this evening.  This online experience is definitely a first for me, but I feel confident that it will be worth it.  And as always...

To be continued...  because Clementine's got a quite a story to tell.  ;-)

Game Design Breakdown: Project "simBLEND"

   "SIMBLEND GAME TRAILER" Simulation-Based Learning Environment for Network Defense


RUNNING TIME:  ~12 Minutes
SOFTWARE:  Maya / Photoshop / After Effects
Client:  Appled Visions, Inc.  (Secure Decisions Division)

OVERVIEW:  Sole Designer and lead 2D/3D artist for project pitch SimBLEND, a trailer for a military training game. I was responsible for all artistic develoment and creation under the direction of Applied Visions Inc, including brainstorming and previs, layout and design, shot composition, modeling and animation, title treatment and video-audio editing. Pre-production through Post.

The initial concepts and stylesheets will be available soon on my website @ www.lisamarie.biz, but for now I've included a lengthy breakdowns I prepared with the client that consist of schematics, samples, and design studies that I used to develop the eventual look and story of the game trailer.

SIMBLEND BREAKDOWN--  FINAL VERSION

 

INTRO:  COMMAND CENTER INTERIOR / EXTERIOR  (Stylesheets)

The command center I showed you during our brainstorm would mimic a more detailed rendition of "Cyberseige" for an animated trailer feel, a cut-scene before the initial preliminary test and before the gameplay becomes interactive.

 

BIRDS EYE SCHEMATIC

 

MOOD AND FEEL OF INTERIOR
 

FINAL EXTERIOR

 

 

 

VIGNETTE 1:     Preliminary Assessment Room


Will begin in Command Center, which I showed you.  I will focus on modeling mainly the console (“Cockpit  Area”) for other vignette(s) thereafter. 

If I could get a basic mesh of the ENTIRE command center that may leave us with more leeway, of course…  Such as a preliminary “animated sequence” (as we discussed) before the actual “Game”.  This could be:    Player entering the room/Swiping access card/Logging on computer/or whatever…

But with an actual focus on Console….  (This is an example with the models originally built, but just to give you an idea)  Imagine the windows as panels…. And so on….
 

 

MORE LIKE THIS OR MIMICKING THIS….
 

 
THE INITIAL PRELIMINARY  TEST:  These Models  (including  the Interactive Cockpit) would be for  Educational Assesment and differing testing 'leves', from novice to advanced.  With the “Panel Idea” and gadgets in effect the Player can interactively choose which topic he’d like to be tested on first.    (Think “Minority Report vs. Jeopardy”)   But not so BLAH looking and Non-organic….
 

You may be able to use, the $ amounts as the complexity of the question and rewards accumulated….

 

ie.  The more of a higher score he earns or the more upgradeable “RESOURCES” the gameplayer will have to be able to use to secure his system as he advances levels….  thus attaining a better overall score to the game as a whole.  

We can use the “Jeopardy boxes” as panels and so on to decipher different selection grade of tests….  In this trailer we will simulate a first  person view that demonstrates his/her navigation through learning about Peer to Peer Networking.

 

Note:  *The subject will allow the questions to pop up onto different screens or panels….    This would be more along the lines of Dan’s idea.

 

 

SIDEBARS: Docked in the corner of User Interface on the Player's Computer station (See image above)… The Red, Yellow, Green bars indicate how the player is doing, such as Progress, Percentage of Test Completion, Resources Amount and/or More “ammo” for Hint stuff….. as per Brainstorm .doc:

1). SCORING AND STATISTICS: As we saw the progress meter in the 'Cyberprotect' game, network speed in calculated as well as the number of errors. The sidebars are a shorthand evaluation of the player's overall gaming precentages-- similiar to the content that will be shown in the After Action Review Room once the game is completed.



**Note(s): Reference "CyberProtect" / "Cyberseige":

-Mission briefing starts with a topology map
 
-Animation during attack is achieved by moving light blobs along a track
-Cyberprotect pushes several vignettes at a particular configuration, then provides an assessment.
-Visualization: “Attack Cam” shows effects of attack on the 2D network topo map

  

2). GLOSSARY AND HELP OPTIONS ETC:  

-TOP- Online glossary, pop-up screen (click by letter), popup screen. Concept of “finding” or "adding" onto the glossary with experience. Glossary contents / depth could evolve with game complexity.

-MIDDLE- Helper notes (a la Cyberprotect’s “Mentor”) can be added by player to help him/her record and study information valauble to their studying and taking test. 

