"Simple ...

... is more betterer," said the Zenimation master, "study on this."

Tired. Very, very tired.

So look at this and marvel:

Once in a blue moon.

Only the third time in 10 years sans side burns.

Here is the proof that it happened.


Link.

Big News

I start this coming Monday as a BG Character Animator at Blue Sky Studios. Although terribly exciting, my current mental state is most aptly described by the image below. I shall go out this evening to buy some whip cream for my forthcoming servings of humble pie. Perhaps a cherry too...

Kill the Crap

The Crap is Dead




Long Live the Crap.


But seriously, big news with in a few days. Just waiting for the confirmation. And watch the other 3 parts to this video on youtube.

Light at the end of a Tunnel?

And soft serve ice cream that looks like poo. But its ice cream, I swear.

I Knew It!

http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200807/google

And on an animation note, a fancy schmancy new REEL will be on display in a few weeks! I'm working on some GREAT notes from some animators who have been incredibly generous with their time, and honesty.

Pointless

... nope, just hungry.

I Hope ...

... I don't understand young people when I'm older too. Wait ... I already don't.

Update

here is the almost final. What about the spliny-ness of the end there, after the hand slaps down, that move to the left, second to last pose?



The hands probably need a little love, but, if you watch it once, and watch the eyes, things are working pretty well.

I added in a few smear frames here and there, (4 to be exact) and I am liking 2 of them, in the air for one, and not so much the last.

Allright. One more go on some simplyfying the gibberish bit again this week, then on to new stuff ... maybe even some recent drawings will be posted ... oooooohhhhhh ...

out by the Roots

I was reminded of this blog entry: http://splinedoctors.com/2008/06/get-down-to-the-root-of-things/

And another I can't remember the location of that talked about the reason for messy head arcs is often the result of root/torso problems.

I find myself encountering this as we speak. In trying to polish up a shot, I had a few people mention that things were a little weightless in parts, so, I went back and did a cursory "re-do" of the hips/torso, and then started in with the head. I then found myself, when trying for nice clean arcs for the face REALLY "fix." the arc of the head.

Reminded of the above posts, I then got rid of all the head/neck keys, to see exactly how smooth it looked, just being on the torso, and discovered how atrocious the hips/torso really was. The cleaner I am getting the hips/torso, not only is the weight better natually, but the head starts "falling into place."

Any one else encounter anything like this, or have any thoughts.

Discovering this weakness really makes me feel like I need to do a couple walk cycles and weight shift exercises, as I often am less then impressed with the weight of the hips in stuff I see online, but am now finding myself doubting I could do any better.

Blanket_v002

And here is what they wanted for the blanket shot. My how things change, lol.

Help Please

How do I take these to the next level?

I'm making some very slow progress trying to polish them, but I feel I'm missing the mark trying to improve these, more then I am actually improving them.

What doesn't work for you guys? And why? How would you suggest fixing it? What works? And why?

I think I need to step back from these for a bit, start some new shots, or get some hands-on tips from some pros. What'd I'd give to be able to walk over the cubicle of a veteran and have him lay down how to make this sing.

Ladies and Gentlemen ...

... May I present to you, our competition:

http://www.animationmentor.com/quicktime/summer08showcase/


Inspiring stuff. Hope to work with you all some day.

Still needs a face pass and a polish pass, but I"m liking how some of this is turning out. Still a lot that could have been clearer. lots of hands all jumbled together.

Tets Updates

No visuals, as I"m pluggin along.

But I have had some great crits.

The dialogue bit, I had taken as far as I knew how. Most recent crit was to simplify and strengthen for clarity. I've had some one else remark that I "had a lot going on," in it. So, i'm thinking the problem is the hand slap and the mouth pop are too close together, and then the hand shaking and head shaking are distracting from each other. Alos my polish needs work, and its still hitting some walls.

Fixing the wall hits is no problem, not entirely sure about how to up the polish, and I have some ideas for the simplyfing. I'm still clueless on the mouths. I'm thinking leave the hand on the table with the hit, keep the attention on the head, and on the final hit, where the hand goes forward, keep that in there, but take out some of the hand shaking. Also, get rid of some of the head wagging.

The long armed piece is coming along. Still over complicated I think, but, too late to change it at this point. I'm trying to get that sort of thing taken care of in blocking, so I need to make my blocking more clear, so people can catch this stuff earlier on. I HATE redoing tail end work. After a certain point, and cencept is signed off on, I'd like to finish it up according to plan. These are wishes, as every production on earth has last minute changes by directors and creators who don't know what they want till they see it.

Ideally, early in the shot in my long armed piece, I'd get the focus of the audience on the hand thats going to trip, much sooner. How ever, this piece has been evolving from just a few jumps of the long armed guy, to adding the second character, and everything else, and I'd pretty much be re=animating the whole beginning, which is irritating. Its "working" as it is, but I completely agree that would make it stronger. I'm hopeing in the future, when I have some direction of my shots, these sorts of problems can be avoided a little more. We'll see. Updates to show come early next week.

Yup

Phew

When swinging by youtube, their "your friends are watching:" or what have you, and I noticed Steve Neary, was watching this. I've been looking for this for a while. Very powerful film, if you ask me.

Glory. Yes? No?

All rigs should have a glory control. They are more fun to make, and the rest of the staff likes the surprise.




Ya, its a semi truck, real complicated I know, but I don't know how to do screen grabs, and controls don't render. Not that a semi truck really needs more then about two.



And far as the blanket. Welp ... its one of those production miscommunications. The kind where I get an assignment I actually enjoy, found myself looking forward to, was feeling competent on, had ownership over with out weeks of revisions because no one knows what they want until they see it, and its a shot that was changed last week, and no one told any one.

I'll probably be able to save the edge fold over, and some of the settle, but all the rest, the being drug up the side of the wall, rigging a blanket, vert animation on ones, to try and get a cleanish silhouette. In the trashy can can. Day of work lost. Doesn't sound that bad, in retrospect, just like redoing some blocking, and one can't get attatched to blocking, but, one of the few things I've been able to do for the ol' preschool programming I actually gave to hiccups about.

Work

Of course, they needed the blanket animated. Couldn't draw it cause the shading needs to match the cg back grounds, and we don't have a sim dept. Gotta have the character getting out of bed, then getting the blanket to drift down and make itself.

This is actually pretty fun, which for preschool TV, is a super plus. And its taking 1/10 the time I thought it would. Joints, lattices, and some vert animation. It has promise, and I might even have enough time to make it look half decent.

Thats my "stand-in" texture till we get some pastel goodness that matches the rest of the preschool show, so until then ... HAIL SATAN! ('s bed sheets).

can't show more of the scene for legal reasons.




And here is where the problems are Ladies and Gentlemen. Smooth out the bumps, still feeling like its bouncing off walls on the way down to me, and not sure about the more exagerated followthrough on the bottom of the blanket this time round, get some fresh eyes on it tomorrow.