The Waiter - Head Progress

I did a few tweaks on the hands as I noticed a few areas that needed some attention. I've added a few more details to the head today as well which included giving him the expression that I wanted for the final pose, eyebrows, eyes and a fair bit of reshaping in places. I played around with the moustache because the one that I drew in the concept didn't look right on the model. I'm hoping that once I've done a bit of detailing in Mudbox it will stand out a bit more. 

The Waiter - Modelling Progress

So far so good! Managed to get the head roughly done and the hand. Getting a little more accustomed to the Maya way of modelling. Tomorrow I'll aim to tweak parts of the head and get the eyebrows and moustache on... any more will be a bonus.

I appreciate any feedback!

College News

I had a mini-interview at the Design Show, and as a result Filbert and I have a little feature on the College website. 
Please go ahead and read the full article here.

The Waiter - Concepting

And so I have begun my first small project since learning Maya! I have drawn out some concepts for the character which I have had in my head for months now. It feels great to finally be putting that idea into practice. 
I have decided to create a 'stylised' Waiter character. The aim of this mini project is to get to grips with modelling and texturing work-flows within Maya, and learn a few lighting and render techniques along the way. I plan to create a simple environment and get a nice finished render and turntable of him in a pose. Here are a few of the concept images for the character so far. (Click for larger version.) I will be updating regularly as the project develops. 

Tanglewood Acoustic

This is a model I did just after I finished the electric guitar last year. This time I picked up my acoustic guitar and modelled it as detailed as I could. So once again, there is load of things I would love to change about it but I learned a great deal from doing it. 

Click for larger images. 

Ibanez ART 120

So last summer I picked up my electric and decided to model it as accurately as possible. Being one of my first major modelling projects there is tonnes I would love to change about it now, but it was a great learning experience and it is still something I am very proud of. Here's some renders for your peepers.


Click for larger images.

The Poker Room

Here are some final renders of my Materials and Lighting Assignment. My friend Jon gave me the idea to base it on 'Dogs Playing Poker', the famous painting, but instead replace the dogs with Leia and the StormTroopers. I loved this concept, so I took the painting as reference and copied it, whilst updating various things about the room. I tried to copy the exact placing of objects, for instance the poker chips, as best as possible. 
As I mentioned in the previous post, Leia's hairbun UV's corrupted so these are the only renders I have for now, but I will take further ones once I have the file that I originally submitted. I will also be rendering out a 'turntable' of it once I have it. 

"Dogs Playing Poker" by Cassius Coolidge

Leia

One of the first assignments this year I had to model a 'statue', based on a famous or well known person. I decided to chose Princess Leia. Once this assignment was handed in, we then had to texture the statue as realistically as our level of ability allowed us. Her hairbun UV's unfortunately has corrupted with Max 2013, so I cannot take any further renders of Leia for the time being, but I am hoping to get the original file I submitted to take further renders. Here is one image of the final textured model as well as some clays. 

Click for higher-res versions.

  

StormTrooper

As part of my Materials and Lighting assignment I modelled a StormTrooper, as well as Blaster. Here are some various renders from that project. I hope to upload this model to TurboSquid when I have a chance, but it requires a couple of tweaks before I do. 


Please click on the images to enlarge. 

Rigging Demo + Shot BreakDown!

I have uploaded 2 new videos to my Vimeo and Youtube channels, one being a brief Shot Breakdown of the completion of a final shot, and the other being the Rigging Demonstration of Filbert. I would really appreciate it if you took a few moments and gave them a watch!

Click on one of the links below to take you to the video...

Rigging Demo:

Vimeo
YouTube

Shot Breakdown

Vimeo

Youtube

So I won an award!

The design show went really well in my eyes. It wasn't as busy as I was expecting it to be, but I got to meet some really nice people and a couple of people took business cards. I had a lot of interest at my stand and I received so much positive feedback for my work which was very humbling.


The highlight though was definitely receiving an award. A small speech was read out that had been written out by the teachers and I was handed a certificate and a temporary award (I unfortunately was not allowed to keep it). Needless to say I didn't think I deserved it by any means, but I am very grateful that I was selected and it was a massive relief to know that the hours that have gone into this year have paid off.