-BOTTOM- The target will indicate by color green to red how much time is left, followed by an alarm.  A countdown and an option to set back or freeze the timer based on level of expertise are also available.











 

VIGNETTE 2: Mission Briefing Room

 

 

After passing completion of the test(s) in Preliminary Assessment Room….

Windowed panels would flip or become Screened, to show (Silhouette) of the Commander in Charge. His actions will be seen, his voice can be heard, but his face and textures will not bevisible.  He will be assessing the vignette to the player, overlooking the player's progress, and certifying whether or not the player will level up to the next mission.

 

SOME EXMAPLES SCREENED SILOHUETTE STYLE:
 

 

 

Once Mission Briefing is completed…  (A)  The panels behind the player will flip back over and become opaque once again.  When the player activates whatever his mission is  the player will then transition in a Virtual Mode similar to the example (B) as shown below but framed out in wire or something….

(A).EXAMPLE BEFORE MISSION BRIEF (Player)
 

 

(B).TRANSITIONS TO SOMETHING LIKE THIS

AFTER MISSION BRIEF...

 

 

We would have to further discuss what the exact mission would be, but for now…. the key role of the mission brief is to go over test results and then assign the player to the next suitable mission level.  This could be another animated sequence (See Vignette 3 below). For the purposes of the trailer, a voiceover or text description would suffice. 

 

 

VIGNETTE 3: Network Operations Center
 

 

 

The Player must than channel whatever his mission may be…. This will be a network-like tunnel leading to a series of other training resources locked behind doors. These doors to be opened with security keys that are earned upon completing vignettes in the Preliminary Assessment Room.

Roles include: Network Administrator, Junior Network Security Analyst, etc, any role pertaining to the topics covered in the first room.

 

 

 

 

With this acquired knowledge and passing tests from each assessment room, the player should have enough equipment and resources to complete the Training Vignette, that can be entered through a 'network' portal.

VIGNETTE 4:     Training Vignette

 

First Person View inside Virtual Flightdeck that will allow player to navigate through a series of different training simulations.  As controls are launched, the background will of course be animated with their accompanying training obstacles.   For purposes of this trailer, they could just be 'clips' occurring along with what is happening with the 'player' on screen...

 

EXAMPLES OF COCKPIT GAME CHOICES INCLUDE:

 

1).  TOPOLOGY MAPS:

Ex. Build and monitor a secure network of global cyberspaces between player and other players and/or networks.  Scan and Monitor attack Bots inside of these networks or send out your own Bots to help protect the system.

  

 

2).  LAN SET-UPs:

Ex.  Scenario is new LAN setup, it’s vulnerable and player has to secure it.

3).  BUILDING PROTECTIVE FIREWALLS:

Ex.  Firewalls can block entire machines or specific services, or specific connections.  Screen showing rules being set up for various ports and services.

4).  FIND HACKERS:

Ex.  Player uses skills to seek out global hackers.

In one of the cockpit consoles the player will be able to zoom out and rotate globally to view all game obstacles.   Other consoles will connect the multiple players.  The displays that are customizable to make the player's gameplay experience more helpful to get through and more enjoyable to play.

VIGNETTE 5:  After action review (Scores)

The last room will present the players overall scores, rate their performance level, and review their gameplay data.
 

Ex Image:  "Cyberprotect" After Action Review Data:

 

 

SIMBLEND BREAKDOWN--  VERSION 1

 

VIGNETTE 1:     Hallway Outside of Assessment Room

After Initial Intro, Vignette One-Version 1 Displays the user in front of the exam room and its access  port, where he/she will need to swipe access card.  I believe we should have an initial LOG ON page instead of just slapping this on the page, perhaps as you were mentioning--  a background still screenshot of the architectural building or something along those lines, with a log on menu.   (???)

 PRELIMINARY ASSESSMENT (USER INTERFACE):
 

NAVIGATION MENU:  All panels can be activated through the navigation bar, across the top of the screen.  Within these menu options can be drop down menus.  These submenus all have icons that can be dragged into boxes  (see.  Icon Panel, above) to make it easier for the user to navigate.