Here is a picture of me and the Glass Shard of Destiny, a.k.a "Team Award for Excellence and Creativity". 
Please click on the image for a higher-res version.

It's been a while!

I've been a bit inactive since I have been home in terms of updating. But no longer! I'll jump straight into it.

So since the upload of Filbert I have had nothing but good feedback and I am honestly so happy that it's gone down this well. Considering my Year One project has only received 440+ views in nearly a year, Filbert has reached 280+ views in 4 days, so I am chuffed to bits. 

If you still have yet to see it, then please watch it by clicking the link below below: 

https://vimeo.com/44472671

(My YouTube and Vimeo Channel links are in the blog post below this). 

Filbert is finally here!

So I am now back home and have officially finished the FdSc. A huge weight has been lifted from my shoulders. I have a few bits of work to now upload onto this blog, as well as upload onto Youtube / Vimeo. I will post up a bit of work every now and again over the next few days.

For now though, here is my 2nd Year Final Animation - Filbert.
I just wanted to say a massive thank you to my girlfriend, housemates, family and staff for supporting me during this entire process. I could not have done it without them. I also just wanted to add that I am incredibly grateful for everyone that has taken a look, shared or liked it. It means a great deal to me that people are enjoying it and the feedback that I have received so far has been overwhelming. So thank you.

Please choose one of the links below to take you to the animation:

Vimeo
Youtube - be sure to watch in HD!

Quick Update

So the last 48 hours have been pretty hectic. Have been trying to put together videos for the design show, whilst getting my wall display ready, Post Producting, Sound, re-rendering one of the scenes (just so happened to be the longest one)... yada yada yada. This explains why there has been no work uploaded. I don't know if I will have internet in Bournemouth, so my video uploading will have to wait until my return on Thursday night. That being said, all my work will be posted on here and I can start actually uploading work rather than just talking about it!
I didn't want to just give you something to read, so here is something to look at as well :) This is my page that will go within the Bournemouth and Poole College Design Show Booklet. Click for a larger view.

Business Cards!

So for the Design Show I got some custom Business Cards made up and they arrived yesterday... all 250 of them. Got to say I am pretty happy with the outcome. In the near future I'll probably get some new ones made up that are a little weightier and have an updated design, but for now, they fit the bill just fine. :) Click on the picture for a larger version. 

Night Light

As my computer hasn't been turned off in the last few days due to rendering, every night I have gone to bed with this little light show displayed above my head against the wall. Thought it looked pretty cool so decided to take a cheeky picture of it. 

I am looking forward to a night where I have no computer 'whirring' and not having to wake up in the middle of the night to change over my renders.... 

Rig Breakdown

So only 8 shots left to render, and then Post Production and Sound can begin. Going to try and do Post in After Effects as Composite doesn't seem to give the best results. Fingers crossed I don't run into any problems. 

Anyway, I digress! 

Along side the finished version of Filbert, I will also be uploading a Rigging Demo of Filbert. Here is a little teaser for now. 

Logo!

So I may have lied about posting... 

A new development is that Filbert has now acquired a new Logo! Huge thanks to Luci Ward, who designed it. I highly recommend you check out her blog (I've linked it to her name) to see her creative outbursts!!

Toodles for now!

Rendering...

So I can't say this is the most fun part of the process but it's nice to know that it's coming together... again. I won't be able to post much over the next few days as the screen above will be pretty much all I get to look at.
This does however mean that HD Filbert draws ever nearer!

Pictures and updates will continue at the weekend!

Formatting Day!

So as I am now home I felt that my computers could do with a fresh start considering what they have been through this year, especially as for the next 5 days they are going to be solidly rendering for my Show Reel.
My brother aka IT Wizard, and I spent the day surrounded with cables and components, and were able to breathe some new life into the machines. On top of that, I now have every piece of software I require for summer projects... besides Nuke.
Ah well! Let the rendering... commence!

First Post!

I have begun this blog so that anyone can view my progress as I delve deeper into the CGI world. Having just given in my Year 2 Final Project, my focus is now turned to re-tweaking parts of it, and rendering it in HD to be uploaded onto my Youtube and Vimeo accounts. I will also be putting a Show Reel together over the course of the next week and a half, ready for the Bournemouth and Poole College Design Show where my work will be on display.

Stay tuned and I hope that you enjoy my blog as it progresses!