Here's the summary I was thinking for Navigation Menu Options:
1). MY PORTFOLIO  (BUILD A CHARACTER PROFILE)
USERNAME / PASSWORD:What would be used to load address on CMD log Test Page
2). STATISTICS
3). CHECK PROGRESS
4). AMMOUNT OF RESOURCES OR SKILLS GAINED (PERCENTAGE)
5). REORGANIZE or CLEAN LOG
6). JOURNAL


Equipment and Knowledge already attained at the start of the game:

1). SWIPE CARD FOR PRELIMINARY EXAM ROOM
2). LEVEL (INTERMEDIATE MEDIUM or ADVANCED)
3). IP ADDRESS OF PLAYER'S COMPUTER NETWORK.

(For Access back to Glossary and Info documented in that particular room)

 

Customizable Interface Menus:
1). COMMAND LINE
2). COMMAND CENTER MAP (Areas with granted and restricted access and level access)
3). KEYOBOARD DISPLAY
4). TIMER
5). CUSTOMIZEABLE ICON PANEL
6). TARGET (Area of Interest Map) Hot-Cool
**Note: More meus can be added after completion of each exam


Saving Options:
1). SAVE GANE
2). SAVE CMD LOG
3). SAVE LAYOUT VIEW


Help Options:
1). BREAK TIME or TIME-OUT
2). ONLINE OR "IN-BOOK" GLOSSARY
3). ITEMS (COULD BE COMMAND)
4). SEARCH KNOWLEDGE LOG
5). SEARCH PROGRESS LOG
6). IP ADRESSES BOOK (To Find Other Players or Commanders)
7). CREATE custom COMMANDS/"HOTKEYS" (KEYPAD)
*Note: Also, I was thinking with help options too, they should be limited/entitled to more/less time to use help depending on level.
 

 

 

ICON MENU:

Each drop down menu features its own item which can be dragged and dropped into an icon panel which will make it easier/faster/flexible for the player to navigate around the game.

 

 

 

 

COMMAND MENU:   Would be a default menu that the player can activate to run his game.  The IP Address 335.992.411 I imaged as an "OZ", or the 'mission' commander.  This code would be programmed in  manually by the player and the commander will respond what he wishes the player to execute.  The challenge is for the player to interpret the correct instructions.

 

Simplified 'Starter' Codes are found in the glossary, under Help Options...  Also the player can see examples, and, finally, can customize as much of their own codes as they want (as long as they have enough "KNOWLEDGE LEVEL").   They can allow access other players for assistance.

According to the player's level, I would say that they aren't given the option to manually navigate (aka. through arrow keys), and must strictly rely on their coding ability.  The more advanced, the less manual navigation they are allowed per exam room.

KEYPAD MENU:  The player will see the keystrokes activating as the type.  This will keep the  screenshot more interactive and fun to look at, although the player has the option  to minimize this panel if he/she chooses.

After accomplishing tasks within the preliminary assessment room, the player will then continue onto the Mission Briefing and proceed to their assignment in the training vignette.

SIMBLEND TRAILER: INTIAL BRIEF

TRAILER SUGGESTIONS

- Title and Desciprtion Fades to further explain the fundamentals of the game
- Titles will be tailored to an audience of teachers who may be interested in teaching tool funding sources
e.g., “Tailor content to your students’ current knowledge level”
“Put networks resembling your real network scenarios into the game”

TRAILER CONTENT
Interested in help conveying the visual element in the rest of our presentation – how the game gets set up. This can be done w/ stills

PRESENTATION ASPECT

One idea is what should or can be done with Powerpoint?

GOAL OF THE PRESENTATION

- Demonstrate how the game can grow from small, simple networks to larger networks that use existing libraries already built by others
- How it works with “on-line learning” (student registers for “class” but then admitted into the game, and the learning system remembers the student’s performance in the game
- We want to show some of the power of the network simulator and how we can use it
- Panel usage: could show geo displays for “Area Of Interest” (using NETWARS A.O.I. example) – to allows zoom to AOI’s

DEVELOPMENT OF VISUAL LIBRARY AND REFERENCE LINKS 

 

 

 

SIMBLEND TRAILER: CONCLUSION

 The simBLEND project was "the result of a research program funded by the Air Force Research Laboratory Human Effectiveness Directorate, Warfighter Readiness Research Division (AFRL/HEA) to develop new and exciting concepts for training the next generation of cyber warriors, simBLEND facilitates blending the delivery of computer based training (CBT) materials with interactive visualizations and serious games to create a web-based environment where learning is fun and skills can be practiced immediately....

To demonstrate SimBLEND, we created browser-based, CND-themed casual games that focused on low-level cyber security concepts and tools. These games are simple to use and can be delivered as stand-alone games or integrated into a Learning Management System or other training environment."